Perkins School For the Blind
77% goes to programs $21 to raise $100 Strong reserves
Perkins School For the Blind is a 501(c)(3) organization based in Watertown, Massachusetts, registered in 1961, with $89,783,296 in FY2024 revenue. CharityIndex grades it B+, and it directs about 77% of spending to programs.
175 North Beacon St, Watertown, MA, 02472 EIN 04-2103616 Since 1961
Revenue (FY2024)
$89.8M
▲ 12.5% vs prior year
Education median: $200K
Expenses (FY2024)
$105.5M
Net assets
$393.3M
Employees
976
CharityIndex rating
One independent A+ to F grade from four published criteria, each scored separately from IRS filings and combined by weight.
B+
BProgram efficiency40% of the rating77% to programs · $21 to raise $100
Measures how much of every dollar spent actually reaches programs, plus what it costs to raise $100 of donations. The worse of the two measures sets the letter (85%+ to programs is an A; under $15 to raise $100 is an A), averaged over the three most recent filings. For Perkins School For the Blind: 77% to programs · $21 to raise $100 earns a B on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
C+Financial health25% of the rating45 mo reserves · -17% margin
Measures whether the organization is built to last: how many months its reserves would cover expenses (3+ months earns an A-range score, but hoarding 5+ years of budget is capped) and whether it runs a surplus or a deficit. For Perkins School For the Blind: 45 mo reserves · -17% margin earns a C+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
A+Governance25% of the rating6 of 6 checks met
Checks how the organization is run, from its own Form 990: an independent board majority, a board of five or more, conflict-of-interest, whistleblower and document-retention policies, and independently audited financials. The share of disclosed checks that pass sets the letter. For Perkins School For the Blind: 6 of 6 checks met earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
A+Transparency10% of the rating5 of 5 disclosure signals
Counts five disclosure signals: a recent filing, a mission statement, program descriptions, a listed website, and the full expense breakdown. More disclosure, better letter. For Perkins School For the Blind: 5 of 5 disclosure signals earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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Mission
See schedule o
What they do
Internationalthere are millions of children with visual impairment and multiple disabilities (mdvi) around the world who don't receive the quality education they deserve. perkins international works to put these children in school, equip educators with the specialized skills they need to teach them and connect the most vulnerable families with vital governmental and medical resources. during fy25, perkins international conducted this work in 22 countries and regions, more than 54k teachers were trained, more than 1.8m children were reached, and more than 19k families were supported.
Regional libraryperkins library has provided accessible reading material to people with visual impairment and other disabilities since 1837. in recent years, we have significantly expanded our offerings to serve more people with more nuanced needs. in fy25, we distributed more than 1,000,000 accessible books, magazines, newspapers, dvds and more, at no cost to the 22,500 patrons we serve annually. we've also led the charge in distributing assistive technologies like refreshable braille displays while providing a website that enables people to download accessible reading material.
Perkins solutionsperkins solutions deploys technology to overcome long standing and emerging accessibility barriers. since the 1950s, the perkins brailler has been the most widely used mechanical braille writer in the world. today our expertise in inclusive design solutions is available via perkins access, a consulting service that helps businesses ensure their digital products and services are usable by everyone. during fy25, perkins solutions distributed 5,755 braillers worldwide and assisted 46 organizations with technology assessments and modifications.icanconnectthe national deaf-blind equipment distribution program, known as icanconnect, provides free equipment and training for people with both significant hearing and vision loss who meet the program's disability and income eligibility guidelines. administered by the fcc and managed by perkins in 23 states across the country, icanconnect helps people stay connected to friends, family and the world.
