Blind Travel Foundation

04/27/2026

At long last, we finally have a video to share with you all! 🎥 Even though this happened back in November 2025, the memories from the Blind Travel Summit are still fresh. From connecting with amazing people to trying our hands at axe throwing, it was an unforgettable experience filled with community and fun.

If you want to learn more about the Blind Travel Summit go to
BlindTravel.org/Blind-Travel-Summit

Thank you to the Blind Travel Summit 2025 sponsors!

Gold Sponsors: Uber and United
Silver Sponsor: Airbnb
Bronze Sponsors: AGIGA, Aira, Ambutech, Feeldom Life by FEELDOM, Open Doors Organization, Two Blind Brothers
Virtual: Seable Holidays
In-Kind: Glam Canes, Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired

A special thank you to the Gordan and Llura Gund Foundation for their continued support of the Blind Travel Foundation!

A massive thank you to Jordan Allott of In Altum Productions for putting this amazing video together!

[Visual Description: A promotional montage video from the Blind Travel Summit. Various blind and visually impaired attendees, some using white canes or accompanied by guide dogs, are shown smiling, networking, and conversing together in a conference setting. The montage also features exciting footage of attendees participating in an indoor axe throwing activity. Several attendees are shown speaking directly to the camera during interviews. The video captures a supportive, fun, and uplifting community atmosphere, concluding with text on the screen that reads: 'To learn more about the Blind Travel Foundation, visit us at blindtravel.org'.]

04/21/2026

We are heading to Sicily — and we only have 3 spots left!

This September, the Blind Travel Foundation is partnering with Seable Holidays — an award-winning UK travel company featured in Condé Nast Traveler and National Geographic — to launch WayFun Sicily, a one-of-a-kind sensory group trip designed specifically for blind and visually impaired travelers.

September 5–12, 2026. Seven nights in Catania. And an itinerary built around what you can taste, touch, hear, smell, and feel.

Think: Mount Etna by cable car and 4x4 Jeep. A tactile museum where you explore 3D models of historic architecture with your hands. Wine cellars on volcanic soil. A Sicilian donkey farm. Street food tours. A full beach day on the Mediterranean. And a Norman castle built from lava rock.

If the name WayFun sounds familiar — it should. WayFun trips were born out of Sendero Group, the pioneering accessible GPS company co-founded by Mike May. Mike — Blind Travel Foundation board member and one of the most accomplished blind travelers in the world with nearly 3 million flight miles across 35 countries — will be joining this trip personally. That tradition of independent exploration and community continues here, bigger and bolder than ever.

This is not a trip where someone holds your hand every second. Trained sighted guides from Seable are there when you need them — but the point is discovering on your own terms.

One of the most valuable parts of traveling together as a group of experienced blind and visually impaired travelers is what we learn from each other — packing hacks, navigation strategies, favorite apps and wayfinding tools, hard-won tips that don’t live in any guidebook. We will be capturing those exchanges throughout the trip so we can share them with the broader accessible travel community. That is a core part of our mission — making sure the knowledge from a trip like this does not stay with just the people in the room.

For details on pricing, logistics, and how to reserve your spot, email Mike Walsh at [email protected].
🔗 blindtravel.org | seable.co.uk

The photos are owned by Seable Holidays.

02/10/2026

A post from 2025 Blind Travel Foundation grant winner, Ignasi Cambra!
______________________________________

I recorded the first episode of “Blind Notes” walking through Central Park. No guest, no script — just me trying to explain why I wanted to make a podcast about blind musicians, while getting distracted by horses and squirrels.

It’s the starting point for a series of conversations I’ve been wanting to have for years. Best with headphones on — it was recorded in binaural, so you get the full NYC experience!

Link in the comments

02/01/2026

TODAY

11:59 PM ET

DEADLINE

$10,000

Where do you want to go?

What impact do you want to make?

The Application Page link is in the comments.

GIF Description: Jim Carrey sits at a desk and types furiously on a keyboard, his hands flying as he stares ahead with intense focus. The exaggerated speed and frantic motion are played for comedy, suggesting someone working extremely fast or rushing to get something done.

01/31/2026

⏰ Final Zoom Q&A before the deadline is TODAY at 3 PM ET!

This is your last chance to ask questions before TOMORROW's application deadline at 11:59 PM ET.

