To make a difference in the education, independence, and quality of life for students and individuals who are blind or visually impaired in the state of Kentucky.
Kentucky School for the Blind Charitable’s largest recent grant went to Kentucky Blind School for lending library support and general operations, signaling a strong commitment to the core infrastructure behind services for people who are blind or visually impaired. The foundation’s recent giving also reaches beyond direct school support into preschool services, low-vision care, assistive devices, family events, and statewide outreach. It funds both organizations and specific programs, including scholarships, technology, curriculum support, and community collaborations. A clear thread runs through the grant record: it backs education and independence at multiple stages, from early childhood through post-secondary transition. Visually Impaired Preschool Services received support for an early childhood intervention program and family-centered events, while Clovernook Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired was funded for pediatric low vision services and adaptive sports for Kentucky students. The foundation also supports transition planning through INSIGHT, a post-secondary preparation program that pairs college and career readiness with a scholarship and laptop for students who complete two years. Recent gifts show a funder that blends direct student aid with program support for organizations serving blind and visually impaired communities.
Education is central to the foundation’s grantmaking. It gave $426,000 to Kentucky Blind School to support the lending library and general operations, and it funds student-facing programs such as INSIGHT, which awards a $5,000 scholarship and a fully equipped laptop after two years of participation. Early childhood and family support also appear in recent awards. Visually Impaired Preschool Services received $98,500 for an early childhood intervention program, the Lynn Family 5K, an annual family retreat, and an annual gala. The foundation also supported assistive access and literacy infrastructure through a $19,316 grant to Kedc Blindness Visual Impairments Plc for the Touch with Literacy conference. Technology and mobility are present as well. It awarded $23,914 to Clovernook Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired for pediatric low vision services, optical and non-optical devices, adaptive sports, and low vision devices for Kentucky students.
$1.1M
$23M
$802K
$1.5M
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The recent grant record is top-heavy: the five largest grants range from $12,500 to $426,000, with a median of $23,914 and a third-quartile value of $98,500. That mix suggests a foundation that combines one large operating-style award with smaller program and event grants. The structure is a public charity, and the active programs show both unsolicited general grants and named scholarships, plus a community collaboration grant. Several programs are explicitly open to unsolicited applications, while some scholarships are selective. The recipient list includes repeat-style support for education, technology, and outreach rather than one-off thematic experiments.
All recent grants in the dataset went to U.S. recipients. Louisville appears twice among the top five grants, with additional awards to Cincinnati, Ohio, and Ashland, Kentucky. The giving is centered on Kentucky-serving organizations and programs, but the recipient list also includes an out-of-state partner for specialized low-vision services. Because the grant record does not show a dominant in-state concentration, the clearest pattern is program geography tied to service delivery rather than foundation headquarters.
It funds students, groups, and organizations that serve individuals who are blind or visually impaired. Recent support includes school operations, preschool intervention services, low-vision care, assistive devices, literacy programming, and community events tied to family engagement and outreach.
Yes. Active programs include the Will Evans Scholarship Award for blind and visually impaired students pursuing post-secondary college or vocational training, the Joseph Kuczwara Scholarship Award for a Kentucky School for the Blind graduate, and the Dr. Franklin Jelsma "To See Through Love" Scholarships for graduating seniors.
Among the five largest recent grants, amounts ranged from $12,500 to $426,000. The median of those five was $23,914, and the third quartile was $98,500, showing a mix of a large operating grant and smaller program-focused awards.
Yes. Several active programs accept unsolicited applications, including the Will Evans Scholarship Award, the general grants program, the Braille Writer Loan Program, INSIGHT, and the Community Collaboration Grant. The Dr. Franklin Jelsma scholarships are not unsolicited and are selected by faculty.
Recent awards emphasize education, early childhood intervention, low-vision services, assistive technology, and outreach. Specific examples include support for a lending library and general operations, pediatric low-vision services and adaptive sports, Touch with Literacy conference participation, and family-centered preschool programming.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Current and upcoming funding from Kentucky School for the Blind Charitable that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Organizations such as fellow non-profits, educational institutions, cooperatives, and community groups throughout the state of Kentucky that partner with the foundation on innovative projects serving individuals who are blind and visually impaired.
Deadline: Reviewed four times a year: January 1, April 1, July 1, and October 1.
