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    • Board of Directors
      • 2001 ACB Board Minutes
        • July 7, 2001, Post-Convention Board Meeting Minutes
        • November 20, 2001, Board Meeting Minutes
        • November 6, 2001, Board Meeting Minutes
        • September 22 & 23, 2001, Board Meeting Minutes
      • 2002 ACB Board Minutes
        • April 30, 2002, Board Meeting Minutes
        • February 17, 2002, Board Meeting Minutes
        • JUNE 30, JULY 5, 2002, GENERAL SESSION RECORD, 41ST ANNUAL CONVENTION, HOUSTON, TEXAS
        • July 6, 2002, Post-Convention Board Meeting Minutes
        • June 29, 2002, Pre-Convention Board Meeting Minutes
        • March 17, 2002, Board Meeting Minutes
        • November 25, 2002, Board Meeting Minutes
        • September 21 & 22, 2002, Board Meeting Minutes
      • 2003 ACB Board Minutes
        • April 15, 2003, Board Meeting Minutes
        • February 11, 2003, Board Meeting Minutes
        • February 16, 2003, Board Meeting Minutes
        • February 2, 2003, Board Meeting Minutes
        • JULY 5, JULY 11, 2003, GENERAL SESSION RECORD, 42nd ANNUAL CONVENTION, PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA
        • January 16, 2003, Board Meeting Minutes
        • July 12, 2003, Post Convention Board Meeting Minutes
        • July 5, 2003, Pre-Convention Board Meeting Minutes
        • March 4, 2003, Board Meeting Minutes
        • November 25, 2003, Board Meeting Minutes
      • 2004 ACB Board Minutes
        • April 1, 2004, Board Meeting Minutes
        • April 22, 2004, Board Meeting Minutes
        • August 11, September 1, October 6 & October 12, 2004, Board Meeting Minutes
        • February 15 & 16, 2004, Board Meeting Minutes
        • JULY 3, JULY 10, 2004, GENERAL SESSION RECORD, 43rd ANNUAL CONVENTION, BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA
        • January 14, 2004, Board Meeting Minutes
        • July 10, 2004, Post-Convention Board Meeting Minutes
        • July 3, 2004, Pre-Convention Board Meeting Minutes
        • June 22, 2004, Board Meeting Minutes
      • 2005 ACB Board Minutes
        • Convention Standing Rules, Adopted July 4, 2005
        • February 14, 2005, Board Meeting Minutes
        • JULY 2 - JULY 9, 2005, GENERAL SESSION RECORD, 44th ANNUAL CONVENTION, LAS VEGAS, NEVADA
        • January 22, & 23, 2005, Board Meeting Minutes
        • July 2, 2005, Pre-Convention Board Meeting Minutes
        • July 9, 2005, Post-Convention Board Meeting Minutes
        • May 11, 2005, Board Meeting Minutes
        • November 22, 2005, Board Meeting Minutes
        • October 1 & 2, 2005, Board Meeting Minutes
      • 2006 ACB Board Minutes
        • February 20 & 21, 2006, Board Meeting Minutes
        • JULY 8 - JULY 15, 2006, GENERAL SESSION RECORD, 45th ANNUAL CONVENTION, JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA
        • July 15, 2006, Post-Convention Board Meeting Minutes
        • July 8, 2006, Pre-Convention Board Meeting Minutes
        • March 30, 2006, Board Meeting Minutes
        • March 6, 2006, Board Meeting Minutes
        • November 6, 2006, Board Meeting Minutes
        • September 23 & 24, 2006, Board Meeting Minutes
      • 2007 ACB Board Minutes
        • August 2, 2007, Board Meeting Minutes
        • JUNE 30 – JULY 7, 2007, CONVENTION RECORD, 46th ANNUAL CONVENTION, MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA
        • January 4, 2007, Board Meeting Minutes
        • July 7, 2007, Post-Convention Board Meeting Minutes
        • June 30, 2007, Pre-Convention Board Meeting Minutes
        • March 10 – 11, 2007, Board Meeting Minutes
        • May 23, 2007, Board Meeting Minutes
        • October 13, 2007, Board Meeting Minutes
        • October 29, 2007, Board Meeting Minutes
      • 2008 ACB Board Minutes
        • Convention Record of the 47th annual Convention of the American Council of the Blind
        • February 8 and 9, 2008, Board Meeting Minutes
        • January 2, 2008, Board Meeting Minutes
        • July 12, 2008, Post-convention Board Meeting Minutes
        • July 5, 2008, Pre-convention Board Meeting Minutes
        • June 4, 2008, Board Meeting Minutes
        • November 15 - 16, 2008, Board Meeting Minutes
        • October 1, 2008, Board Meeting Minutes
      • 2009 ACB Board Minutes
        • December 15, 2009, Board Meeting Minutes
        • February 20, 2009, Board Meeting Minutes
        • July 11, 2009, Board Meeting Minutes
        • July 4, 2009, Board Meeting Minutes
        • May 21, 2009, Board Meeting Minutes
        • September 12 - 13, 2009, Board Meeting Minutes
      • 2010 ACB Board Minutes
        • December 13,2010 Teleconference Meeting of the Board of Directors of the American Council of the Blind
        • February 19, 2010, Board Meeting Minutes
        • July 10, 2010, Pre-convention Board Meeting Minutes
        • July 17, 2010, Post Convention Board Meeting Minutes
        • June 9, 2010, Board Meeting Minutes
        • November 6, 2010, Board Meeting Minutes
        • September 22, 2010, Board Meeting Minutes
      • 2011 ACB Board Minutes
        • December 14, 2011 Meeting of the Board of Directors of the American Council of the Blind
        • January 11, 2011 Teleconference Meeting of the Board of Directors of the American Council of the Blind
        • Mid Year Meeting of the Board of Directors of the American Council of the Blind
        • October 1, 2011 Meeting of the Board of Directors of the American Council of the Blind
        • Post Convention Meeting of the American Council of the Blind Board of Directors
        • Pre convention Board of Directors Meeting, American Council of the Blind
        • Teleconference Meeting of the ACB Board of Directors, May 5th 2011
      • 2012 Meeting Minutes
        • December 12, 2012 Teleconference Meeting of the ACB Board of Directors
        • February 23-24, 2012 Mid Year Board Of Directors Meeting
        • July 14, 2012 Board of Directors Meeting of the American Council of the Blind
        • July 7, 2012 Pre-Convention Meeting of the Board of Directors of the American Council of the Blind
        • June 7, 2012 Teleconference Meeting of the Board of Directors of the American Council of the Blind
        • May 9, 2012 Teleconference Meeting of the Board of Directors of the American Council of the Blind
        • September 15, 2012 ACB Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
      • 2013 Meeting Minutes
        • August 21, 2013 Teleconference Meeting of the ACB Board of Directors
        • December 17, 2013 Meeting of the ACB Board of Directors Minutes
        • February 22, 2013 Mid Year ACB Board of Directors Meeting
        • January 3, 2013 Teleconference Meeting of the ACB Board of Directors
        • July 5, 2013 Pre-Convention Board of Directors Meeting
        • Minutes of the American Council of the Blind 2013 Post Convention Board of Directors Meeting
        • October 30, 2013 Meeting of the ACB Board of Directors Minutes
        • September 28, 2013 Meeting of the ACB Board of Directors Minutes
      • 2014 ACB Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
        • December 8th and 9th, 2014 ACB Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
        • February 21, 2014 ACB Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
        • January 30, 2014 Meeting of the ACB Board of Directors Minutes
        • July 12, 2014 Pre-Convention ACB Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
        • July 19, 2014 Post-Convention ACB Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
        • June 9, 2014 ACB Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
        • November 13, 2014 ACB Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
        • October 17 and 18, 2014 ACB Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
      • 2015 ACB Board of Directors Minutes
        • December 3 and 10, 2015 Meeting of the ACB Board of Directors
        • February 21, 2015, Meeting of the ACB Board of Directors
        • July 4, 2015 Meeting of the ACB Board of Directors
        • October 30-31, 2015 Meeting of the ACB Board of Directors
      • 2016 ACB Board of Directors Minutes
        • AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING MINUTES
        • AMERICAN COUNCIL OF THE BLIND BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING MINUTES
        • American Council of the Blind Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
        • February 27, 2016 Meeting of the ACB Board of Directors
      • 2017 ACB Board of Directors Minutes
        • Meeting Minutes Aug 22, 2017
        • Meeting Minutes Feb 25, 2017
        • Meeting Minutes Jun 30, 2017
        • Meeting Minutes Nov 27, 2017
        • Meeting Minutes Oct 27, 2017
      • 2018 ACB Board of Directors Minutes
        • American Council of the Blind Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
        • Board of Directors Meeting Minutes June 29, 2018
        • Board of Directors Minutes Nov. 27-Dec. 3, 2018
        • Board of Directors Minutes Oct. 5-6, 2018
      • 2019 ACB Board of Directors Minutes
        • Meeting Minutes August 22, 2019
        • Meeting Minutes Feb. 23, 2019
        • Meeting Minutes July 5, 2019
        • Meeting Minutes Nov 11 and 18, 2019
        • Meeting Minutes: Oct. 18 and 19, 2019
      • 2020 ACB Board of Directors Minutes
        • Meeting Minutes Apr 23, 2020
        • Meeting Minutes Feb 22, 2020
        • Meeting Minutes Jan 23, 2020
        • Meeting Minutes Mar 30, 2020
      • 2021 ACB Board of Directors Minutes
      • 2022 ACB Board of Directors Minutes
      • John McCann for ACB Board of Directors
    • Board of Publications
      • 2009 Board of Publications Minutes
        • April 6, 2009, Minutes of the Meeting of the Board of Publications
        • February 20, 2009, Minutes of the Meeting of the Board of Publications
        • January 5, 2009, Minutes of the Meeting of the Board of Publications
        • July 5, 2009, Minutes of the Meeting of the Board of Publications
        • March 2, 2009, Minutes of the Meeting of the Board of Publications
        • November 2, 2009, Minutes of the Meeting of the Board of Publications
        • September 14, 2009, Minutes of the Meeting of the Board of Publications
      • 2010 Board of Publications Minutes
        • April 5, 2010, Minutes of the Meeting of the Board of Publications
        • August 2, 2010, Minutes of the Meeting of the Board of Publications
        • December 6, 2010, Minutes of the Meeting of the Board of Publications
        • February 19, 2010, Minutes of the Meeting of the Board of Publications
        • January 4, 2010, Minutes of the Meeting of the Board of Publications
        • July 11, 2010, Minutes of the Meeting of the Board of Publications
        • June 7, 2010, Minutes of the Meeting of the Board of Publications
        • March 1, 2010, Minutes of the Meeting of the Board of Publications
        • May 3, 2010, Minutes of the Meeting of the Board of Publications
        • November 1, 2010, Minutes of the Meeting of the Board of Publications
        • October 4, 2010, Minutes of the Meeting of the Board of Publications
        • September 6, 2010, Minutes of the Meeting of the Board of Publications
      • 2011 Board of Publications Minutes
        • April 4, 2011, Minutes of the Meeting of the Board of Publications
        • August 1, 2011, Minutes of the Meeting of the Board of Publications
        • December 5, 2011, Board of Publications Meeting Minutes October 3, 2011
        • February 25, 2011, Minutes of the Meeting of the Board of Publications
        • February 7, 2011, Minutes of the Meeting of the Board of Publications