Contact & location
- Address
- 175 North Beacon St, Watertown, MA, 02472
- City
- Watertown
- State
- Massachusetts
- Category
- Education
- Subcategory
- Elementary & Secondary Schools
- Phone
- …
- Website
- …
Financial trends
Revenue declined from $108.0M (FY2013) to $89.8M (FY2024) across 12 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Financial health & position (FY2024)
Liabilities $36.4MNet assets $393.3M
Operating margin
-17.5%
Spent more than it raised in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$429.7M
Total liabilities
$36.4M
Net assets
$393.3M
Salaries & benefits
$75.5M
72% of expenses
Board members
19
19 independent
Financials by year
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $89,783,296▲12.5% | $105,465,723▼0.8% | $393,251,326▲1.9% | $429,689,543▲1.4% | 990 |
| 2023 | $79,806,491▼9.7% | $106,277,026▲7.4% | $385,744,265▲0.7% | $423,899,187▲1.5% | 990 |
| 2022 | $88,358,376▼6.9% | $98,944,399▲20.2% | $382,908,295▲2.0% | $417,454,806▲1.5% | 990 |
| 2021 | $94,892,285▲13.4% | $82,285,581▲8.9% | $375,242,358▼10.6% | $411,266,626▼10.6% | 990 |
| 2020 | $83,698,194▲23.8% | $75,582,151▼2.0% | $419,540,384▲22.7% | $459,820,688▲20.4% | 990 |
| 2019 | $67,610,031▼21.2% | $77,113,138▲5.5% | $342,048,217▼2.6% | $381,825,466▼2.2% | 990 |
| 2018 | $85,823,400▲21.4% | $73,113,470▲2.3% | $351,283,818▼0.2% | $390,475,878▼0.2% | 990 |
| 2017 | $70,672,409▲17.2% | $71,500,014▲2.2% | $352,115,088▲4.8% | $391,452,028▲4.2% | 990 |
| 2016 | $60,322,930▲0.3% | $69,957,149▲2.2% | $336,049,987▲6.9% | $375,814,726▲7.0% | 990 |
| 2015 | $60,169,859▲8.0% | $68,480,613▲4.0% | $314,327,193▼7.1% | $351,258,673▼6.5% | 990 |
| 2014 | $55,709,646▼48.4% | $65,850,043▼1.0% | $338,182,762▼1.3% | $375,859,144▼1.2% | 990 |
| 2013 | $108,004,872 | $66,506,750▲3.4% | $342,723,306▲13.8% | $380,342,239▲7.9% | 990 |
| 2012 | — | $64,312,189▼2.8% | $301,225,184▲7.9% | $352,427,495▲5.9% | 990 |
| 2011 | — | $66,130,971▲2.4% | $279,054,065▼4.5% | $332,752,634▼4.1% | 990 |
| 2010 | — | $64,570,394▲8.4% | $292,072,019▲15.6% | $346,862,043▲14.5% | 990 |
| 2009 | — | $59,571,662 | $252,732,694 | $303,027,556 | 990 |
Original Form 990 PDFs (the Form column) are served by ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, as filed with the IRS. Create a free account to download the CSV report.
