What Cleveland Sight Center does

Cleveland Sight Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1906 and headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, providing an integrated portfolio of services for individuals who are blind or visually impaired. Its service lines include low vision eye exams, vision rehabilitation, employment services, a children's learning program (serving 250+ children), bioptic lens training, a retail store for assistive devices, recreation and community education programs, and a radio station (CSCR) for accessible programming. The organization operates across Northeast Ohio with 101-250 staff, supported by 1,327 donors and 4,000+ volunteer hours annually.

The organization's revenue model is a hybrid of philanthropy, social enterprise, and fee-for-service. In fiscal year 2023, total revenue was $12.6M, distributed across five streams: endowment and trust revenue ($6.07M, 48%), social enterprise call center revenue ($3.67M, 29%), program and other service fees ($1.48M, 12%), public support ($1.34M, 10%), and retail sales ($0.07M, 1%). The call center operation—handling 500K+ calls and 50K+ emails annually—is a distinctive social enterprise employing blind and visually impaired agents; it outperforms industry benchmarks with 90-95% customer satisfaction (vs. 60% industry average) and 9% staff turnover (vs. 51% industry average). Program revenue is generated through grants, contracts with Ohio state agencies, and direct service fees.

The balance sheet is anchored by $134.5M in endowment and beneficial trust investments and $148.4M in total assets, providing substantial financial resilience that distinguishes the organization from typical service nonprofits of its size. Leadership is in transition: CEO Larry Benders, who has led the organization since 2015 and is credited with doubling revenue over his tenure, is retiring effective December 31, 2026. In 2026, the organization secured a notable advocacy win, securing classification of white canes as durable medical equipment under Ohio Medicaid—a regulatory designation that opens a new reimbursement channel for the assistive device retail line and signals an ongoing shift toward earned revenue.

Name

Cleveland Sight Center

Legal name

Cleveland Sight Center

Website

https://clevelandsightcenter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1906

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Cleveland Sight Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1906 in Cleveland, Ohio, providing low vision eye exams, vision rehabilitation, employment, and children's learning services for blind and visually impaired individuals across Northeast Ohio, supplemented by a social enterprise call center.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vision Rehabilitation Services

NAICS

Optical Goods Retailers (45613), Offices of Optometrists (62132), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Offices of Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists, and Audiologists (621340)

SIC

Ophthalmic Goods (3851), Services-Specialty Outpatient Facilities, Nec (8093), Optical Instruments & Lenses (3827)

akta.pro primary industry

Low Vision Rehabilitation (HLAKAKAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Low Vision & Assistive Vision Devices (Magnifiers, Electronic Video Magnifiers, Wearable Vision Aids) (HLAHAJAN), Vision & Hearing Early Intervention Services (EDACAFAN)

Keywords

• Vision rehabilitation services
• Low vision aids
• Assistive technology products
• Blindness support services
• Nonprofit disability services

Headquarters

HQ city

Cleveland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Public Support and Donations: Individual, foundation, and organizational donations supporting nonprofit operations
2. Social Enterprise Revenue (Call Center): Revenue from call center services provided to Ohio government agencies, $3.67M in 2023 (29% of total revenue)
3. Retail Sales (Store): Sales of low vision aids and assistive technology products from the Store, $71K in 2023 (1% of revenue)
4. Program and Service Fees: Fees from various programs and services, $1.48M in 2023 (12% of revenue)
5. Endowment and Trust Revenue: Investment returns from endowment and trust investments, $6.07M in 2023 (48% of total revenue)

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Cleveland Sight Center provides individualized rehabilitation, clinical, and support services for people who are blind or have low vision across Northeast Ohio. Its core offerings include low vision eye exams and bioptic lens fittings, retail sales of assistive technology and low vision aids, vision rehabilitation training (activities of daily living, computer/device training, orientation and mobility), children's early intervention and preschool/school-aged services, employment and vocational services, and a social-enterprise call center serving Ohio government agencies.

Product overview

Cleveland Sight Center is a nonprofit organization providing a comprehensive suite of integrated services for the blind and visually impaired community. The core offerings include Low Vision Eye Exams (clinic services for vision assessment and prescription of optical aids), a Retail Store (Ohio's largest selection of low vision aids and assistive technology including CCTVs, magnifiers, and white canes), Vision Rehabilitation Services (daily living training, computer/device training, orientation and mobility), and Support Services (case management and peer support groups). Children's Learning Services spans early intervention through school-age support, while Employment Services provides vocational evaluation, job development, and coaching. The organization also operates a social enterprise Call Center providing customer service to government agencies, and Cleveland Sight Center Radio (CSCR), a radio reading service. Bioptic Lenses and Recreation Activities serve as specialized add-on offerings. These services are coordinated through a single nonprofit platform serving Northeast Ohio.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cleveland Sight Center Radio (CSCR): Radio station dedicated to providing information, news and entertainment to the blind and visually impaired community through volunteers reading newspapers, magazine articles and stories.