        • January 3, 2011, Minutes of the Meeting of the Board of Publications
        • July 10, 2011, Minutes of the Meeting of the Board of Publications
        • June 6, 2011, Minutes of the Meeting of the Board of Publications
        • May 2, 2011, Minutes of the Meeting of the Board of Publications
        • October 3, 2011, Minutes of the Meeting of the Board of Publications
        • September 5, 2011, Minutes of the Meeting of the Board of Publications
      • 2012 Board of Publications Meeting Minutes
        • April 2, 2012 BOARD OF PUBLICATIONS MEETING MINUTES
        • August 6, 2012 Board of Publications Meeting Minutes
        • Board of Publications Meeting Minutes
        • Board of Publications Meeting Minutes
        • Board of Publications Meeting Minutes
        • December 10, 2012 Board of Publications Meeting Minutes
        • February 24, 2012 BOARD OF PUBLICATIONS MEETING MINUTES
        • February 6, 2012 BOARD OF PUBLICATIONS MEETING MINUTES
        • January 2, 2012 BOARD OF PUBLICATIONS MEETING MINUTES
        • July 8, 2012 Board of Publications Meeting Minutes
        • May 7, 2012 Board of Publications Meeting Minutes
      • 2013 Board of Publications Meeting Minutes
        • April 1, 2013 Board of Publications Meeting Minutes
        • August 13, 2013 Board of Publications Meeting Minutes
        • December 2, 2013 Board of Publications Meeting Minutes
        • February 22, 2013 Board of Publications Meeting Minutes
        • February 4, 2013 Board of Publications Meeting Minutes
        • January 7, 2013 Board of Publications Meeting Minutes
        • May 6, 2013 Board of Publications Meeting Minutes
        • November 4, 2013 Board of Publications Meeting Minutes
        • October 7, 2013 Board of Publications Meeting Minutes
        • September 9, 2013 Board of Publications Meeting Minutes
      • 2014 Board of Publications Meeting Minutes
        • April 7, 2014 Board of Publications Meeting Minutes
        • August 4, 2014 Board of Publications Meeting Minutes
        • December 1, 2014 Board of Publications Meeting Minutes
        • February 21, 2014 Board of Publications Meeting Minutes
        • January 6, 2014 Board of Publications Meeting Minutes
        • July 13, 2014 Board of Publications Meeting Minutes
        • June 2, 2014 Board of Publications Meeting Minutes
        • November 3, 2014 Board of Publications Meeting Minutes
        • October 6, 2014 Board of Publications Meeting Minutes
        • September 8, 2014 Board of Publications Meeting Minutes
      • 2015 Board of Publications Meeting Minutes
        • April 6, 2015 Board of Publications Meeting Minutes
        • February 2, 2015 Board of Publications Meeting Minutes
        • July 5, 2015 Board of Publications Meeting Minutes
        • June 1, 2015 Board of Publications Meeting Minutes
        • March 2, 2015 Board of Publications Meeting Minutes
        • May 4, 2015 Board of Publications Meeting Minutes
        • November 9, 2015 Board of Publications Meeting Minutes
      • 2016 BOP Meeting Minutes
        • BOP Minutes-Apr. 4, 2016
        • BOP Minutes-Aug. 2, 2016
        • BOP Minutes-Dec. 6, 2016
        • BOP Minutes-Feb. 8, 2016
        • BOP Minutes-Jan. 4, 2016
        • BOP Minutes-July 2016
        • BOP Minutes-Jun. 6, 2016
        • BOP Minutes-Mar. 7, 2016
        • BOP Minutes-May 2, 2016
        • BOP Minutes-Nov. 1, 2016
        • BOP Minutes-Oct. 4, 2016
        • Board of Publications Meeting Minutes for September 6, 2016
      • 2017 Board of Publications Meeting Minutes
        • Meeting Minutes for April 4, 2017
        • Meeting Minutes for August 1, 2017
        • Meeting Minutes for December 5, 2017
        • Meeting Minutes for February 7, 2017
        • Meeting Minutes for January 3, 2017
        • Meeting Minutes for July 1, 2017
        • Meeting Minutes for June 6, 2017
        • Meeting Minutes for March 7, 2017
        • Meeting Minutes for November 7, 2017
        • Meeting Minutes for September 5, 2017
      • 2018 Board of Publications Meeting Minutes
        • BOP Minutes - Jun. 30, 2018
        • BOP Minutes - Apr. 3, 2018
        • BOP Minutes - Aug. 7, 2018
        • BOP Minutes - Jan. 9, 2018
        • BOP Minutes - Jun. 5, 2018
        • BOP Minutes - Mar. 7, 2018
        • BOP Minutes - May 1, 2018
        • BOP Minutes - Nov. 13, 2018
        • BOP Minutes - Oct. 9, 2018
        • BOP Minutes - Sept. 4, 2018
      • 2019 Board of Publications Meeting Minutes
        • BOP Minutes - Apr. 2, 2019
        • BOP Minutes - Aug. 13, 2019
        • BOP Minutes - Dec. 3, 2019
        • BOP Minutes - Feb. 5, 2019
        • BOP Minutes - Jan. 8, 2019
        • BOP Minutes - Jul. 6, 2019
        • BOP Minutes - Jun. 4, 2019
        • BOP Minutes - Mar. 12, 2019
        • BOP Minutes - May 7, 2019
        • BOP Minutes - Nov. 5, 2019
        • BOP Minutes - Oct. 1, 2019
        • BOP Minutes - Sept. 3, 2019
      • 2020 Board of Publications Meeting Minutes
        • BOP Minutes - Feb 4, 2020
        • BOP Minutes - Apr 7, 2020
        • BOP Minutes - Aug. 4, 2020
        • BOP Minutes - Jan. 7, 2020
        • BOP Minutes - Jun. 2, 2020
        • BOP Minutes - Mar 3, 2020
        • BOP Minutes - May 5, 2020
        • BOP Minutes - Nov 10, 2020
        • BOP Minutes - Oct. 6, 2020
        • BOP Minutes - Sept. 1, 2020
      • 2021 BOP Meeting Minutes
        • BOP Minutes - Apr 6, 2021
        • BOP Minutes - Aug 3, 2021
        • BOP Minutes - Feb 2, 2021
        • BOP Minutes - Jan 5, 2021
        • BOP Minutes - Jun 1, 2021
        • BOP Minutes - Mar 2, 2021
        • BOP Minutes - May 4, 2021
        • BOP Minutes - Nov. 2, 2021
        • BOP Minutes - Oct 12, 2021
        • BOP Minutes - Sept 7, 2021
      • 2022 BOP Meeting Minutes
        • BOP Minutes Feb 1, 2022
        • BOP Minutes - Apr 5, 2022
        • BOP Minutes - Aug 2, 2022
        • BOP Minutes - Dec 6, 2022
        • BOP Minutes - Jun 7, 2022
        • BOP Minutes - Mar 1, 2022
        • BOP Minutes - May 3, 2022
        • BOP Minutes - Nov 1, 2022
        • BOP Minutes - Nov 1, 2022
        • BOP Minutes - Oct 4, 2022
        • BOP Minutes - Sept. 6, 2022
        • Bop Minutes - Jan 4, 2022
      • 2023 BOP Meeting Minutes
        • BOP Minutes - Jan 3, 2023
      • April 14, 2008, Minutes of the Meeting of the Board of Publications
      • August 4, 2008, Minutes of the Meeting of the Board of Publications
      • BOP Editorial Policy Manual, 2015
      • Board of Publications Hosts Internet Candidates' Page
      • Board of Publications Minutes
      • Charles Hodge for ACB Board of Publications
      • December 1, 2008, Minutes of the Meeting of the Board of December 1, 2008, Minutes of the Meeting of the Board of Publications
      • January 30, 2008, Minutes of the Meeting of the Board of Publications
      • July 6, 2008, Minutes of the Meeting of the Board of Publications
      • June 2, 2008, Minutes of the Meeting of the Board of Publications
      • March 3, 2008, Minutes of the Meeting of the Board of Publications
      • Marcia Dresser for ACB Board of Publications
      • May 5, 2008, Minutes of the Meeting of the Board of Publications
      • November 3, 2008, Minutes of the Meeting of the Board of Publications
      • October 6, 2008, Minutes of the Meeting of the Board of Publications
      • September 1, 2008, Minutes of the Meeting of the Board of Publications
      • Thomas Mitchell for ACB Board of Publications
    • Committees & Task Forces
      • ACB Radio Management Committee
      • ACB Store-Mini Mall Committee
      • Advocacy Services Committee
      • Audio Description Project (ADP) Committee
      • Audio Description Project Task Force
      • Awards Committee
      • Braille Authority of North America
      • Constitution and Bylaws Committee
      • Convention Coordinating Committee
      • Convention Program Committee
      • Credentials Committee
      • Employment Issues Committee
      • Environmental Access Committee
      • Fitness Equipment Equity Task Force
      • Information Access Committee
      • International Relations Committee
      • Investment Committee
      • Leadership Institute Training Committee
      • McDaniel Fund Committee
        • Recipients of the Durward K. McDaniel First Timer and J.P. Morgan Chase Leadership Fellow Awards Speak Out
      • Membership Committee
      • Monthly Monetary Support Committee
      • Multicultural Affairs Committee
      • National Library Service
      • Next Generation Committee
      • Nominating Committee
      • Other Representatives
      • PR Committee downloads
      • Rehabilitation Issues Task Force
      • Resolutions Committee
      • Resource Development Committee
      • Scholarship Grant Committee
      • Sight and Sound Impaired Committee
      • Special Education/Schools for the Blind Task Force
      • Transportation Committee
      • Voting Task Force
      • Women's Concerns Committee
      • World Blind Union Delegates
    • History
    • ACB Resolutions
      • 2009 Resolutions
      • 2010 Resolutions
      • 2011 Resolutions
      • 2012 Resolutions
      • 2013 Resolutions
      • 2014 Resolutions
      • 2015 Resolutions
      • 2016 Resolutions
      • 2017 Resolutions
      • 2018 Resolutions
      • 2019 Resolutions
      • 2020 Resolutions
      • 2021 Resolutions
      • 2022 Resolutions
      • Index
      • Resolution on Full Funding of Vocational Rehabilitation Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired
    • Affiliates
      • Special Interest Affiliates
        • ACB Diabetics in Action
        • ACB Families
        • ACB Government Employees
        • ACB Human Service Professionals
        • ACB Next Generation
        • ACB Radio Amateurs
        • ACB Students
        • Alliance on Aging and Vision Loss
        • American Association of Blind Teachers
        • American Association of Visually Impaired Attorneys
        • American Council of Blind Lions
        • Blind Information Technology Specialists
        • Blind LGBT Pride International
        • Braille Revival League
        • Council of Citizens with Low Vision International
        • Friends In Art of ACB, Inc.
        • Guide Dog Users, Inc.
        • Independent Visually Impaired Enterprisers
        • Library Users of America
        • Randolph-Sheppard Vendors of America
        • Visually Impaired Veterans of America
    • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Events
  • Programs & Services
    • ACB Community Events
      • Recurring Events
      • Weekly Events
    • Scholarships
    • Audio Description Project
    • Advocacy & Governmental Affairs
      • Advocacy
    • ACB Media
    • Convention
    • Membership
  • Resources
    • Jobs
    • ACB Archives
    • Blind / Low Vision Resources
      • Scholarship Program
      • ACB Leadership List Guidelines
      • ACB-Chat List Rules
      • ADA Signage
      • AFB: Be a Better Champion for Specialized Services
      • Banks with Talking ATM Machines
      • Best Practices and Guidelines for Large Print Documents used by the Low Vision Community authored by the Council of Citizens with Low Vision International An Affiliate of the American Council of the Blind Arlington, VA
      • Best Practices for Large Print Documents
      • Braille Resources
        • Braille Business Cards
        • Braille Instruction
        • Braille Paper
        • Braille Writer Repair Services
        • Description and History of Braille
        • Producers of Braille Documents
      • Diabetic Resources for the Blind and Visually Impaired
      • Filing a Video Description Complaint with the FCC
      • General Resources
      • Guide Dog Resources
      • Homes for the Blind
      • Low Vision Resources
      • Medical Information Resources