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Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KENTUCKY BLIND SCHOOL | LOUISVILLE, KY | $426,000 | 2026 | TO SUPPORT THE LENDING LIBRARY AND GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| KENTUCKY BLIND SCHOOL | LOUISVILLE, KY | $325,000 | 2026 | TO SUPPORT THE BUILDING EDUCATIONAL GREENHOUSE |
| VISUALLY IMPAIRED PRESCHOOL SERVICES | LOUISVILLE, KY | $100,000 | 2026 | TO SUPPORT EARLY CHILDHOOLD INTERVENSION PROGRAM, LYNN FAMILY 5K, ANNUAL FAMILY RETREAT, AND ANNUAL GALA |
| VISUALLY IMPAIRED PRESCHOOL SERVICES | LOUISVILLE, KY | $98,500 | 2026 | TO SUPPORT EARLY CHILDHOOLD INTERVENSION PROGRAM, LYNN FAMILY 5K, ANNUAL FAMILY RETREAT, AND ANNUAL GALA |
| KENTUCKY LIONS EYE FOUNDATION | LOUISVILLE, KY | $40,000 | 2026 | TO SUPPORT OPERATIONS |
| DEAF BLIND PROJECT | LEXINGTON, KY | $24,000 | 2026 | TO SUPPORT THE CCK FAMILY RETREAT WEEKEND |
| CLOVERNOOK CENTER FOR THE BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED | CINCINNATI, OH | $23,914 | 2026 | TO PROVIDE PEDIATRIC LOW VISION SERVICES, OPTICAL AND NON-OPTICAL DEVICES , ADAPTIVE SPORTS, AND LOW VISION DEVICES FOR STUDENTS IN KENTUCKY |
| RADIO EYE | LOUISVILLE, KY | $22,000 | 2026 | TO SUPPORT OPERATIONS AND REPAIR RECORDING BOTH |
| KEDC BLINDNESS VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS PLC (KY EDUCAIOTNAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORA | ASHLAND, KY | $19,316 | 2026 | TO ATTEND THE TOUCH WITH LITERACY CONFERENCE |
| RADIO EYE | LOUISVILLE, KY | $12,500 | 2026 | TO SUPPORT OPERATIONS AND PROVIDE MATCH FOR GOOD GIVING CHALLENGE |
| KENTUCKY BLIND SCHOOL | LOUISVILLE, KY | $426,000 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT THE LENDING LIBRARY AND GENERAL OPERATIONS |
| VISUALLY IMPAIRED PRESCHOOL SERVICES | LOUISVILLE, KY | $98,500 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT EARLY CHILDHOOLD INTERVENSION PROGRAM, LYNN FAMILY 5K, ANNUAL FAMILY RETREAT, AND ANNUAL GALA |
| CLOVERNOOK CENTER FOR THE BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED | CINCINNATI, OH | $23,914 | 2025 | TO PROVIDE PEDIATRIC LOW VISION SERVICES, OPTICAL AND NON-OPTICAL DEVICES , ADAPTIVE SPORTS, AND LOW VISION DEVICES FOR STUDENTS IN KENTUCKY |
| KEDC BLINDNESS VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS PLC (KY EDUCAIOTNAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORA | ASHLAND, KY | $19,316 | 2025 | TO ATTEND THE TOUCH WITH LITERACY CONFERENCE |
| RADIO EYE | LOUISVILLE, KY | $12,500 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT OPERATIONS AND PROVIDE MATCH FOR GOOD GIVING CHALLENGE |
KENTUCKY BLIND SCHOOL
$426,000TO SUPPORT THE LENDING LIBRARY AND GENERAL OPERATIONS
KENTUCKY BLIND SCHOOL
$325,000TO SUPPORT THE BUILDING EDUCATIONAL GREENHOUSE
TO SUPPORT EARLY CHILDHOOLD INTERVENSION PROGRAM, LYNN FAMILY 5K, ANNUAL FAMILY RETREAT, AND ANNUAL GALA
TO SUPPORT EARLY CHILDHOOLD INTERVENSION PROGRAM, LYNN FAMILY 5K, ANNUAL FAMILY RETREAT, AND ANNUAL GALA
KENTUCKY LIONS EYE FOUNDATION
$40,000TO SUPPORT OPERATIONS
DEAF BLIND PROJECT
$24,000TO SUPPORT THE CCK FAMILY RETREAT WEEKEND
TO PROVIDE PEDIATRIC LOW VISION SERVICES, OPTICAL AND NON-OPTICAL DEVICES , ADAPTIVE SPORTS, AND LOW VISION DEVICES FOR STUDENTS IN KENTUCKY
RADIO EYE
$22,000TO SUPPORT OPERATIONS AND REPAIR RECORDING BOTH
KEDC BLINDNESS VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS PLC (KY EDUCAIOTNAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORA
$19,316TO ATTEND THE TOUCH WITH LITERACY CONFERENCE
RADIO EYE
$12,500TO SUPPORT OPERATIONS AND PROVIDE MATCH FOR GOOD GIVING CHALLENGE
KENTUCKY BLIND SCHOOL
$426,000TO SUPPORT THE LENDING LIBRARY AND GENERAL OPERATIONS
TO SUPPORT EARLY CHILDHOOLD INTERVENSION PROGRAM, LYNN FAMILY 5K, ANNUAL FAMILY RETREAT, AND ANNUAL GALA
TO PROVIDE PEDIATRIC LOW VISION SERVICES, OPTICAL AND NON-OPTICAL DEVICES , ADAPTIVE SPORTS, AND LOW VISION DEVICES FOR STUDENTS IN KENTUCKY
KEDC BLINDNESS VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS PLC (KY EDUCAIOTNAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORA
$19,316TO ATTEND THE TOUCH WITH LITERACY CONFERENCE
RADIO EYE
$12,500TO SUPPORT OPERATIONS AND PROVIDE MATCH FOR GOOD GIVING CHALLENGE
