N I B logo: National Industries for the Blind 2020 ANNUAL REPORT CALL TO SERVICE NIB LEADERSHIP NIB BOARD OF DIRECTORS PAUL M. HEALY, PH.D., A.C.A. Chairperson* A. ROBERT BLOOM, CPAVice Chairperson* BRIGADIER GENERAL KRISTIN K. FRENCH, USA (RET.) Secretary VIKRAM AGARWAL, ESQ. Treasurer* MARY JANE SURRAGOAssistant Secretary Platt L. Allen, III Lauren Branch, CPA* Cynthia Bryant, Esq. Christopher T. Burke William E. Carty Susan E. Costlow Rear Admiral Richard T. Ginman, USN (Ret.) Jeffrey M. Hawting Reinhard Mabry* Susan Markel, CPA Carl H. McRae Jeffrey E. Mittman Susan Mustacchio Dennis L. Steiner* *Executive Committee Member NIB EXECUTIVE TEAM KEVIN A. LYNCHPresident and Chief Executive Officer ANGELA HARTLEYExecutive Vice President and Chief Program Officer STEVEN T. BRICEVice President and Chief Financial Officer JON KATZVice President, Business Development and Channels TOM MIKRUTGeneral Counsel ANDY MUECKVice President, Operations CARRIE LANEYExecutive Director, New York State Preferred Source Program for New Yorkers Who Are Blind MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRPERSON AND PRESIDENT Fiscal year 2020 was an extraordinary moment in NIB’s 82-year history, marked not only by the challenges of a once-in-a-century pandemic, but also significant accomplishments and progress in achieving our mission to grow employment for Americans who are blind. NIB created 378 new employment opportunities for people who are blind in FY2020, more than doubled blind work years in our professional services lines, and helped hundreds of people who are blind earn job promotions or obtain competitive positions inside and outside of our network. This success was made possible by the stalwart efforts of our associated agencies across the country, as well as the continued support of our federal and military customers, industry partners, the U.S. AbilityOne Commission®, and the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. AbilityOne Commission. As you’ll read in this year’s annual report, we expanded our award- winning training and professional development programs to help people who are blind build successful careers in any field they choose, and recognized key milestones such as the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the 25th anniversary of the AbilityOne Base Supply Center® program, and the 10th anniversary of the Contract Management Support program. We also fiercely advocated for issues affecting the employment of people who are blind. Most notably, NIB worked closely with our associated agencies and other strategic partners to secure a legislative solution for the Veterans Affairs Rule of Two issue. The successful passage of H.R. 4920 helps preserve hundreds of jobs for people who are blind whose work supports the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. We accomplished all this – and so much more – during the year of the coronavirus pandemic. With no playbook to draw on, the people in our network displayed extraordinary purpose and motivation to rise to the challenge and meet COVID-19 head-on. Their efforts were buoyed by the exemplary leadership of the U.S. AbilityOne Commission, who established the Contingency Support Operations and Communications cell to coordinate response activities among the federal government and central nonprofit agencies. As part of the nation’s essential critical infrastructure, many NIB associated nonprofit agencies remained open and provided federal customers with critical items, while also retooling operations to manufacture new products essential to the nation’s response. All the while, they kept America’s Defense Industrial Base strong by providing the military with uniforms and equipment needed to keep America safe. This operational pivot and ability to meet the needs of our customers during a national crisis is a shining demonstration of what makes NIB, our associated agencies, and the AbilityOne® Program great. As they have done in times of national crisis since the Second World War, people who are blind working at NIB associated agencies continue to quickly and nimbly answer the nation’s call to service. As we close the book on an unprecedented year, we’re eager to begin writing the next chapter in our history. We hope you’ll join us on our journey to forge new pathways for employment in the year ahead. Signed by PAUL M. HEALY, PH.D., A.C.A. Chairperson of the Board KEVIN A. LYNCH President and Chief Executive Officer GROWTH AND INNOVATION MILESTONES Expanded the MAKE-TO- ORDER KITTING program to include construction kits and kits with medical/surgical, personal protective equipment, cleaning- related, or other public safety products deemed necessary by government agencies to respond to COVID-19. Photograph of a young woman assembling kits. Partnered with General Dynamics Information Technology to provide CONTRACT MANAGEMENT SUPPORT, including closeout, novation, and data cleansing for more than 2,000 active and inactive contracts. Welcomed two Department of Defense civilian employees as part of the PUBLIC-PRIVATE TALENT EXCHANGE, a limited-term acquisition exchange enabling federal employees and private sector participants to gain a better understanding of each other’s business operations and share innovative best practices. Launched an end-to-end redesign of the ABILITYONE.COM WEBSITE, with a new user-friendly layout, intuitive navigation, and robust search capabilities to improve the online customer experience. Screenshot of the Ability One website Celebrated the 10TH ANNIVERSARY of the Contract Management Support program, which has employed more than 200 people who are blind in upwardly