      • Microsoft Office Accessibility Resources
      • Music Resources
      • Outreach RE Requesting Alternate Formats From SSA
      • Religious Resources
      • Resources for Older Individuals Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired
      • Resources for Parents and Teachers of Blind and Visually Impaired Children
      • Resources for Persons with Low Vision
      • Section 904
      • Sports, Recreational and Leisure Resources
      • Where Taxpayers With Disabilities Can Find Online Help from the IRS
      • White Cane Laws for States
    • Affiliate Resources
      • Encouraging Affiliates with Techniques to Reach More Members
      • Exploring How Affiliates Can Reach New Members
      • Fundraising for ACB Activities Including the National Convention
      • Gaining and Maintaining Membership
      • Growing a Great Convention
      • How Can We Complete Our Business During Meetings More Efficiently?
      • How Can We Reactivate Past Members and “Wow” Our Current Members to Retain Them?
      • How to Find Blindness Related Resources and Sharing Them
      • Ideas for Affiliates and Chapters
      • Ideas to Interest Students
      • Involving Youth in ACB
      • Leadership Materials
        • Board Member's Manual for State and Special Interest Affiliates
        • Creating a Media Kit for Your ACB Affiliate or Chapter
        • Simplified Parliamentary Procedure
        • The PSA Handbook for ACB Affiliates and Chapters
        • The Press Release Handbook for ACB Affiliates and Chapters
      • Membership Incentives
      • Networking, Communication and Contact
      • Officer’s and Board Member's Manual for State and Special Interest Affiliates
      • President's Manual for State and Special Interest Affiliates
      • Reaching Blind and Visually Impaired Seniors
      • Reaching Out to Your Community to Educate and Inform People About Blindness
      • Secretary's Manual for State and Special Interest Affiliates
      • Strategies for Enhancing Membership
      • Strategies for Member Renewal and Reactivation
      • Tips for Successful Membership Recruitment and Retention
      • Tips to Retain Members
      • Treasurer's Manual for State and Special Interest Affiliates
      • Vice President's Manual for State and Special Interest Affiliates
    • Peer Support
    • Handbooks / Manuals
      • Are You a Senior Citizen Struggling with Vision Loss?
      • Are You the Parents of A Blind Child?
      • Guide to Successful College Experience
      • Pedestrian Safety
      • Pedestrian Safety Handbook
        • "Modern" Signalized Intersections
        • APS
        • Acknowledgements
        • Advocacy
        • Afterword
        • Appendix A: Letter
        • Appendix B: Template
        • Appendix C: Case Studies
        • Appendix D: Glossary
        • Crossing Where No Traffic Control
        • Drivers’ Yielding Behavior
        • Finding Crosswalk: Part 1
        • Finding Crosswalk: Part 2
        • Finding the Crosswalk
        • Mitch's Message
        • Rights-of-Way Regulations
      • Rehabilitation Issues Task Force Revised Rehabilitation White Paper
      • Whitepaper On Rehabilitation and Training
    • Products & Services
      • Accessible Cards and Gifts
      • Computer Products, Publications, Training, and Information Sources
      • Funding Assistive Technology Resources
      • Magnifying Aids - Low Vision Center
      • Technology, Software, Related Resources
      • Travel Resources
      • Useful Products for Blind and Visually Impaired Persons
    • Professional Employment Associations
  • Publications & Media
    • Live Events
    • News
    • Braille Forum
      • 1997 Issues
        • BF Apr 1997
        • BF Aug 1997
        • BF Dec 1997
        • BF Feb 1997
        • BF Jan 1997
        • BF Jul 1997
        • BF Jun 1997
        • BF Mar 1997
        • BF May 1997
        • BF Nov 1997
        • BF Oct 1997
        • BF Sept 1997
      • 1998 Issues
        • BF Apr 1998
        • BF Aug 1998
        • BF Dec 1998
        • BF Feb 1998
        • BF Jan 1998
        • BF Jul 1998
        • BF Jun 1998
        • BF Mar 1998
        • BF May 1998
        • BF Nov 1998
        • BF Oct1998
        • BF Sept 1998
      • 1999 Issues
        • BF Apr 1999
        • BF Aug 1999
        • BF Dec 1999
        • BF Feb 1999
        • BF Jan 1999
        • BF Jul 1999
        • BF Jun 1999
        • BF Mar 1999
        • BF May 1999
        • BF Nov1999
        • BF Oct 1999
        • BF Sept 1999
      • 2000 Issues
        • BF Apr 2000
        • BF Aug 2000
        • BF Convention 2000
        • BF Dec 2000
        • BF Feb 2000
        • BF Jan 2000
        • BF Jul 2000
        • BF Jun 2000
        • BF Mar 2000
        • BF May 2000
        • BF Nov 2000
        • BF Oct 2000
        • BF Sept 2000
      • 2001 Issues
        • BF Apr 2001
        • BF Aug 2001
        • BF Dec 2001
        • BF Feb 2001
        • BF Jan 2001
        • BF Jul 2001
        • BF Jun 2001
        • BF Mar 2001
        • BF May 2001
        • BF Nov 2001
        • BF Oct 2001
        • BF Sept 2001
      • 2002 Issues
        • BF April 2002
        • BF Feb 2002
        • BF Jan 2002
        • BF Jul-Aug 2002
        • BF Jun 2002
        • BF Mar 2002
        • BF May 2002
        • BF Nov 2002
        • BF Oct 2002
        • BF Sept 2002
      • 2003 Issues
        • BF Apr 2003
        • BF Feb 2003
        • BF July-Aug 2003
        • BF Jun 2003
        • BF Mar 2003
        • BF May 2003
        • BF Nov 2003
        • BF Oct 2003
        • BF Sept 2003
        • BF Winter 2003
      • 2004 Issues
        • BF Apr-May 2004
        • BF Feb 2004
        • BF Jul-Aug 2004
        • BF Jun 2004
        • BF Mar 2004
        • BF Nov 2004
        • BF Sep-Oct 2004
        • BF Winter 2004
      • 2005 Issues
        • BF Apr 2005
        • BF Feb 2005
        • BF Jul-Aug 2005
        • BF Jun 2005
        • BF Mar 2005
        • BF May 2005
        • BF Oct 2005
        • BF Sept 2005
        • BF Winter 2005
        • BF Winter 2006
          • 2006 Convention Preview
          • ACB Scholarships Available to Blind Students
          • Affiliate News
          • Fall Board Meeting Summary
          • Here and There
          • High Tech Swap Shop
          • Hurricane Katrina Check-In
          • IRIS Network
          • John Di Francesco
          • Legislative Seminar
          • Letters to the Editor
          • MMS "Two-for-One" Program
          • Membership Focus
          • Notes on a New Year
          • President's Message
          • Who Do You Admire?
          • Who Is Eligible for Drug Plan Costs?
      • 2006 Issues
        • BF April 2006
        • BF Feb 2006
        • BF Jul-Aug 2006
        • BF Jun 2006
        • BF Mar 2006
        • BF May 2006
        • BF Nov 2006
        • BF Oct 2006
        • BF Sept 2006
      • 2007 Issues
        • BF Apr 2007
        • BF Dec 2007
        • BF Feb 2007
        • BF Jul-Aug 2007
        • BF Jun 2007
        • BF Mar 2007
        • BF May 2007
        • BF Nov 2007
        • BF Oct 2007
        • BF Sept 2007
        • BF Winter 2007
      • 2008 Issues
        • BF Apr 2008
        • BF Aug 2008
        • BF Dec 2008
        • BF Feb 2008
        • BF Jan 2008
        • BF Jul 2008
        • BF Jun 2008
        • BF Mar 2008
        • BF May 2008
        • BF Nov 2008
        • BF Oct 2008
        • BF Sept 2008
      • 2009 Issues
        • BF Apr 2009
        • BF Aug 2009
        • BF Dec 2009
          • Class Action ACB v. SSA
          • President's Message
        • BF Feb 2009
        • BF Jan 2009
        • BF Jul 2009
        • BF Jun 2009
        • BF Mar 2009
        • BF May 2009
        • BF Nov 2009
        • BF Oct 2009
        • BF Sept 2009
      • 2010 Issues
        • BF Apr 2010
        • BF Aug 2010
        • BF Dec 2010
        • BF Feb 2010
          • AFFILIATE NEWS
          • BOARD OF PUBLICATIONS AWARDS: THIS YEAR IT COULD BE YOU!
          • HERE AND THERE Edited by Sue Lichtenfels
          • High Tech Swap Shop
          • PASSINGS
          • SECOND ANNUAL ACB WALK by Dan Dillon
          • SPOTLIGHT YOUR AFFILIATE WITH A BOP AWARD!
          • THE MMS PROGRAM MAKES IT EASIER FOR YOU TO HELP ACB by Dena Wilson
          • THE SUNNY SOUTHWEST: ACB CONFERENCE AND CONVENTION 2010 by Carla Ruschival
        • BF Jan 2010
          • HIGH TECH SWAP SHOP
          • Here and There
        • BF Jul 2010
        • BF Jun 2010
        • BF Mar 2010
        • BF May 2010
        • BF Nov 2010
        • BF Oct 2010
        • BF Sept 2010
      • 2011 Issues
        • BF Dec 2011
          • Affiliate News
          • Here and There
          • Here and There, edited by Sue Lichtenfels
          • High Tech Swap Shop
          • High Tech Swap Shop
          • In Memoriam: Lola Siren
        • The Braille Forum, April 2011
          • Affiliate News
          • Here and There, edited by Sue Lichtenfels
          • High Tech Swap Shop
        • The Braille Forum, February 2011
          • AFFILIATE NEWS
          • HERE AND THERE edited by Sue Lichtenfels
          • HIGH TECH SWAP SHOP
          • YOU CAN SHOP ANYTIME AT THE ACB STORE by Carla Ruschival
        • The Braille Forum, July-August 2011
          • Affiliate News
          • Here and There, edited by Sue Lichtenfels
          • High Tech Swap Shop
        • The Braille Forum, June 2011
          • Affiliate News: Convention Sneak Preview
        • The Braille Forum, March 2011
          • AFFILIATE NEWS
          • HERE AND THERE edited by Sue Lichtenfels
          • HIGH TECH SWAP SHOP
        • The Braille Forum, May 2011
          • Affiliate News
          • Here and There
          • High Tech Swap Shop
          • Library Users of America to Host Book Flea Market, by Peggy R. Garrett
        • The Braille Forum, October-November 2011
          • Affiliate News
          • Here and There, edited by Sue Lichtenfels
          • High Tech Swap Shop
        • The Braille Forum, September 2011
          • Affiliate News
        • The Braille Forum, january 2011
          • AFFILIATE NEWS
          • HERE AND THERE edited by Sue Lichtenfels
          • HIGH TECH SWAP SHOP
      • 2012 Issues
        • Affiliate News
        • Here and There edited by Sue Lichtenfels
        • High Tech Swap Shop
        • The Braille Forum, April 2012
          • Affiliate News
          • Here and There edited by Sue Lichtenfels
          • High Tech Swap Shop
        • The Braille Forum, December 2012
          • Affiliate News
          • Here and There
          • High Tech Swap Shop
        • The Braille Forum, February 2012
          • AFFILIATE NEWS
          • HERE AND THERE edited by Sue Lichtenfels
          • HIGH TECH SWAP SHOP
        • The Braille Forum, January 2012
          • HERE AND THERE edited by Sue Lichtenfels
          • HIGH TECH SWAP SHOP
        • The Braille Forum, July-August 2012
          • HERE AND THERE edited by Sue Lichtenfels
          • HIGH TECH SWAP SHOP
        • The Braille Forum, June 2012
          • AFFILIATE NEWS
          • BOP with 2012 Candidate's Page
          • HERE AND THERE edited by Sue Lichtenfels
          • HIGH TECH SWAP SHOP
        • The Braille Forum, March 2012
          • Affiliate News
          • High Tech Swap Shop
        • The Braille Forum, May 2012
        • The Braille Forum, October-November 2012
          • AFFILIATE NEWS
          • HERE AND THERE
          • HIGH TECH SWAP SHOP
        • The Braille Forum, September 2012
          • AFFILIATE NEWS
          • HERE AND THERE
          • HIGH TECH SWAP SHOP
      • 2013 Issues
        • ACB Braille Forum, February 2013
          • Affiliate News
