The Cleveland Society for the Blind
Also known as Cleveland Sight Center (Csc)
The Cleveland Society for the Blind reported $17.3 million in revenue and $13.9 million in expenses for calendar year 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $84.29 went to program services, $10.64 to management and general costs and $5.07 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 36.0% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $469,998 (CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER). 12 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 67% between 2019 and 2025. Source: Form 990, 2025.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $14MFor context, the median across 3,614 covered human services charities: $88.27 programs, $11.52 management, $0.21 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
Calendar year 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $17MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 84.3% | 87.2% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 10.6% | 11.4% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 5.1% | 0.2% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.11 | $0.02 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 36.0% | 20.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 2.4% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 28.6% | 70.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $469,998 | $274,992 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 3.39% | 1.18% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 12 | 6 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 155.7 | 6.9 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 29 of 29 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseCsc provides early intervention & other school services: parents of 0-3 year olds learn compensatory techniques to develop skills in communication, independence & movement. Children aged 3-5 attend our in-house preschool. Families of school-aged children are educated how to advocate for their children. Csc staff instruct school teachers how to adapt their classroom for a child with a vision disability. Young adults up to age 23 are engaged in pre-employment skills training (482 clients served)
Csc provides casework & social services assisting clients in navigating networks to meet their needs (1764 clients served). Once needs are identified, training and techniques are taught to improve daily living and mobility to increase independence. Computer training is provided to teach people who are blind to use a computer using assistive software (546 clients served). Csc operates a low vision clinic evaluating and educating clients about the optical AIDS necessary to utilize remaining vision more effectively, staffed by licensed optometrists with special focus on low vision exams (1372…
Call center production services including management of a fully-functioning call center which provides training and competitive employment to people who are blind or visually impaired or have other work-limiting disabilities (employment of over 93 individuals)
Highest reported compensation
2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $427,213 | $0 | $42,785 | $469,998 |
| CHIEF OF CLIENT SERVICES Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $183,033 | $0 | $24,538 | $207,571 |
| CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $178,591 | $0 | $24,786 | $203,377 |
| CLINIC MANAGER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $138,623 | $0 | $46,909 | $185,532 |
| CONTROLLER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $131,196 | $0 | $22,840 | $154,036 |
| CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $123,830 | $0 | $13,117 | $136,947 |
| MANAGER OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $108,148 | $0 | $21,068 | $129,216 |
| DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $104,216 | $0 | $21,054 | $125,270 |
12 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from The Cleveland Society for the Blind (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.0M (Part IX, line 5).
7 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
2025 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b29 · 29 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2No
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4Yes
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 5211
- Volunteers Part I, line 6176
Private foundation grants it received
10 private foundations reported grants to The Cleveland Society for the Blind totaling $183K on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from The Cleveland Society for the Blind's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for The Cleveland Society for the Blind, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 The Cleveland Society for the Blind spent in 2025, $84.29 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
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- Accesspoint RiCranston, RI · revenue $17M · programs 88.4% · FY2025
Questions people ask
How much of The Cleveland Society for the Blind's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2025, The Cleveland Society for the Blind reported that 84.3% of its $13.9 million in expenses went to program services, 10.6% to management and general and 5.1% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does The Cleveland Society for the Blind pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation The Cleveland Society for the Blind reported for one person in calendar year 2025 was $469,998, for the role of CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does The Cleveland Society for the Blind get its money?
Of $17.3 million in revenue in calendar year 2025, 36.0% came from contributions and grants and 28.6% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is The Cleveland Society for the Blind a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 34-0714652 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- 2025: Form 990 for calendar year 2025, object 202641969349300214 · read the filing · XML
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202522269349300617 · read the filing
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202401989349300820 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202341849349300534 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202202019349300810 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202142029349301014 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202032269349301538 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 34-0714652: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.