Products and services

• Low Vision Eye Exams Specialized assessment conducted by optometrists to evaluate vision impairments and recommend low vision aids and assistive technology for maximizing remaining vision. Designed for individuals with low vision.
• Store - Assistive Technology and Low Vision Aids Ohio's largest selection of low vision aids and assistive technology including household items, lighting, magnification, white canes, and CCTVs/reading machines, available in-store and online.
• Vision Rehabilitation Services Comprehensive training including activities of daily living, computer and device training, orientation and mobility, and low vision services for individuals with visual impairments.
• Support Services Case management, peer support groups (Share the Vision, Vision of Success, Staying Connected), and recreation and socialization activities for blind and visually impaired individuals.
• Employment Services Vocational evaluation, job development, job coaching, and ticket to work program for individuals with visual impairments seeking employment.
• Children's Learning Services Early intervention services (birth-3 years), school-aged case management, and preschool services for children with visual impairments across Northeast Ohio.
• Call Center Services Social enterprise providing inbound/outbound scheduling, technical support helpdesk, customer surveys, e-commerce support, and business intelligence reporting for Ohio state government agencies.
• Cleveland Sight Center Radio (CSCR) Radio reading service where volunteers read newspapers, magazines, and stories aloud for blind and visually impaired community members, distributed via online stream, TV channel 25-9, and Alexa devices.
• Bioptic Lenses Miniature telescopes mounted to eyeglasses that make images larger and help low vision individuals see clearer and further away, with a $150 non-refundable fitting fee applied to purchase if proceeding.
• Recreation Activities Year-round recreational programming including cooking classes, yoga, crafts, field trips, and social activities for adults with visual impairments, priced $5–$70 per person.
• Community Education and Advocacy Educational trainings including 'Blindness Basics' curriculum for police, schools, senior facilities, and medical professionals on interacting with visually impaired individuals.

Quantifiable outcome

• 98.7% of children achieved or made progress towards developmental goals
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ohio Department of MedicaidcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCall center services including scheduling, information and referral, and constituent support for Ohio Medicaid programs
• Ohio Department of HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCall center and information services for Ohio Department of Health programs
• Ohio Department of Education and WorkforcecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCall center services supporting education and workforce development programs
• Ohio Department of CommercecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCall center services for Ohio Department of Commerce
• Ohio Secretary of StatecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCall center and administrative services for Secretary of State office
• Ohio Development Services AgencycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCall center services for development services agency
• Ohio Department of Developmental DisabilitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerContract funding for Early Intervention services for children with developmental disabilities
• Ohio Board of NursingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCall center and administrative services
• State Board of EducationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational program support services
• DigitalCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit partner receiving call center services
• MetroHealthminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEmployment partner providing job placement opportunities for visually impaired individuals
• Burlington Coat FactoryminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEmployment partner offering job opportunities for CSC clients
• Cleveland Museum of Natural HistoryminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEmployment partner providing career opportunities for visually impaired individuals
• PetcominorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEmployment services partner for job development
• West Side Catholic CenterminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCommunity partnership for employment services
• Lake County CaptainsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMinor league baseball team providing employment as broadcaster for CSC client Allan
• National Industries for the BlindcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember organization of National Industries for the Blind, supporting employment for blind individuals
• Ohio Department of Administrative Service's Office of ProcurementminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegistered with Ohio Department of Administrative Service's Office of Procurement from Community Rehabilitation Programs

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Vision Loss Resources (Minneapolis): Midwestern nonprofit providing vision rehabilitation, assistive technology store, and support services for people with vision loss. Closely aligned with CSC's regional rehabilitation and AT-retail model.
• The Chicago Lighthouse: Regional nonprofit serving people who are blind or visually impaired across Illinois with a comparable integrated suite of low-vision clinic, vision rehabilitation, employment, and social enterprise services — including a call center. Closest direct functional analogue to Cleveland Sight Center.
• Lighthouse Guild: New York-based nonprofit combining vision healthcare, rehabilitation, behavioral health and assistive technology under one roof. Operates a similar integrated delivery model for blind/low-vision clients, including low-vision clinics and employment services.
• Bosma (formerly known as Bosma Industries for the Blind): Indiana-based nonprofit delivering rehabilitation training, assistive technology, and employment services to people with vision loss. Overlapping mission and service mix including social enterprise contracts makes it a direct functional peer.
• Second Story (formerly Alphapointe): Kansas City-area nonprofit serving the blind and visually impaired across multiple states with low-vision services, assistive technology, and employment programs including AbilityOne-style contracts — comparable breadth to CSC.

Others

• National Industries for the Blind (NIB): AbilityOne-style umbrella organization of which CSC is a member, supporting employment and contract opportunities for people who are blind. Adjacent — not a clinical peer, but a relevant ecosystem partner given CSC's employment-services and call-center operations.
• Enhanced Vision: Commercial manufacturer and online retailer of low-vision electronic aids (CCTVs, magnifiers, reading machines) that supplies many of the product categories retailed through CSC's Store, making it an adjacent vendor rather than a service peer.

Broad incumbents

• American Foundation for the Blind (AFB): National nonprofit focused on research, advocacy, and accessibility for people with vision loss. Provides adjacent research and policy resources rather than direct clinical/rehab services in the same geography as CSC.
• National Federation of the Blind (NFB): National membership and advocacy organization for the blind, also operating NFB-NEWSLINE (a national audio newspaper service) that directly competes with Cleveland Sight Center Radio. Broader, less service-delivery focused than CSC.

Regional players

• Perkins School for the Blind: Massachusetts-based education and services provider for children and young adults who are blind or visually impaired. Comparable in early-intervention and children's services but operates primarily outside CSC's Northeast Ohio footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ClevelandSight
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCSsAfCu7NDnuRQJc7l5HJ5g
• Facebookfacebook.com/clevelandsightcenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cleveland-sight-center

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cleveland Sight Center