          • An Update from GDUI
          • DKM First-Timer Program: A Tribute to an ACB Pioneer by Allen J. Casey
          • Here and There by Sharon Strzalkowski
          • High Tech Swap Shop
        • ACB Braille Forum, June 2013
          • Affiliate News
          • Here and There edited by Sharon Strzalkowski
          • High Tech Swap Shop
        • ACB Braille Forum, March 2013
          • Affiliate News
          • Here and There by Sharon Strzalkowski
          • High Tech Swap Shop
        • ACB Braille Forum, May 2013
          • Affiliate News
          • Here and There edited by Sharon Strzalkowski
          • High Tech Swap Shop
        • ACB Braille Forum, September 2013
          • Affiliate News
          • Here and There edited by Sharon Strzalkowski
          • High Tech Swap Shop
        • ACB E-Forum, April 2013
          • Affiliate and Committee News
          • Here and There by Sharon Strzalkowski
          • High Tech Swap Shop
        • ACB E-Forum, August 2013
          • Affiliate News
          • Here and There edited by Sharon Strzalkowski
          • High Tech Swap Shop
        • ACB E-Forum, July 2013
          • Affiliate News
          • Here and There edited by Sharon Strzalkowski
          • High Tech Swap Shop
        • Braille Forum Nov 2013
          • Affiliate News
          • Here and There edited by Sharon Strzalkowski
          • High Tech Swap Shop
        • E-Forum Dec 2013
          • Affiliate News
          • Here and There edited by Sharon Strzalkowski
          • High Tech Swap Shop
        • The ACB E-Forum, October 2013
          • Affiliate and Committee News
          • Here and There edited by Sharon Strzalkowski
          • High Tech Swap Shop
        • The Braille Forum, January 2013
          • Affiliate News
          • Here and There by Sharon Strzalkowski
          • High Tech Swap Shop
      • 2014 Issues
        • ACB E-Forum, February 2014
          • Here and There edited by Sharon Strzalkowski
          • High Tech Swap Shop
        • Affiliate News
        • BF January 2014
          • Affiliate News
          • Here and There edited by Sharon Strzalkowski
          • High Tech Swap Shop
          • Shopping for Health Care: Comparing Hospitals Can Help Consumers Make Good Decisions by Ron Pollack
        • Braille Forum, July 2014
          • Affiliate News
          • Here and There, edited by Sharon Strzalkowski
          • High Tech Swap Shop
        • Braille Forum, March 2014
          • ACB Braille Forum, March 2014 downloads
          • ACB Leadership Institute 2014
          • ACB's Legislative Priorities for 2014, by Melanie Brunson
          • Affiliate News
          • Board of Publications Awards Your Excellence in 2014
          • Come to Vegas and Hit the Jackpot!
          • Community Outreach Challenge, by Tristen Breitenfeldt
          • Conducting Business with Social Security: What You Should Know and How You Can Help, by Len Burns
          • DKM First-Timer Selection Nears
          • Here and There, edited by Sharon Strzalkowski
          • High Tech Swap Shop
          • How to Get the Most Out of Rehab, Part III: Available Services, by Doug Powell
          • In Memoriam: Buddy Spivey, Dec. 31, 1941-Jan. 9, 2014
          • Las Vegas: Deal Us In!, by Janet Dickelman
          • Membership Focus: Creative Ways to Meet, Especially in Rural Areas, compiled by Ardis Bazyn
          • President's Message: Be Sure You Are Protected!, by Kim Charlson
          • Summary of the Fall 2013 ACB Board Meeting, by Denise Colley
        • Braille Forum, Sept 2014
          • Affiliate News
          • Here and There, edited by Sharon Strzalkowski
          • High Tech Swap Shop
        • Here and There edited by Sharon Strzalkowski
        • Here and There, edited by Sharon Strzalkowski
        • High Tech Swap Shop
        • High Tech Swap Shop
        • Snowflakes and Birthday Cake: It’s Holiday Auction Time, by Carla Ruschival
        • The ACB Braille Forum, May 2014
          • Affiliate News
          • Here and There edited by Sharon Strzalkowski
          • High Tech Swap Shop
        • The ACB Braille Forum, November 2014
        • The ACB Braille Forum, November 2014 downloads
        • The ACB E-Forum, April 2014
          • Affiliate News
          • Here and There edited by Sharon Strzalkowski
          • High Tech Swap Shop
        • The ACB E-Forum, August 2014
          • Affiliate News
          • Here and There edited by Sharon Strzalkowski
          • High Tech Swap Shop
          • Your Options for Medicare Supplemental Coverage by Ron Pollack
        • The ACB E-Forum, December 2014
          • Affiliate News
          • Here and There, edited by Sharon Strzalkowski
          • High Tech Swap Shop
        • The ACB E-Forum, June 2014
        • The ACB E-Forum, October 2014
          • Affiliate News
          • Here and There edited by Sharon Strzalkowski
          • High Tech Swap Shop
      • 2015 Issues
        • Braille Forum January 2015
          • Accessing the ACB Forum and E-Forum: Let Me Count the Ways, by Judy Wilkinson
          • Affiliate News
          • Here and There, edited by Sharon Strzalkowski
          • High Tech Swap Shop
        • Braille Forum July 2015
          • Affiliate News
          • Here and There, edited by Sharon Strzalkowski
          • High Tech Swap Shop
        • Braille Forum March 2015
          • A Telecommuting Job Could Be Just What You Are Looking For, by Dr. Ronald E. Milliman
          • ACB’s Stars Will Shine Bright in Dallas, by Janet Dickelman
          • Acknowledgement
          • Affiliate News
          • Best Audio Holiday Season Ever, by Susan Glass
          • Board of Publications Again Awards Your Excellence in Media and Writing in 2015
          • Call for Nominees for 2015 ACB Awards!, by Chelle Hart & Chip Hailey
          • Come to the Lone Star Loot Auction!
          • Here and There, edited by Sharon Strzalkowski
          • Last Call: The DKM Train Is Leaving the Station, by Allen Casey
          • Let the Stars Shine Bright on the ACB Brenda Dillon Memorial Walk, by Donna Brown
          • President’s Message: More on Accessible Prescription Labels, by Kim Charlson
          • Tax Tips from the IRS, by Melanie Brunson
          • The Importance of Grassroots, by Kathy Brockman
        • Braille Forum May 2015
          • Affiliate News
          • Convention Week Sneak Preview, by Janet Dickelman
          • Here and There, edited by Sharon Strzalkowski
          • High Tech Swap Shop
        • Braille Forum November 2015
          • Affiliate News
          • Here and There, edited by Sharon Strzalkowski
          • High Tech Swap Shop
        • Braille Forum September 2015
          • Affiliate News
          • Here and There, edited by Sharon Strzalkowski
          • High Tech Swap Shop
        • E-Forum April 2015
          • Affiliate News
          • Here and There, edited by Sharon Strzalkowski
          • High Tech Swap Shop
        • E-Forum August 2015
          • Affiliate News
          • Here and There
          • High Tech Swap Shop
        • E-Forum December 2015
          • Affiliate and Committee News
          • Here and There, edited by Sharon Strzalkowski
          • High Tech Swap Shop
        • E-Forum June 2015
          • Affiliate News
          • Here and There edited by Sharon Strzalkowski
          • High Tech Swap Shop
        • E-Forum October 2015
          • Here and There, edited by Sharon Strzalkowski
        • E-Forum, February 2015
          • Affiliate News
          • Here and There, edited by Sharon Strzalkowski
          • High Tech Swap Shop
      • 2016 Issues
        • BF January 2016
          • Affiliate News
          • Here and There, edited by Sharon Strzalkowski
          • High Tech Swap Shop
        • BF July 2016
          • Affiliate News
          • Here and There
          • High Tech Swap Shop
        • BF March 2016
          • Affiliate News
          • Here and There, edited by Sharon Strzalkowski
          • High Tech Swap Shop
        • BF May 2016
          • Affiliate and Committee News
          • Here and There, edited by Sharon Strzalkowski
          • High Tech Swap Shop
        • BF November 2016
          • Affiliate and Committee News
          • Here and There, edited by Sharon Strzalkowski
          • High Tech Swap Shop
        • BF September 2016
          • Affiliate News
          • High Tech Swap Shop
        • EF April 2016
          • Affiliate News
          • Here and There, edited by Sharon Strzalkowski
          • High Tech Swap Shop
        • EF August 2016
          • Affiliate News
          • Here and There, edited by Sharon Strzalkowski
          • High Tech Swap Shop
        • EF December 2016
          • ACB Fall Board Meeting Report, by Ron Brooks
          • Affiliate and Committee News
          • Here and There, edited by Sharon Strzalkowski
          • High Tech Swap Shop
        • EF February 2016
          • Affiliate News
          • Here and There, edited by Sharon Strzalkowski
          • High Tech Swap Shop
        • EF June 2016
          • Affiliate News
          • Here and There, edited by Sharon Strzalkowski
          • High Tech Swap Shop
        • EF October 2016
          • Affiliate News
          • Here and There, edited by Sharon Strzalkowski
          • High Tech Swap Shop
      • 2017 Issues
        • Affiliate News
        • Braille Forum January 2017
          • Affiliate News
            • Affiliate News
          • Here and There edited by Sharon Strzalkowski
          • High Tech Swap Shop
        • Braille Forum March 2017
          • ACB Commends Access Board on 508 Refresh
          • Affiliate News
          • Awards Committee Seeks Nominees for 2017 ACB Awards
          • Celebrate the Life and Legacy of Durward K. McDaniel Support the DKM FirstTimer Program
          • Easy Fund Raiser for Your Affiliate
          • Helpful Hints for Attending the Convention
          • Here and There
          • High Tech Swap Shop
          • Holiday Auction Thank Yous
          • Ida Schwerzel A Century of Memories Part 2
          • In Memoriam: Otis H. Stephens Jr. Sept. 20, 1936-Dec. 2, 2016
          • Presidents Message Planning for the Future
          • Readers Remembrances of Otis Stephens
          • Spotlight On ACB Students
        • Braille Forum September 2017
        • December 2017
          • Here and There
        • E-Forum June 2017
          • Affiliate and Committee News
          • Here and There
          • High Tech Swap Shop
        • Here and There
        • Here and There
        • High Tech Swap Shop
        • High Tech Swap Shop
        • November 2017
          • Affiliate News
          • Here and There
          • High Tech Swap Shop
        • October 2017
        • The ACB Braille Forum July 2017
        • The ACB Braille Forum May 2017
          • Affiliate News
          • Here and There
          • High Tech Swap Shop
        • The ACB E-Forum April 2017
          • Here and There
          • High Tech Swap Shop
        • The ACB E-Forum August 2017
          • Affiliate News
          • Here and There
          • High Tech Swap Shop
        • The ACB E-Forum February 2017
          • Here and There
          • High Tech Swap Shop
      • 2018 Issues
        • ACB Braille Forum Feb 2018
          • ACB E-Forum February 2018 Downloads
          • Affiliate News
          • Here and There
        • ACB Braille Forum Jan 2018
          • Affiliate News
          • High Tech Swap Shop
        • ACB Braille Forum July 2018
          • Here and There
          • High Tech Swap Shop
          • Passings
        • ACB Braille Forum March 2018
          • Affiliate News