Leadership & compensation (FY2024)
Highest-paid: William David Power — $448,543 (0.43% of total expenses)
| Name | Title | Hours/week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| William David Power | President & Ceo (thru 5/2/25) | 50 | $448,543 |
| Brenna Child | Chief People Officer | 50 | $329,595 |
| Rebecca Fater | Exec Dir of Marketing (thru 6/2024) | 50 | $324,497 |
| Edward H Bosso | Interim Coo & Pres of Ed Progrms | 50 | $323,033 |
| Astrid Vermeer | Chief Fin & Admin Off (thru 9/24) | 50 | $285,886 |
| Katherine Holland-ortiz | Executive Director of International | 50 | $275,400 |
| Bashar Al-nakhala | Chief Technology Officer | 50 | $225,007 |
| Sandra K Lacey | Exec Dir of Howe Innovation Ctr | 50 | $221,440 |
| Gary Aussant | Director of Digital Access | 50 | $202,713 |
| Bret Connor | Trustee | 5 | — |
| Cynthia E Stead | Trustee | 5 | — |
| David A Durkin | Trustee | 5 | — |
| Derek Johnston | Treasurer | 5 | — |
| Frederic M Clifford | Trustee | 5 | — |
| Jennifer Desisto | Trustee | 5 | — |
| Joseph Boncore | Trustee | 5 | — |
| Julia Satti Cosentino | Trustee | 5 | — |
| Kate Katulak Higgins | Trustee | 5 | — |
| Katharine B Schmitt | Trustee | 5 | — |
| Lauren Fornes | Trustee | 5 | — |
Top vendors & contractors (FY2024)
| Contractor | Services | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Linda M Bernhart | Finance & Accounting Consulting Svcs | $604,971 |
| Kpmg LLP | Audit & Tax Services | $491,310 |
| Paula Slotkin DBA Slotkin Communications | Public Relations & Communications Svcs | $303,958 |
| Raul A Gallegos DBA Rga Tech Solutions | Ntnl Deaf-blind Equip Dist Prog Repair & | $108,208 |
| Oladiran Akinrodoye DBA Blind Assistech | Ntnl Deaf-blind Equip Dist Prog Repair & | $100,904 |
Grants received · $8.8M total
117 grants to Perkins School For the Blind totaling $8.8M, reported by foundations on their Schedule I filings — showing the 15 most recent.
| Grantmaker | Purpose | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fiduciary Charitable Foundation | Donations | 2024 | $115,000 |
| Gs Donor Advised Philanthropy Fund For Wealth Management Inc | Education | 2024 | $114,600 |
| American Online Giving Foundation Inc | General support | 2024 | $51,717 |
| American Endowment Foundation | Educational | 2024 | $29,000 |
| Greater Horizons | Education | 2024 | $10,000 |
| Community Foundation of Greater Memphis Inc | General operational support | 2024 | $10,000 |
| Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund | For grant recipient's exempt purposes | 2023 | $364,799 |
| Gs Donor Advised Philanthropy Fund For Wealth Management Inc | Education | 2023 | $115,500 |
| Fiduciary Charitable Foundation | Donations | 2023 | $115,000 |
| Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston Inc | Daf - education | 2023 | $102,250 |
| Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program | For recipient's exempt purpose | 2023 | $97,000 |
| Donor Advised Charitable Giving | Education | 2023 | $76,184 |
| Boston Foundation Inc | Operating support/annual fund | 2023 | $41,841 |
| National Philanthropic Tr | Education | 2023 | $35,550 |
| American Online Giving Foundation Inc | General support | 2023 | $30,115 |
Grants made · $19K in FY2015
2 grants totaling $19K in FY2015. All grants made by Perkins School For the Blind →
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| National Family Association For Deaf-blind Inc | General support | $10,000 |
| World Services For the Blind Incorporated | General support | $8,700 |
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Frequently asked questions
- Is Perkins School For the Blind a legitimate nonprofit?
- Yes. Perkins School For the Blind is a 501(c)(3) organization registered with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service under EIN 04-2103616, based in Watertown, Massachusetts. Donations are tax-deductible.
- What is Perkins School For the Blind's EIN?
- Perkins School For the Blind's Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 04-2103616.
- How much revenue does Perkins School For the Blind report?
- Perkins School For the Blind reported $89,783,296 in total revenue on its fiscal year 2024 IRS Form 990 filing.
- How much of Perkins School For the Blind's spending goes to programs?
- Perkins School For the Blind spends about 77% of its total expenses on programs, based on its latest IRS Form 990.
- What financial grade does Perkins School For the Blind have?
- CharityIndex grades Perkins School For the Blind B+, based on program efficiency and fundraising cost.
- How much does Perkins School For the Blind's highest-paid employee make?
- The highest reported compensation on Perkins School For the Blind's latest Form 990 is $448,543, paid to William David Power (President & Ceo (thru 5/2/25)).
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Data for Perkins School For the Blind (EIN 04-2103616) comes from the IRS Business Master File and e-filed Form 990 returns, via CharityIndex. Figures reflect what the organization reported to the IRS for each fiscal year.