Children's Center for the Visually Impaired

What Children's Center for the Visually Impaired does

Children's Center for the Visually Impaired (CCVI) is a Kansas City, Missouri-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1952 (originally as the Kansas City Nursery School for the Blind and renamed CCVI in 1982). It provides specialized education, therapy, and family-support services to blind and visually impaired children from birth through age 21 across 48 counties in Missouri and Kansas, reaching nearly 350 families per year. Service delivery combines center-based programming at a state-of-the-art Main Street campus (aquatic center, sensory garden, braille room, and an Assistive Technology Lab) with the Mobile Outreach for Vision Education (MOVE) program, whose itinerant teams log over 96,000 miles annually to deliver IEP minutes in children's home schools.

CCVI's clinical program stack comprises Functional Vision Evaluations and Learning Media Assessments, an Early Intervention Program (ages 0–3) delivered in-home, the Early Learning Academy / Center-Based Programming (ages 2–7), Specialized Visual Impairment Services, the MOVE itinerant model, the Bright Start early-childhood program, and an Outpatient Therapy Clinic delivering physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech-language pathology. Family support is delivered through parent groups, resources, and community-resource navigation. Service provision is anchored in IFSP and IEP frameworks, with clinical staff consisting of 9 certified Teachers of the Visually Impaired, Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialists, licensed OTs/PTs, and CCC-SLP speech-language pathologists.

Revenue is generated through a hybrid nonprofit model: donations and monthly giving (Project InSight), annual fundraising events (the Trolley Run and a newly launched Visionary Workshop), foundation grants (Kauffman Foundation, Jackson County Children's Services Fund, Irven E. and Nevada P. Linscomb Foundation, IMPACT 100), United Way partner-agency funding, school-district IEP/IFSP service contracts across Kansas and Missouri, and tuition subsidization from the Healthy Vision Association. Distribution runs through the Kansas City campus, contracted school-district channels, in-home early intervention visits, and a referral network anchored by pediatric ophthalmologists, optometrists, pediatricians, and NICU physicians. Governance is overseen by a volunteer Board of Directors and led by Executive Director Kerry Boehm (Ed.S) and a team of seven Directors spanning Therapy & Early Intervention, Vision Services, Strategic Partnerships & Communication, Development, Finance, Human Resources, and Student Services.

Name

Children's Center for the Visually Impaired

Legal name

Children's Center for the Visually Impaired

Website

https://ccvi.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1952

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Children's Center for the Visually Impaired is a Kansas City-based nonprofit, founded in 1952, that delivers specialized education, therapy, and family-support services to blind and visually impaired children (birth through age 21) across 48 counties in Missouri and Kansas, serving nearly 350 families annually through center-based, in-home, and itinerant IEP/IFSP service models.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Special Education Services for the Visually Impaired

NAICS

Child Care Services (62441), Child and Youth Services (62411), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120)

SIC

Services-Child Day Care Services (8351), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Specialty Outpatient Facilities, Nec (8093), Services-Home Health Care Services (8082)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHSAAAIAK

Vision Impairment & Blind/Low-Vision Inclusive Childcare

Home & Personal Services/Childcare, Babysitting & Nanny Services/Special Needs & Inclusive Childcare Services

SECONDARYEDACAFAN

Vision & Hearing Early Intervention Services

Education/Early Childhood Education/Early Intervention & Developmental Services (0–5)

SECONDARYEDACAFAL

Assistive Technology & AAC for Young Children

Education/Early Childhood Education/Early Intervention & Developmental Services (0–5)

SECONDARYEDACAAAH

Inclusive / Special-Needs Childcare Centers

Education/Early Childhood Education/Daycare & Childcare Centers

SECONDARYHSAAAIAO

Transition & School-Readiness Support for Special Needs Children

Home & Personal Services/Childcare, Babysitting & Nanny Services/Special Needs & Inclusive Childcare Services

Keywords

• Vision impairment education
• Early intervention services
• Specialized therapy services
• Teacher of visually impaired
• Nonprofit children services

Headquarters

HQ city

Kansas City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: CCVI relies heavily on charitable donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations. The organization runs an annual Trolley Run fundraiser, monthly giving program (Project InSight), and accepts donor advised fund contributions.
2. School District Contracts: CCVI is contracted by school districts in Kansas and Missouri to provide early childhood instruction, preschool programming, therapeutic guidance, and specialized visual impairment services as part of IEP/IFSP programs.
3. Foundation and Corporate Support: CCVI receives support from foundations including Kauffman Foundation, Jackson County Children's Services Fund, The Irven E And Nevada P Linscomb Foundation, and is a United Way partner agency and IMPACT 100 beneficiary.
4. Program Services Fees: County Boards of Service offer funding and grant opportunities for prospective students. Healthy Vision Association subsidizes tuition at CCVI.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

CCVI provides specialized education and therapy services for blind and visually impaired children from birth through age 21, including functional vision evaluations, early intervention, center-based preschool, itinerant/mobile outreach services, outpatient therapy (PT, OT, speech), and parent support. Services are delivered both at the Kansas City campus and through contracted school district relationships across 48 counties in Missouri and Kansas.