        • ACB Braille Forum May 2018
          • Affiliate News
          • Here and There
        • ACB Braille Forum Nov 2018
        • ACB Braille Forum Sept 2018
        • ACB E-Forum April 2018
          • Affiliate News
          • Here and There
          • High Tech Swap Shop
        • ACB E-Forum Aug 2018
          • Here and There
        • ACB E-Forum Dec 2018
          • High Tech Swap Shop
          • Hot Toys for Holiday Gift-Giving
        • ACB E-Forum June 2018
          • Affiliate News
          • Here and There
        • ACB E-Forum Oct 2018
      • 2019 Issues
        • ACB E-Forum Aug 2019
        • ACB E-Forum Feb 2019
          • High Tech Swap Shop
        • ACB E-Forum Jun 2019
        • Braille Forum Jan 2019
          • High Tech Swap Shop
        • Braille Forum July 2019
        • Braille Forum Mar 2019
          • High Tech Swap Shop
        • Braille Forum May 2019
          • President’s Message
        • Braille Forum Nov-2019
        • Braille Forum Sept 2019
        • E-Forum Apr 2019
          • High Tech Swap Shop
        • E-Forum Dec 2019
        • E-Forum Oct 2019
          • Rochester Convention Celebrated
      • 2020 Issues
        • BF Jan 2020
          • President’s Message
        • BF July 2020
          • Affiliate and Committee News
          • Belonging in ACB
          • Commentary
          • Here and There
          • High Tech Swap Shop
          • How to Access Virtual Convention
          • In Memoriam: Camille Caffarelli
          • Mouse Assisting Inclusive Technology
          • President’s Message: First Virtual Convention
          • Summary of Board of Dir. Meeting, April 23, 2020
          • The ADA at 30
          • The Only Moment
          • Tuesday Topics
        • BF Mar 2020
        • BF May 2020
          • President’s Message
        • BF Nov 2020
          • 2020 Resolutions Summary
          • Affiliate News
          • Here and There
          • Honesty
          • In Memoriam: Charlie Crawford
          • Include in Affiliate
          • Lies
          • MMS Future
          • Notice
          • Plans for 2021
          • President’s Message
          • Readers Remember
          • Revision to DKM
        • BF Sept 2020
          • 2020 Awards Winners
          • ACB 2020 Convention Thank-Yous
          • ACB 2020 Virtual Convention: That’s a Wrap!
          • ACB Membership Seminar
          • Here and There
          • Holiday Auction
          • In Memoriam: Berl Lynn Colley
          • Letter to the Editor
          • President’s Message: Finally Baseball!
          • Ski for Light 2021
          • Thank You
          • To Mobility and Beyond
          • Walked Virtual Path to Future
        • EF Apr 2020
        • EF Aug 2020
          • Affiliate and Committee News
          • Beginning Again
          • Book Review
          • COVID-19 Will Be Beat
          • COVID-19 and Blindness
          • Cavemen
          • Diaphragmatic Breathing
          • Here and There
          • High Tech Swap Shop
          • Kindness of Neighbors
          • Pick a Peck
          • President’s Message
          • Virus or Victim
          • ‘End of Oct.’ Review
        • EF Dec 2020
          • Affiliate News
          • Apply to DKM First-Timers Award
          • BADIE
          • Board Meetings Summary
          • Celebrating CVAA
          • Chaplain’s Corner
          • Flexibility
          • Going Virtual Again
          • Here and There
          • Mini Mall Holiday
          • President’s Message
          • Qualifying for SSD
          • Retaining Members
          • Safe Cooking
          • Senator Markey Celebrates
        • EF Feb 2020
        • EF June 2020
          • ACB Easy Chair Auction
          • ACB –Path to Future
          • Affiliate and Committee News
          • Backyard Wedding
          • Book Review
          • Continuing Education
          • Conventions
          • Here and There
          • High Tech Swap Shop
          • MMS Going Virtual!
          • Memories of Lynn Hedl
          • Mini Mall Headlines
          • Passings
          • Performing Marriage Ceremonies
          • President’s Message
          • Walking up a Storm
          • Ways to Listen
          • Wine and Song
          • Wine and Song
        • EF Oct 2020
          • ADA Turns 30
          • ADA at Thirty
          • Affiliate News
          • DARE2TRI
          • Here and There
          • High Tech Swap Shop
          • Involving Special-Interest Affiliates
          • Jeanne Sanders
          • Mini Mall Mega News
          • Passings
          • Perseverance in Martial Arts
          • Pre-Convention Board Meeting
          • President’s Message
          • Swimming Blind & Free
          • Triathlon Dare2tri
          • Vision Loss, Therapy, Weightlifting
      • 2021 Issues
        • BF Jan 2021
          • Apply to 2021 ACB/JPMorgan Chase Leadership Fellow
          • BOP to Award Excellence
          • Become a 2021 Recipient of DKM Award
          • Call for 2021 ACB Awards Nominees
          • Convention Dates
          • Help Revive Braille!
          • Here and There
          • In Memoriam: Larry Turnbull
          • Joys of Learning Braille
          • Mother Was a Braille Transcriber
          • Passings
          • President’s Message
          • That Stupid School!
        • BF Jul 2021
          • Accessing the Virtual Convention
          • Beyond
          • Continuing Ed
          • Don’t Forget MMS
          • Here and There
          • It’s Not Too Late
          • Learning
          • Let’s Go Fishing!
          • Meeting Summary
          • Mini Mall Minute
          • President’s Message
        • BF Mar 2021
          • Angels Memorial Program
          • Continuing Ed in 2021
          • Expanding Recruiting
          • Guide Dog If Low Vision?
          • Guide Dog Magnified
          • Here and There
          • Low Vision Story Bites
          • President’s Message
          • Summary - Nov 2020 Board Mtg.
          • Two Big Announcements!
          • Welcome to CCLVI
        • BF May 2021
          • Affiliate - Committee News
          • Book Review
          • Continuing Ed
          • Diamond Jubilee Auction
          • Get Moving Together
          • Here and There
          • In Memoriam
          • Mini Mall Headlines
          • President’s Message
          • Registration Q&A
          • Start a Chapter
          • Verizon Media Announces
          • Victor Reader Tip
          • Voting at Convention
          • Welcome New Employees
          • Your Vote Counts
        • BF Nov 2021
          • A Visit
          • Affiliate News
          • Brief Overview
          • Button Box?
          • Fun Facts about Nebraska
          • Greatest Fears
          • Here and There
          • Here and There
          • High Tech Swap Shop
          • Holiday Shopping at Mini Mall
          • Karaoke Helps
          • Passings
          • President’s Message
          • Vision Loss Thoughts
        • BF Sept 2021
          • 2021 Convention
          • Affiliate News
          • Audio Description Achievement Awards
          • Here and There
          • High Tech Swap Shop
          • Isolation to Inspiration
          • President’s Message
          • This Year’s Award Winners
          • Wrapping Up
        • EF Apr 2021
          • 13th Annual ADP Awards
          • 2021 Talking Book Narrator
          • 421 for ‘21
          • A Place at Table
          • Affiliate News
          • Connected in New Mexico
          • Heart of a Legacy
          • Here and There
          • High Tech Swap Shop
          • In Memoriam: Doc Bradley
          • Learning and Leading
          • Man Made Difference 
          • New Members Portal
          • People of Color
          • President’s Message
          • Smoke Signal
          • What Color Is the Dream?
          • What is IDC?
        • EF Aug 2021
          • Affiliate News
          • Blindness in United Arab Emirates
          • Bosnia and Herzegovina
          • Describing Diversity
          • Erasmus
          • Eye on USA
          • Furry Lifesaver
          • Get Moving Together
          • Here and There
          • High Tech Swap Shop
          • India
          • Passings
          • President’s Message
          • World Turned Inside Out
        • EF Dec 2021
          • 2021 Resolutions
          • Board Meeting Summaries
          • Christmas Wishes
          • Convention 2022 Preview
          • Here and There
          • Looking
          • Mother of Fundraisers
          • Notice of Proposed Settlement
          • Passings
          • President’s Message
          • Team Up
          • The New Year
        • EF Feb 2021
          • 2020 Convention Info
          • About ADP Website
          • Apply to 2021 Recipient of DKM Award
          • Audio Description Commercials
          • Audio Description Project
          • Audio Description Snobbery
          • Audio Description What it Means
          • Charlie Crawford on Wall of Angels
          • God’s Audio Description
          • Here and There
          • High Tech Swap Shop
          • In Memoriam: James Megivern
          • Paradigm Shift
          • President’s Message
        • EF Jun 2021
          • Affiliate News
          • Continuing Ed News
          • Convention Preview
          • Enjoy the Perks
          • Feb Board Meeting
          • Get Exercise
          • Get Up Get Moving
          • Here and There
          • High Tech Swap Shop
          • Massage
          • Never Give Up
          • President’s Message
          • Review of Spark
          • The New $20
          • The Room
        • EF Oct 2021
          • Accessing Transit Services
          • Affiliate News
          • Here and There
          • Here and There
          • Letter to Dept of Trans
          • Moving Forward
          • Nearly Roadkill
          • On to Omaha
          • President’s Message
          • Reach People
          • Summary July 2021 Board Meeting
          • What About Paratransit?
          • Why Restructure?
      • 2022 Issues
        • BF Jan 2022
          • 10-9-21 Board Mtg Summary
          • ACB Diabetics in Action
          • Announcing 2022 Tours
          • BOP Awards Excellence
          • Blind LGBT Welcomes You
          • Braille Link to Literacy
          • Call for Nominees
          • Call for Nominees
          • Come One, Come All
          • Guide Dog Users
          • Happy New Year
          • IVIE
          • Not Your Father’s …
          • President’s Message
          • Reach Higher
          • Salutes Award Winners
          • Where Impaired Thrive
        • BF Jul 2022
          • Accessing ACB Info
          • Blind student
          • Here and There
          • High Tech Swap Shop
          • Learning Better Leader
          • Passings
          • Pregnant Nun
          • President’s Message
          • Public Transportation
          • Recipes
          • Thank You
          • Tips for Convention
          • Wild Figs
          • Writers reimagine roles
        • BF Mar 2022
          • Affiliate News
          • Board Makes Virtual
          • Boxes
          • Dance with Cancer
          • Gifts of Mentorship
          • Here and There
          • High Tech Swap Shop
          • In Memoriam: Bill Spoone
          • Learn Hours
          • MMS March Madness
          • Motherhood
          • New Spin
          • Passings
          • President’s Message
          • Removal
          • Time to Plan
          • Walk Here
        • BF May 2022
          • Accessibility for Some
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  4. 2018 ACB Board of Directors Minutes
  5. Board of Directors Meeting Minutes June 29, 2018