mobile career contracting positions, including more than 80 who are now employed in government or the private sector. Photo of a worker reading text in large fonts on her screen. Recognized the 25TH ANNIVERSARY of the AbilityOne Base Supply Center® program, which now operates in 155 locations serving all branches of the armed services and many key federal departments and agencies. The Ability One twentyfifth anniversary banner Marked the 30 YEAR PARTNERSHIP between 3M and the Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired-Goodwill in Rochester, New York, the first such collaboration between a private company and an NIB associated agency. Photo of a visually impaired man working at his desk. Observed the 30TH ANNIVERSARY of the Americans with Disabilities Act with blog and social media posts, and a feature story in Opportunity magazine on the transformative nature of the landmark civil rights law and the work still to be done. Honored the 75TH ANNIVERSARY of National Disability Employment Awareness Month, providing NIB associated nonprofit agencies, Base Supply Centers, and wholesalers and distributors with tools to help mark the milestone. TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT Launched the NIB CISCO ACADEMY, the first Cisco Certified Network Associates training program adapted to the learning styles of people who are blind, to provide foundational knowledge of a broad range of IT fundamentals and empower them to take their careers in any direction they wish. Rolled out the BUSINESS ESSENTIALS training program, which builds greater understanding of business elements, decision making, and entrepreneurship through online courses and simulation. Logo of the Business Essentials training program. Conducted virtual LEAN SIX SIGMA YELLOW BELT TRAINING for staff from NIB and five associated agencies. More than 93% of all NIB staff are now Yellow Belt certified. Published an article on the PROFESSIONAL MASTERY OF OFFICE TECHNOLOGY FOR EMPLOYMENT (ProMOTE) training program in the international, peer-reviewed Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness. J V I B logo: Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness Developed a NEW TALENT MANAGEMENT SERVICE to assist employers in diversifying and strengthening their workforces by tapping the potential of job seekers who are blind, visually impaired, and/or veterans. N S I T logo: A vision for talent Provided ADVANCED ZOOM TRAINING, preparing nearly 50 NIB employees to host learning opportunities, forums, conferences, and executive meetings using the remote conferencing platform that has become a crucial communications tool as organizations embrace remote work. Developed the ASSOCIATION MANAGEMENT FELLOWSHIP for people who are blind to obtain experience in event planning, marketing and communications, accounting and finance, and human resources at NIB as they earn a Certified Nonprofit Professional credential from the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance. Piloted an initiative with the AIR FORCE LIFE CYCLE MANAGEMENT CENTER to actively recruit and hire people who are blind and visually impaired for contracting positions. Logo of the AIR FORCE LIFE CYCLE MANAGEMENT CENTER ANSWERING THE NATION’S CALL As the dimensions of the COVID-19 crisis came into focus in March and the economy shut down in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus, NIB, its associated nonprofit agencies, and the AbilityOne Commission sprang into action. The Commission stood up the National Emergency Contingency Support Operations and Communication (CSOC) Team and expanded the Make-To-Order medical kitting contract to include medical/surgical, personal protective equipment, cleaning-related, or other public safety supplies. NIB staff worked countless hours behind the scenes assisting its associated agencies in dealing with unprecedented demand and responding to urgent requests from government agencies for desperately needed supplies. In August, the NIB board of directors passed two resolutions recognizing the ongoing efforts of associated agency personnel and NIB staff in responding to COVID-19. Photograph of a woman wearing a face mask working at a supply center Scan the QR code to learn more about how NIB and its associated agencies responded to COVID-19 QR code Photo of a group of vision impaired workers displaying supplies Map of the United States highlighting National Industries for the Blind's achievements across the country as listed below: AbilityOne Base Supply Centers across the country, including the BSC at the China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station, provide critical supplies to the federal government and U.S. military The LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired of San Francisco runs its San Leandro production facility six days a week to meet the spike in demand Bosma Enterprises in Indianapolis provides millions of medical exam gloves to the Department of Veterans Affairs Beyond Vision in Milwaukee implements innovative approaches to keep employees safe Employees at the Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired- Goodwill of the Finger Lakes in Rochester field up to 500 calls per day for the region’s 211 crisis hotline Northeastern Association for the Blind at Albany uses Body Filter 95+ material from coveralls it produces to make face masks for frontline healthcare workers Association for Vision Rehabilitation and Employment in Binghamton partners with a local plastics supplier to manufacture face shields for area hospitals Westmoreland County Blind Association cuts fabric for 2,000 isolation gowns for