An EIN is a unique nine-digit number that identifies a business for tax purposes.
An EIN is a unique nine-digit number that identifies a business for tax purposes.
Organization Mission
Blind Early Services TN ensures that families are empowered and equipped through specialized programs of support to provide young children who are blind or low visio ... (More)
Rating Information
Not currently rated
Ratings are calculated from one or more beacon scores. Currently, we require either an Accountability & Finance beacon or an Impact & Measurement beacon to be eligible for a Charity Navigator rating. Note: The absence of a rating does not indicate a positive or negative assessment; it only indicates that we have not yet evaluated this organization.
See rating report below to learn why this organization is not currently eligible.
Historical Ratings
Charity Navigator's ratings previously did not consider Leadership & Adaptability, Culture & Community, or Impact & Measurement. The historic rating mainly reflects a version of today’s Accountability and Finance score. More information on our previous rating methodologies can be found on our rating methodology page.
Rating histories are available for a growing number of rated organizations. Check back later to see if this organization has a rating history!
Blind-Visually Impaired Early Services of Tennessee cannot currently be evaluated by our Accountability & Finance methodology due to only having 2 years of electronically-filed IRS Form 990 data.
To ensure year-to-year consistency the Encompass Rating System's Accountability & Finance beacon analyzes the three-year average of some data provided through the IRS 990.
Charity Navigator currently only has 2 years of consecutive e-filed Forms 990 from the IRS for Blind-Visually Impaired Early Services of Tennessee under the EIN: 85-3579692.
Before Charity Navigator can evaluate Blind-Visually Impaired Early Services of Tennessee, Blind-Visually Impaired Early Services of Tennessee will need to e-file for additional fiscal years.
This chart displays the trend of revenue and expenses over the past several years for this organization, as reported on their IRS Form 990.
Salary of Key Persons - Data Available
Presented here are up to five of this organization's highest compensated employees. This compensation data includes salary, cash bonuses, and expense accounts and is displayed exactly how it is reported to the IRS. The amounts do not include nontaxable benefits, deferred compensation, or other amounts not reported on Form W-2. In some cases, these amounts may include compensation from related organizations. Read the IRS policies for compensation reporting
Alison Clougherty, President Executive Director Of Programs
$66,247
Stacy Cornwall, Secretary Executive Director Of Finance And A
$38,958
Sandra Zaccari, Chairman
$0
Brandy Neeley, Treasurer
$0
Anita Henderson, Board Member
$0
Source: IRS Form 990 (page 7), filing year 2023
IRS Published Data (Business Master File) - Data Available
Organization that normally receives no more than one-third of its support from gross investment income and unrelated business income and at the same time more than one-third of its support from contributions, fees, and gross receipts related to exempt purposes. 509(a)(2) (BMF foundation code: 16)
Affiliation:
Independent - the organization is an independent organization or an independent auxiliary (i.e., not affiliated with a National, Regional, or Geographic grouping of organizations). (BMF affiliation code: 3)
Data Sources (IRS Forms 990) - Data Available
The Form 990 is a document that nonprofit organizations file with the IRS annually. We leverage accountability and finance data from it to form Encompass ratings. Click here to search for this organization's Forms 990 on the IRS website (if any are available). Simply enter the organization's name (Blind-Visually Impaired Early Services of Tennessee) or EIN (853579692) in the 'Search Term' field.
Impact & Measurement
Not Currently Scored
Blind-Visually Impaired Early Services of Tennessee cannot currently be evaluated by our Impact & Measurement methodology because either (A) it is eligible, but we have not yet received data; (B) we have not yet developed an algorithm to estimate its programmatic impact; (C) its programs are not direct services; or (D) it is not heavily reliant on contributions from individual donors.
Note: The absence of a score does not indicate a positive or negative assessment, it only indicates that we have not yet evaluated the organization.
Does your organization collect feedback (i.e., perceptions, opinions, concerns) from the people meant to ultimately benefit from your mission?
Yes
Feedback Usage
100 out of 100 points
How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences
To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences
To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations
To inform the development of new programs/projects
To identify where we are less inclusive across demographic groups
To strengthen relationships with the people we serve
To understand client needs and how we can help them achieve their desired outcomes
Practices
100 out of 100 points
Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually
We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people
We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible
We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us
We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response
We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback
Challenges
100 out of 100 points
What challenges does your organization face in collecting feedback from the people you serve?
It is difficult to get people to respond to requests for feedback
Equity Strategies™
Unscored
0% of Culture & Community score
Leadership & Adaptability
Score
100
This beacon provides an assessment of the organization's leadership capacity, strategic thinking and planning, and ability to innovate or respond to changes in constituent demand/need or other relevant social and economic conditions to achieve the organization's mission.
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking through articulating the organization's mission.
Blind Early Services TN ensures that families are empowered and equipped through specialized programs of support to provide young children who are blind or low vision their absolute BEST start.
Vision Statement
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking through articulating the organization's vision.
We current serve 60+ families in middle Tennessee who have children with blindness. We want to serve
Strategic Goals
The nonprofit organization presents evidence of strategic thinking and goal setting through sharing their most important strategic goals.
Goal One: Expand to meet the needs of families across the state, especially those in rural counties who have very limited access to any services at all, much less specialized services.
Goal Two: Expand our BEST Start program to include in-person events that allow parents to come together and share in their unique lived experience.
Goal Three: Fundraise and successfully acquire grants and other funds to allow for the hiring of more Teachers of the Visually Impaired to work with the families we serve.
Leadership
30 out of 30 points
Full Credit
Partial Credit
No Credit
Investment in Leadership Development
The nonprofit provides evidence of investment in leadership development.
We joined a national organization called Vision Serve Alliance and enrolled in their CEO Leadership development program (Executive Directors).
External Focus on Mobilizing Mission
The nonprofit provides evidence of leadership through focusing externally and mobilizing resources for the mission.
Strategic Partnerships
Collaborative Engagement
Thought Leadership
Social Promotion
Civic Engagement
Public Policy Advocacy
Adaptability
30 out of 30 points
Full Credit
Partial Credit
No Credit
Adaptability Statement
30 out of 30 points
The nonprofit has an opportunity to tell the story of how the organization adapted to tremendous external changes in the last year.
The biggest adaptation we made this year was offering virtual services to our families to ensure we are still meeting with them as often as possible. Additionally, we created a podcast to get more information out to families in a way that is flexible for them.