American Council of the Blind Board of Directors Meeting Minutes June 29, 2018

Call to Order, Roll Call, Review and Approval of Agenda

 

The American Council of the Blind (ACB) Board of Directors met on Friday, June 29, 2018 at the Union Station Hotel in St. Louis, Missouri for its pre-conference and convention meeting. President Kim Charlson called the meeting to order at 9:06 a.m. At the call of the roll, all board members were present: Kim Charlson, Dan Spoone, John McCann, Ray Campbell, David Trott, Mitch Pomerantz, Jeff Bishop, Denise Colley, Sara Conrad, Dan Dillon, Katie Frederick, George Holliday, Allan Peterson, Doug Powell, Pat Sheehan and Jeff Thom. Board of Publications representative Deb Cook Lewis was present representing that body. Staff present: Eric Bridges, ACB Executive Director, Tony Stephens, ACB Director of Advocacy and Governmental Affairs, Kelly Gasque, ACB Executive Assistant and Media Design Specialist, Tom Tobin, ACB Director of Development, Jo Lynn Bailey-Page, ACB Grant Writer, Claire Stanley, ACB Advocacy Assistant, Sharon Lovering, ACB Braille Forum Editor and Nancy Marks-Becker, ACB Chief Financial Officer. Following roll call, several guests introduced themselves.

President Charlson reviewed the agenda. McCann moved and Colley seconded adoption of the agenda as circulated; the motion carried.

 

Approval of Minutes

 

Powell moved and Bishop seconded ratification of the email vote adopting the February 24, 2018 Board of Directors Meeting minutes; the motion carried. Pomerantz moved and Powell seconded ratification of the following motion: “to refer Ray Campbell’s motion on board expense reimbursement to the Budget Committee for their review of cost projections, recommendations and feedback for reporting at the fall board meeting where, at such time, the board can devote significant discussion to this important issue.” The motion carried.

 

President’s Report

 

Kim and Mitch discussed the World Braille Council and World Blind Union meetings held from Memorial Day weekend to June 1, 2018 in Ottawa, Canada. Other regions of the world are moving toward braille unification, including the French and Spanish. Discussions also took place around making some of the punctuation marks more universal in braille, and there was lots covered regarding refreshable braille display products.

Mitch covered the WBU Exco and North American-Caribbean region meeting. Among the issues discussed were the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Marrakesh treaty. WBU has four strategic priorities: representation and human rights, capacity building including employment initiatives, regional sustainability, development and diversity, accessibility including access to information, technology and the environment, and resource sharing and partnerships including communication and collaboration. The board got to see the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) Century of Change Award which ACB received. WBU will hold its 2020 quadrennial assembly in Madrid, Spain.

Dan Spoone discussed ACB’s advisory board. He discussed a report which had been prepared with assistance from FMP Consulting regarding the advisory board.  Powell moved and Pomerantz seconded adoption of the advisory board report as submitted. The motion carried. A copy of the report is attached to these minutes.

Trott moved and Bishop seconded acceptance of the president’s report; the motion carried.

 

Staff Reports

 

Executive Director Eric Bridges began presentation of the staff reports.  Highlights included:

  • Marrakesh treaty, the United States Senate has ratified the treaty by unanimous consent, along with passing S. 2559, a bill that makes technical changes in U.S. copyright law to implement it.  The House now needs to pass S. 2559 to fully implement the terms of the treaty.
  • ACB has an intern from the American Association of People with Disabilities who has been working closely with Tony and Claire.
  • The new acb.org website has been launched.
  • For our Conference and Convention, we have about $348,000 in corporate sponsorships.
  • ACB and Cisco jointly announced at CSUN that the 8800 series Cisco phones have been made accessible.  There was also an announcement about this which appeared on the Cisco website, and a blog post written by Tony Stephens.
  • Eric discussed Apple’s efforts to put together emoji depicting people with disabilities, including those who are blind or visually impaired.  The proposal for these emoji was sent to the Unicode council and was picked up by various publications in March, and all through the various articles, ACB was mentioned because of our consultation with Apple on the proposal.
  • Eric was part of a video put together by Microsoft for its Build developer conference where they announced a 5-year, $25 million grant program for non-governmental organizations working on Artificial Intelligence and its intersection with accessibility.
  • Eric and Tony attended the CSUN conference where they held many meetings with everyone from Microsoft, to representatives of the cable tv industry, to companies in the adaptive technology space.

Chief Financial Officer Nancy Marks-Becker gave her report.  Highlights included:

  • ACB once again received an unqualified, clean audit for 2017.  We had to recognize donations ACB was made aware of in 2017 that will be received in 2018.  Also, our audit was done at a higher cost due to changes we made in our general ledger after changing to Dynamic GP.
  • Nancy believed that the behind the scenes changes that were made in the Affiliate Member Management System (AMMS) made updating membership records much smoother.
  • Nancy discussed the Board Effectiveness Policy report which had been shared with the board previously that will be sent to BBB Wise Giving. Thom moved and Powell seconded approval of the Board Effectiveness Policy report; the motion carried.  The report will be attached to these minutes.
  • Finally, Nancy announced that our newest staff member in the Minneapolis area office is Nancy Christine Feela.

ACB Enterprises and Services (ACBES) Chair Michael Garrett presented a brief report to the board.  While we had to close the Milwaukee, Wisconsin thrift store, the remaining two stores we have are doing well and ACBES is in a good place.

ACB Braille Forum Editor Sharon Lovering presented her report.  She indicated that the communications center is running smoothly and offered the board an opportunity to ask questions about her previously sent written report. Regarding making “The ACB Braille Forum” available on NLS cartridge, it is going well so far. There are some individuals who will be getting a letter reminding them they need to return the cartridge before receiving additional Forum issues. Eric also commended Sharon for her assistance professionalizing ACB’s communications.

ACB Development Director Tom Tobin presented his report. After entertaining questions on his previously sent written report, Tom discussed:

  • Direct mail spring appeal, we sent out 8,413 packets in mid-March, gross revenue of $7,983 from 200 gifts, averaging almost $40 per gift. Only 2.3% return on that appeal.  Expenses were $6,263 leaving net revenue of $1,718. Tom believes the direct mail is starting to flounder a bit; he believes it’s due to ACB’s limited data file. We need to look into other avenues to acquire additional donors. Donor acquisition is about acquiring additional names and not generating revenue.
  • Tom reported we’ve added seven new ACB Angels in 2018, totaling revenue of $3,360.  Since inception the angel program has raised about $28,000.
  • Due to the unfortunate passing of one of our most faithful donors, ACB’s annual giving society program took a $12,500 hit this year.
  • Ross Pangere has increased his gift to the ACB Scholarship Fund to $22,500, allowing ACB to award three Pangere scholarships of $7,500 each.

Thom moved and Powell seconded that the board get a report from ACB staff of recommendations for changing our direct mail program for discussion at the fall board meeting. The motion carried.

ACB Grant Writer Jo Lynn Bailey-Page presented her report.  After entertaining questions on her previously sent written report, she discussed:

  • Two organizations have renewed their support for ACB for this year, the Aid Association of the Blind of the District of Columbia at $35,000 and the Dreyfus Foundation at $5,000.
  • Last year, we had about $222,000 in grant requests; this year, we’ve increased this amount to $383,000.  Jo Lynn plans to add another $10,00 to $20,000 to this total as we’re exploring opportunities with another foundation.
  • Jo Lynn and Tom have been looking for other ways to recognize our funders.  There will be two members of Delta Gamma in attendance at the Annual Giving Society reception on Saturday, June 30.

ACB Radio Managing Director Larry Turnbull presented his report.  Highlights included:

  • ACB Radio has steadily been increasing in listenership since last year, with the coverage of the Solar eclipse putting us on the map.  That event alone, including those listening by phone easily reached 20,000 people.
  • The same color scheme which is being used on the new acb.org website will also be used on the acbradio.org site.
  • ACB Radio hosted a candidates’ forum for the first time using the Zoom Cloud client, which Larry believes worked out well.
  • Larry will be working not only to get the new color scheme onto the ACB Radio website, but also rearranging some content so it’s easier to find.
  • Larry is trying to address the unannounced phone number changes we’ve had thanks to Audio Now.

Jeff Bishop gave an update on ACB Link.  The Android version is in the Google Play Store in beta form, so we’re looking for feedback on it.  It includes all of the features of the iOS version with an enhanced audio player.  The color scheme matches the new acb.org website.