Product overview

CCVI is a non-profit organization offering a comprehensive program model for blind and visually impaired children and their families. The organization provides specialized education and therapy services through multiple interconnected programs: Vision Evaluations (including Functional Vision Evaluations and Learning Media Assessments), the Early Intervention Program for children 0-3 years, Center-Based Programming/Early Learning Academy for ages 2-7, Specialized Visual Impairment Services including itinerant services, Mobile Outreach for Vision Education (MOVE), an Outpatient Therapy Clinic, and Parent Support programs. Services are tailored to meet children where they are, supporting nearly 350 families annually across 48 counties in Missouri and Kansas.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Vision Evaluations

Quantifiable outcome

• Serving nearly 350 families per year
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Delta Gamma KC AlumnaecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of CCVI's founding partners. Delta Gamma alumnae have devoted countless volunteer hours in CCVI classrooms and helping with fundraisers. The braille room in the Children's Center Campus is proudly named in honor of Frances Hecker and the Greater Kansas City Delta Gamma Alumnae Chapter.
• Alphapointe Association for the BlindcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of CCVI's founding partners. Alphapointe provides low vision screenings for CCVI students and partners in advocacy efforts on behalf of the visually impaired community in Kansas and Missouri. Alphapointe also provides career opportunities to individuals who are blind or have low vision.
• Lions Club InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupports fundraising efforts through dozens of area clubs while volunteering at the school and CCVI events. The Assistive Technology Lab at the Children's Center Campus is named in honor of the Belton Lions Club and was renovated with funds from Lions Club International Foundation and Greater Kansas City Area Lions Clubs.
• Healthy Vision AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn 2015, Healthy Vision Association championed an initiative to build a Sensory Garden behind the Children's Center campus. They continue to support the mission by subsidizing tuition at CCVI and promoting vision and overall health.
• United WaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCVI is a United Way partner agency, receiving funding and organizational support through this partnership.
• School Districts (Kansas and Missouri)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCCVI is contracted by school districts to provide early childhood instruction, preschool programming, therapeutic guidance, and specialized visual impairment services. Works in correlation with IEP and IFSP goals.
• EitasminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner organization supporting CCVI.
• Greater Kansas City Chamber of CommerceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChamber membership and community partnership.
• VisionServe AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlliance membership supporting blind and visually impaired services.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Alphapointe Association for the Blind: Kansas City-based nonprofit serving the blind and visually impaired community, providing employment, rehabilitation, and youth services. It is both a founding partner of CCVI and the most direct regional peer, with overlapping service populations in the KC metro.
• Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired: California-based nonprofit providing rehabilitation, education, low-vision services, and assistive technology training to blind and visually impaired individuals. Comparable in combining therapy, training, and AT service lines.
• Perkins School for the Blind: One of the oldest schools for the blind in the U.S., providing early intervention, K-12 education, and transition services for blind/visually impaired students. Directly comparable to CCVI across its early intervention, preschool, and therapy service lines.
• Lighthouse Guild: National nonprofit delivering integrated medical, vision, rehabilitation, and behavioral health services for the visually impaired. Comparable to CCVI in its multi-disciplinary care model combining therapy, education, and vision services.
• Hadley Institute for the Blind and Visually Impaired: National nonprofit providing distance education, early intervention, and support for individuals with visual impairments. Comparable in its education and family-support focus for the visually impaired community.
• The Chicago Lighthouse: Chicago-based nonprofit providing vision care, early intervention, education, and employment services for people who are blind or visually impaired. Directly comparable multi-service model and regional non-profit structure.
• Visually Impaired Preschool Services (VIPS): Indiana-based nonprofit focused on early intervention and educational services for children with visual impairments from birth through age 6. Direct peer in the early-intervention and preschool niche CCVI serves.

Broad incumbents

• American Printing House for the Blind: National nonprofit producing educational materials, braille products, and assistive technology for the blind. Functions as a broader industry incumbent whose products underpin many CCVI-style programs across the U.S.
• National Federation of the Blind: National advocacy and service organization for the blind, operating local chapters (including in Kansas and Missouri) that compete for donors, referrals, and community visibility. Broad incumbent serving the same population.

Regional players

• Lighthouse for the Blind at St. Louis: St. Louis-based nonprofit providing employment, rehabilitation, and youth programs for blind and visually impaired individuals. Regional peer operating in adjacent Missouri territory with overlapping donor and beneficiary pools.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Children's Center for the Visually Impaired