local hospital workers Blind Industries and Services of Maryland, Industries of the Blind in Greensboro, IFB Solutions in Winston-Salem, LCI in Durham, and Alphapointe in Kansas City, partner to produce nearly 600,000 cloth face masks for the U.S. Air Force Lighthouse Works! in Orlando, Florida, staffs up its call center to handle surging unemployment claims for the state of Florida Travis Association for the Blind in Austin, Texas, ramps up production of Gojo Purell San Antonio Lighthouse for the Blind shifts talent to produce thousands of protective face masks each week West Texas Lighthouse for the Blind provides face shields and masks to the state of Texas NewView Oklahoma in Oklahoma City produces vinyl shower curtains for use as hospital bed dividers Outlook Nebraska in Omaha produces 50 tons (200,000 rolls) of toilet paper each day Photo of an N I B worker wearing a face mask and a headset Photo of an N I B worker wearing a face mask working in a manufacturing plant. 40NIB associated nonprofit agencies manufacturing COVID-related products1,580Different COVID- related products available 3,780People who are blind producing COVID-related products ADVOCACY AND AWARENESS Secured passage of the Department of Veterans Affairs Contracting Preference Consistency Act of 2020, SAVING THE MAJORITY OF VA CONTRACTS in the AbilityOne Program and hundreds of jobs for people who are blind. Continued the GREAT AMERICAN WORKFORCE marketing campaign into a second year, educating members of Congress and senior policymakers on the work of NIB and its associated agencies. Photo of a man in front of a Great American Workforce banner Welcomed eight employees who are blind to the ADVOCATES FOR LEADERSHIP AND EMPLOYMENT program and provided virtual training on representing their agencies in the community and on Capitol Hill. There are currently 59 active Advocates in the program. ADVOCATES FOR LEADERSHIP AND EMPLOYMENT logo ADVOCATESFOR LEADERSHIP AND EMPLOYMENT Organized a VIRTUAL GRASSROOTS ADVOCACY WEEK during which associated agencies held more than 40 meetings with federal lawmakers to share their positive impact in providing jobs and essential services to people who are blind in local communities. Photo of a group of men wearing face masks touring a warehouse Launched the NIB CONNECTION weekly blog to share news and stories about NIB’s mission and the people working in NIB associated nonprofit agencies. N I B Connection banner featuring a view of the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. EVENTS AND AWARDS 2020 NATIONAL AWARD WINNERS Welcomed more than 850 attendees and 30+ exhibitors at the first-ever NIB/NAEPB VIRTUAL TRAINING CONFERENCE AND EXPO, which featured presentations by the U.S. AbilityOne Commission and senior military and federal customers, and comprehensive training on the AbilityOne Program. Poster for the VIRTUAL TRAINING CONFERENCE AND EXPO Transformed the annual TEXTILE APPAREL GROUP MEETING from an in-person event to a series of Lunch and Learn sessions in the month of September with representatives from the Defense Logistics Agency, U.S. AbilityOne Commission, SourceAmerica, and NIB. Hosted 12 events for external organizations in NIB’S EVENT AND TRAINING CENTER prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, including Virginia Tech and the City of Alexandria, Virginia, Chamber of Commerce. Photo of an empty conference center MILTON J. SAMUELSON CAREER ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Sarah Heeson Beyond Vision Milwaukee, Wisconsin Photograph of Sarah Heeson PETER J. SALMON EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR AWARD Pam Chesser Travis Association for the Blind Austin, Texas Photograph of Pam Chesser R.B. IRWIN AWARDDr. A. Gidget Hopf Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired - Goodwill of the Finger Lakes Rochester, New York Photograph of Dr. Gidget Hopf FY2020 FINANCIAL SUMMARY As of September 30, 2020 (Dollars in Thousands) ASSETS Cash and cash equivalents $ 8,806 Investments 10,495 Receivables, net 24,996 Deposits and prepaid expenses 1,868 Property and equipment, at cost less accumulated depreciation 62,183 TOTAL ASSETS $ 108,348 LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS Liabilities $ 69,899 Net assets ($184 temporarily restricted) 38,449 TOTAL LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS $ 108,348 STATEMENT OF ACTIVITIES For the 12 months ended September 30, 2020 Fees from associated agencies $ 37,789 Gross profit on e-commerce sales 1,007 Other income (expense) 506 Total revenue 39,302 Total expenses 35,979 Change in net assets 3,323 Net assets at beginning of year 35,126 NET ASSETS AT END OF YEAR $ 38,449 Summarized from audited financial statements FY2020 HIGHLIGHTS 5,500Number of NIB and NIB associated agency employees who are blind VETERANS employed at NIB and NIB associated agencies 554 AVERAGE HOURLY RATE paid by NIB and NIB associated agencies $11.96FY2018 $12.28FY2019 $12.59FY2020 WAGES AND BENEFITS $123 millionpaid by NIB associated agencies to employees who are blind NEW EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES for people who are blind 311FY2019 378FY2020 REHABILITATION SERVICES 75,718Number of people who are blind who received rehabilitation services provided by NIB associated agencies PROMOTIONS AND PLACEMENTS 326Number of people who are blind who were promoted or obtained competitive positions with NIB associated agencies or other organizations N I B logo: National Industries for the Blind 3000 Potomac Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22305 703-310-0500 NIB.org Facebook, Twitter, You Tube and Linked In logos