Director of Advocacy and Governmental Affairs Tony Stephens presented his report.  He reiterated the positive news we had gotten on ratification of the Marrakesh treaty. He also indicated ACB is still engaged with the Department of Transportation on service animal issues.  Regarding web accessibility, ACB and NFB will be advocating with several congressional offices raising concerns about whether it’s a good time to push for web accessibility requirements under ADA.  We are still engaged with work around autonomous vehicles

Executive Assistant and Media Design Specialist Kelly Gasque presented her report. Regarding acb.org, she indicated that the website is much easier to navigate and that pages are easier to find. Testing has been in progress since August 2017.  Videos and photos have been incorporated to enhance visual appeal. Regarding social media, Kelly reported we have 3,478 likes on Facebook and 2,367 Twitter followers. We are starting to use Facebook Live to engage more with our followers.

Campbell moved and Trott seconded acceptance of the staff reports; the motion carried.

 

Executive Session

 

Campbell moved and McCann seconded that the board go into executive session to discuss personnel, legal and advocacy issues. The motion carried, and the board went into executive session at 12:12 p.m.

The board returned to open session at 1:43 p.m. President Charlson announced that the board had received personnel, legal and advocacy updates and that no motions were adopted.

 

Treasurer’s Report

 

Treasurer David Trott presented the treasurer’s report.  Total revenue year to date is $397,524, with total expenses of $412,823.  Campbell moved and McCann seconded acceptance of the treasurer’s report; the motion carried.

 

Strategic Plan Action Team Reports

 

The strategic plan action team reports were presented. 

Development

Development Action Plan team leader Tom Tobin reported that the development team continues meeting on a regular basis, receiving updates on ACB’s development activities.  They have started meeting quarterly with the subcommittee chairs updating the whole team on both successes and areas where they are having challenges.  All of the chairs feel it’s quite beneficial having goals, action plans and deliverables written down.  Based on all the subcommittee chairs feeling they need help with marketing and communications, it’s clear there needs to be cross-pollination of the goal groups.

Marketing and Communications

Marketing and Communications Action Planning team leader Katie Frederick presented her report.  They are working on several items including ACB’s style guide which has information on accessibility of communications, colors to be used and when and when not to use ACB’s new logo.  The team has worked recently on conference and convention related communications.

Affiliates and Membership

Affiliate and Membership Action Team leader George Holliday presented his report.  The team continues to collect data on what might encourage members and potential members to actively contribute to ACB.  They are also looking to find out affiliates’ strengths and weaknesses concerning membership development and retention.  Seven potential areas have been identified.  The team is going to address three now and others in the future.  Establishment of membership benefits, what do we give members when they join.  Establish a membership card.  Members could take advantage of membership specials or discounts.  The team also wants to find ways to reach out to affiliates needing help with retaining members.  They want to both see what we can learn from affiliates who have increased membership and learn from other organizations on how to retain members.  Finally, the team wants to recruit members from demographic groups such as families, underserved populations and younger people.  We need to personally contact members who are not rejoining, ask what we can do to get them back.  They want to work with state and special interest affiliates to identify a demographic group to target for recruitment.

Advocacy, Legislation and Policy

Advocacy, Legislation and Policy Action Plan team leader Tony Stephens presented his report.  While the team has not met as often as they had been, they continue to provide regular updates on their three primary goals:  access and independence for people who are blind or visually impaired, technology accessibility and accessible currency.  Based on the 2018 resolutions, the team will examine the issues it’s engaged on to see if changes are needed.

Convention and Meetings

Convention and Meetings Action Team leader Janet Dickelman presented her report.  During the 2018 conference and convention, 52 sessions qualified to offer continuing education credits.  We will be recording a lot of these to potentially offers for credit from ACB’s website.

Campbell moved and Pomerantz seconded acceptance of the strategic plan action team reports; the motion carried. 

 

Convention Report

 

Conference and Convention Coordinator Janet Dickelman presented her convention report. Highlights included:

  • We have 865 people registered so far for the 2018 conference and convention and have been able to accommodate most of them in the Union Station Hotel. About 200 hotel staff have been trained.
  • The fall 2018 board meeting will take place Friday and Saturday, October 5 and 6 in Rochester, N.Y.  We will discuss 2021 conference and convention possibilities at this meeting.

Campbell moved and Powell seconded acceptance of the Conference and Convention report; the motion carried.

 

Board of Publications Report

 

Board of Publications (BOP) representative Deb Cook Lewis presented her report.  The BOP will meet Saturday, June 30 at 10:30 a.m.  They will discuss extensively where the BOP fits in ACB’s universe in lite of such things as the strategic plan and the action teams.  The BOP is working to allocate pages of the forum to discuss all aspects of ACB.  For example, the August E-Forum will discuss education.  Spoone moved and Powell seconded acceptance of the BOP report; the motion carried.

 

Committee Liaison Reports

 

Committee liaison reports were presented.  First vice president Dan Spoone indicated that during this convention, the Audio Description Project (ADP) will hold both its bi-annual conference and describer training.  He also indicated that ACVREP is working on describer certification with the ADP.

 

Other Business

 

McCann reiterated the issue he put forth on the board list, that we need to work on finding quality leaders to run for board and BOP positions.  Bishop indicated the amendment to change the numbers of officers and directors who can serve on the board from any one state will come to the floor once again.  Much discussion ensued around this proposal, with no consensus from the board as to their position on it.

Adjournment

 

There being no further business, Campbell moved and Powell seconded that the meeting be adjourned.  The motion carried, and the meeting adjourned at 4 p.m.

 

Ray Campbell

Secretary

Date submitted: 9/22/2018
Date approved: 10/05/2018

 

Atts: Advisory Board Report, BBB Board Effectiveness Policy, Board Effectiveness Report.

Proposal from May 23rd Brainstorming Session on ACB’s Advisory Board

Reimagining ACB’s Advisory Board — Putting Commitment into Action

 

Table of Contents

 

1. Introduction

    1A. Background and Lessons Learned

    1B. Milestones and Accomplishments

2. Direction and Vision

3. Goals and Objectives

4. Membership

5. Proposed Pilot

    5A. Pilot Structure

    5B. Pilot Meetings

    5C. Pilot Reporting

6. Next Steps

7. Conclusion

 

Section 1: Introduction

 

This document is intended to present a clear path forward to re-invigorate and transform ACB’s Advisory Board. It outlines background and critical lessons learned from past efforts; defines a strong direction and overall vision going forward; establishes a set of enhanced goals and objectives; proposes high-level recommendations regarding the members we seek; lays out a solid foundation for establishing a small scale pilot in order to gain a better understanding of time, cost, and feasibility prior to implementing the full Advisory Board as outlined in our Constitution; and clearly defines a set of next steps to move forward in establishing this important resource for ACB.

 

Most importantly, this refined approach aligns with ACB’s strategic plan and allows ACB to focus its limited resources on crucial initiatives that will enable the organization to more effectively meet its mission of increasing the independence, security, equality of opportunity and quality of life, for all blind and visually impaired people.

 

Section 1A: Background and Lessons Learned

 

The ACB journey to establish an Advisory Board began in July 2013, when ACB President Mitch Pomerantz, proposed and the ACB membership adopted an amendment to the ACB Constitution to form an Advisory Board.  This effort launched the membership’s realization that the long-term sustainability of the organization will depend on its ability to recruit resources outside of ACB’s core membership.

 

This visionary approach focused on reaching out to individuals with financial resources and backgrounds.  Mitch encouraged ACB board members to identify potential candidates and the team prepared introductory packets with the latest ACB financial statements, Braille Forums, annual reports and ACB brochures. These recruiting efforts generated four Advisory Board members, but fell short of the goal of a minimum of 10 members. The ACB Leadership attempted to integrate these new Advisory Board members into our existing fundraising committees with only limited results.

 

This experience was a valuable first step on ACB’s journey to extend its resource capacity.  The timing was not right. The organization needed to stabilize its financial position, develop a strategic plan and create relationships with corporate entities that could recommend additional Advisory Board members.  The initial Advisory Board efforts are an excellent stepping stone for all future opportunities.

 

Without this past experience, we wouldn’t be where we are today. Missing, though, was the fact that at the time, ACB did not have a current strategic plan and we realized that we needed to have some of these crucial building blocks in place in order for an Advisory Board to be effective. This past experience taught the organization valuable lessons and we realized that in order for members to volunteer their time, remain committed and effective, they wanted to be part of something broader than fundraising. This underscored the need to more clearly define the purpose of the Advisory Board to align with ACB’s strategic plan and it would also allow us to more effectively recruit and retain committed members.

 

Section 1B: Milestones and Accomplishments to Date

 

Building on the work done by the original Advisory Board, on May 23rd, Kim Charlson, President; Eric Bridges, Executive Director; Dan Spoone, First Vice President; Katie Frederick, ACB Board Member/Marketing & Communications Action Team Chair; Roger Bridges, Former Advisory Board Member; Nancy Marks-Becker, Chief Financial Officer; and Kelly Gasque, Executive Assistant & Multimedia Design Specialist, met for an all-day session facilitated by Erin Pitera, President of FMP Consulting. The purpose of the session was to refocus the group on a concrete path forward and develop a high-level roadmap for re-invigorating the ACB Advisory Board. The results of this meeting are summarized below.

 

Section Two: Direction and Vision

 

Our overall vision for a re-invigorated version of ACB’s Advisory Board is to establish a voluntary collection of individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences that enable the organization to be more effective by: 1) bringing in specialized expertise to professionalize ACB’s efforts; 2) filling in critical knowledge gaps that may be missing within the organization; and 3) bringing additional capacity to move forward on critical initiatives that are central to our strategic plan.

 

We see the Advisory Board as an opportunity to look outside of our own organization and gain a broader perspective. It would allow ACB to move  beyond our historical boundaries, enhance our knowledge, increase our culture of accountability, and improve our business focus. By forming a cohesive and diverse group from varying backgrounds, we can bring a fresh set of eyes to process critical business challenges – individuals that have “been there and done that.” The Advisory Board will also provide an important avenue to build relationships with key advisors that can help us recruit new members through improved outreach, communication, fundraising and donations.

 

We further envision that this additional capacity will bring best practices in key areas central to our strategic plan, including, but not limited to: Fundraising, Marketing and Communications, Media and Public Relations, Information Technology, Human Resources, and Organization Design and Development.

 

Finally, if well organized and given a clear sense of its goals, we envision that a successful Advisory Board will provide a considerable benefit to ACB and will greatly assist the organization in fulfilling its important mission.

 

Section Three: Goals and Objectives

 

Through our past efforts, we recognized that in order to be successful, an Advisory Board must be formed in such a way that it is flexible enough to allow the group to cover a range of activities, but with enough specificity that it won’t deteriorate into ambiguity. Therefore, in alignment with the re-imagined vision for the ACB Advisory Board, the group brainstormed specific goals and objectives to give it a greater sense of purpose and direction. These proposed goals and objectives include:

 

  1. Develop financial management plans and recommendations for ACB, to include financial stability, revenue growth, and donor management.
  2. Develop plans and sharing best practices that enable ACB to increase recruitment and retention of members through outreach, brand awareness, improved use of technology and media campaigns to reach a broader audience.
  3. Develop information technology plans and recommendations for resources, equipment, structure, training, systems integration and systems management.
  4. Provide recommendations and best practices in organization design, to include governance and structure; roles and responsibilities; staffing and resourcing; and workflows and decision authority.

 

Section Four: Membership

 

In order to accomplish the goals set out above, we envision that ACB’s re-imagined Advisory Board will be comprised of a diverse set of individuals that bring significant experiences from a variety of different types of organizations and disciplines. We are seeking individuals that have worked at different levels within organizations and can bring diversity of opinions, best practices, and perspectives.

 

ACB has made tremendous progress in the last few years. Armed with longstanding relationships we have established with key business sectors, we feel confident we can attract an outstanding group of diverse Advisory Board members that will have a lasting impact on ACB. The following list provides examples of the types of organizations from which we envision seeking potential members:

  • Large Corporations
  • Consulting Firms
  • Financial Organizations
  • Marketing and Communications Organizations
  • Philanthropic Organizations
  • Academic Institutions
  • Specific Industry Backgrounds

 

Section Five: Proposed Pilot

 

In order to gain momentum on the vision, goals, objectives and types of members we have outlined for the Advisory Board, we propose conducting a phased approach starting with a pilot group that includes approximately 5 to 7 members over the course of 6 to 8 months. By conducting a pilot, we can gain a better understanding of time, cost, and feasibility of our approach prior to implementing the full Advisory Board as outlined in our Constitution.  

 

Section 5A: Pilot Structure

 

To begin, we propose recruiting subject matter experts that are aligned to a targeted set of our strategic planning initiatives. These individuals will have the opportunity to participate in the various strategic planning teams and within relevant ACB committees. By starting with a core group of 5 to7 members, focused on key priorities, we can gain solid momentum and work out issues prior to expanding to a full Advisory Board. The initial pilot will include a few members from the Executive Leadership team, as well as a staff member to assist with administration and logistics. During this initial pilot we propose seeking members that are willing to commit to a term of 2 to 3 years. However, ACB will retain any re-appointment authority after one year.

 

Section 5B: Pilot Meetings

 

Once members have been recruited, we propose having a dedicated initial retreat to onboard and orient the group. From there, we propose having quarterly meetings, along with an annual retreat focused on setting the agenda and priorities for each year.

 

Section 5C. Pilot Communication and Reporting

 

During this initial phase, we propose that one member of the pilot group attend each Board Meeting and provide progress updates.

 

Section Six: Next Steps

 

Given our current commitments and priorities and the steps that need to be taken to recruit members, we believe that a reasonable timeframe for the kick-off meeting is February, 2019. This gives us time to recruit members, provide orientation, and establish meeting and travel schedules. Once the Board approves the approach, our high-level next steps include:

 

  • Establish an overall recruitment plan – August 15, 2018
  • Develop orientation materials – August 31, 2018
  • Recruit members – September 1 to October 31, 2018
  • Pilot members in place – November 1, 2018
  • Logistics for kick-off meeting – November 15, 2018
  • Plan agenda – January 15, 2019
  • Kick-off meeting – February 22, 2019
  • Establish high-level meeting agendas, conduct quarterly meetings, and report and evaluate progress at scheduled board meetings – February 2019

 

Section Seven: Conclusion

 

The offsite meeting on May 23rd, 2018 gave us an opportunity to reflect on lessons learned and develop a fresh perspective on how to create a dynamic, useful, and sustainable Advisory Board for ACB. We were able to define a strong direction and overall vision, along with set of specific goals to increase the likelihood of success.

 

With the approval of ACB’s board, we will move forward with the outlined proposed pilot, allowing us to adhere to our constitution, and execute our strategic plan.

American Council of the Blind

Effectiveness Policy

 

WHEREAS, the American Council of the Blind Board of Directors seeks to establish a policy on effectiveness assessment to help ensure that the organization has defined, measurable goals and objectives in place to evaluate the success and impact of its program(s) in fulfilling these goals and objectives;

 

IT IS THEREFORE RESOLVED THAT the American Council of the Blind’s board of directors adopts the following policy:

  1. At least once every two years, the American Council of the Blind will review its goals and objectives toward achieving its mission and will complete a performance and effectiveness assessment of its programs based on that review.
  2. Such an assessment will be conducted under the authority of the Board of Directors.
  3. The American Council of the Blind’s Board will receive a written report of this assessment:
    1. Describing the activities that the American Council of the Blind undertook in the prior two years to achieve its goals and objectives;
    2. Identifying the measures used to assess the American Council of the Blind’s effectiveness in achieving its goals and objectives; and
    3. Analyzing the effectiveness of the American Council of the Blind’s programs in achieving the goals and objectives.
  4. At the conclusion of this process, the American Council of the Blind, Inc. will revise the goals and objectives, as needed, for the upcoming term and will suggest means of measuring them.

 

Adopted June 29, 2018

 

 

American Council of the Blind

Effectiveness Report

 

The American Council of the Blind is committed to continuous improvement in its efforts to increase the independence, security, equality of opportunity, and quality of life, for all blind and visually impaired people.  ACB’s programs and services are Advocacy and Government Affairs; Public Awareness; Telephone Hotline Convention; Audio Description Project; ACB Radio; Program Consultation; Membership Services; Scholarships and Liaison with External Organizations.

 

In late 2016 and early 2017, the Board of Directors and various stakeholders met to identify strategic areas of focus, prioritize these needs and then develop individuals action plans.  These areas were: Advocacy, legislation and Policy; Affiliate and membership; Convention and Meetings; Development; and Marketing and Communications.

 

Advocacy, Legislation and Policy

 

The goals of the advocacy, legislation and policy action team are to work collectively across congressional, regulatory and corporate networks to further ACB’s mission.  They have developed short and long-term strategies on a variety of civil and equal rights policies, to increase information accessibility and usability of products and services, and to work with the Federal Courts and the Bureau of Engraving and Printing to gain accessible currency.

 

ACB continues to be on track toward achieving its advocacy goals and objectives.  ACB has received co-sponsors on various bills which have made significant gains; is working with the FCC on automatic descriptions of video images; the Department of Transportation on autonomous vehicles and on action impacting the use of services and emotional support animals; and with the Department of Education’s Rehabilitation Services administration on employment concerns.

 

ACB has been working closely with corporations in an advisory and/or consulting role to make their products accessible.  Many of these collaborations have improved the quality of life for those who are blind and visually impaired.   

 

The advocacy action team seems to be on track on many issues important to ACB’s membership; however, because of the time it takes for legislation to move through both houses and the turnover of legislators that support our cause, it can be difficult to pass laws which support our initiatives.

 

Affiliates and Membership

 

The goals of affiliates and membership action team are to facilitate the establishment and maintenance of robust and well managed affiliates; to facilitate development of a more knowledgeable and engaged membership and increase membership.

 

Focus groups were conducted with affiliates and members to help identify areas most important to ACB’s growth.  The three focus areas of most importance are: establishing and communicating membership benefits; membership recruitment and outreach (specifically to populations such as families, underserved populations, and younger); and membership retention support for affiliates.  

 

To increase the value of becoming an ACB member, we would like to identify some benefits we could offer that are similar to other organizations, but also specific to the blind and visually impaired community.  We are in the process of identifying what benefits would be of most value to our members.

 

The Spanish-speaking population has been identified as an underserved community, so a committee has been formed which is working on establishing Spanish language resources.  This committee will need to determine the resources needed to offer information on ACB’s hotline in Spanish and to produce the Braille Forum magazine in Spanish.

 

To date, the affiliate and membership action committee is in the beginning stages of determining membership benefits and reaching out to the Spanish speaking population, but they still need to begin working on membership retention for affiliates.

 

Convention and Meetings

 

The goals of convention and meetings team are to provide virtual attendance so more people actively participate in ACB’s conventions; to implement a continuing education credits (CEC) program to attract professionals who seek to fulfill their continuing education requirements; and to better accommodate the needs of convention attendees who may need reasonable accommodations.

 

First ACB applied and was approved by the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation & Education Professionals (ACVREP) as an Registered Provider of Professional Learning and Education (RPPLE) category 1 provider of continuing education opportunities in the field of blindness and visual impairment.   Continuing education classes that met ACVREP criteria were designed and offered for ACB’s 2018 Conference and Convention. 

 

There are individuals who attend ACB’s conventions who need more personal assistance than a volunteer should be providing.  We would like to work with a contractor so attendees can find a personal assistant to meet their needs.  We are determining if it would be possible for ACB to be the facilitator who can provide names to attendees who would then hire their own assistant.  The signed contract would be between the attendee and the personal assistant only.  This goal is still in process.

 

Development
 

The goals of the Development action team was to develop a business plan to meet the needs of the organization.  Through the initial strategic planning process, it was identified that for ACB to grow, additional staff was needed to support ACB’s future needs.   A budget forecast was made to identify revenue areas which have growth potential and to understand how expenditures are allocated to our programs. 

 

ACB’s committees, which has appointed chairs, are developing a timeline so the committee members know what steps they need to complete, help identify where other action teams can provide assistance and to help them understand how their program/fundraiser fits into ACB’s budget.  The development team will have the committees report at periodic meetings to review progress and the action team will provide assistance in helping them meet their goals.  

 

ACB established a Legacy Endowment Fund and the accompanying policy around how bequests are handled offers structure and a formula for growth. These funds will generate income and, in the future, a small portion of these funds will be a source of revenue in the operating budget. 

 

A first quarter review has been completed of ACB’s projected revenue to budget and to forecast and fundraising committees have reviewed their processes with the development action team.

 

Previously, an Advisory Board was set up, but wasn’t successful so there was a planning meeting to understand why the advisory board was originally set up and how a revitalized board could help ACB by providing expertise which would help professionalize our efforts and fill in needed gaps.

 

Marketing and Communications

 

The goals of the marketing and communication action team are to publish an integrated ACB Communications Plan and recurring communication campaigns.

 

The initial step of the communication team was to create an updated logo and tagline.  This was completed in 2017 and is in the process of being trademarked.  The tagline “Together for a Bright Future,” and the newly redesigned logo provide clearer, more consistent messaging when communicating, both within the organization and with external stakeholders. The new logo has the letters “ACB” in all caps above braille letters reading ACB.

 

A key communication tool in providing information is to have an informative and easy to use website. ACB just launched a new website in June 2018, where the website has an updated look, is accessible for all users whether they are sighted, visually impaired or blind.  It is also easier to navigate and find information.

 

ACB is developing a communication plan so our audience is receiving a consistent message.  The members of the marketing and communications group have compiled a list of ACB’s communication channels and assigned staff responsible for each channel. The next step the group undertook was writing down a list of the programs and services ACB provides and points of contact within the major program and service areas.  This process takes significant time, but it is necessary for ACB to look at and understand the strengths and areas for improvement concerning communications and marketing.

 

Adopted June 29, 2018

Microsoft Office document icon ACB Board of Directors Meeting Minutes June 29, 2018

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