Who’s joining us? 👀
🔗 Links in the bio and comments.

01/30/2026

Just here adding last minute Zoom Q&A sessions for our $10,000 Travel Grant application! Why not?

• Today, January 30 - 1 PM ET
• Tomorrow, January 31 - 3 PM ET

Links in the bio and comments!

01/29/2026

$10,000 to travel and make an impact!

What are you thinking?

01/22/2026

Hello Foundation Fighting Blindness!

Have you heard about our $10,000 travel grants? Final Zoom Q&A session:

• Thursday, January 29 - 1 PM ET

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86588152995

Do you have an idea for a $10,000 travel project that would benefit the blind and visually impaired community?

APPLY TODAY! BlindTravel.org/Apply

The deadline is Sunday, February 1st at 11:59 PM, 2026!

Important Dates & Deadlines

Application Timeline

• February 1 (11:59 PM ET) — Deadline to submit First Round application
• February 9 — Semi-finalist invitations sent
• February 10–21 — Semi-finalist interviews (30 minutes each; availability required)
• February 23 (11:59 PM ET) — Deadline to submit semifinal round materials
• March 6 — Finalist interview invitations sent
• March 10–20 — Finalist interviews with the Application Committee

Announcement and Project Timeline

• Late March / Early April — Winners announced
• April 15 – December 1 — Project period (projects must begin and be completed within this window)

Learn about past winners:
https://www.blindtravel.org/grant-winners/

Photo Description:

Bright blue graphic announcing $10,000 travel grants for blind and visually impaired people.

White text reads: ‘$10,000 Travel Grants for the Blind and Visually Impaired.’

Below is the Blind Travel Foundation logo, shaped like an eye with a small airplane swirling inside.

Text at the bottom reads: ‘BlindTravel.org/Apply. Deadline February 1st, 2026.’

01/22/2026

Have you heard about our $10,000 travel grants? We have two Zoom Q&A sessions next week!

• Tuesday, January 27 - 7 PM ET
• Thursday, January 29 - 1 PM ET

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86588152995

Do you have an idea for a $10,000 travel project that would benefit the blind and visually impaired community?

APPLY TODAY! BlindTravel.org/Apply

The deadline is Sunday, February 1st at 11:59 PM, 2026!

Important Dates & Deadlines

Application Timeline

• February 1 (11:59 PM ET) — Deadline to submit First Round application
• February 9 — Semi-finalist invitations sent
• February 10–21 — Semi-finalist interviews (30 minutes each; availability required)
• February 23 (11:59 PM ET) — Deadline to submit semifinal round materials
• March 6 — Finalist interview invitations sent
• March 10–20 — Finalist interviews with the Application Committee

Announcement and Project Timeline

• Late March / Early April — Winners announced
• April 15 – December 1 — Project period (projects must begin and be completed within this window)

Learn about past winners:
https://www.blindtravel.org/grant-winners/

Photo Description:

Bright blue graphic announcing $10,000 travel grants for blind and visually impaired people.

White text reads: ‘$10,000 Travel Grants for the Blind and Visually Impaired.’

Below is the Blind Travel Foundation logo, shaped like an eye with a small airplane swirling inside.

Text at the bottom reads: ‘BlindTravel.org/Apply. Deadline February 1st, 2026.’

01/20/2026

Zoom Q&A Tonight at 7 PM ET!
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86588152995

Do you have an idea for a $10,000 travel project that would benefit the blind and visually impaired community?

APPLY TODAY! BlindTravel.org/Apply

The deadline is Sunday, February 1st at 11:59 PM, 2026!

Important Dates & Deadlines

Application Timeline

• February 1 (11:59 PM ET) — Deadline to submit First Round application
• February 9 — Semi-finalist invitations sent
• February 10–21 — Semi-finalist interviews (30 minutes each; availability required)
• February 23 (11:59 PM ET) — Deadline to submit semifinal round materials
• March 6 — Finalist interview invitations sent
• March 10–20 — Finalist interviews with the Application Committee

Announcement and Project Timeline

• Late March / Early April — Winners announced
• April 15 – December 1 — Project period (projects must begin and be completed within this window)

Learn about past winners:
https://www.blindtravel.org/grant-winners/

Photo Description:

Bright blue graphic announcing $10,000 travel grants for blind and visually impaired people.

White text reads: ‘$10,000 Travel Grants for the Blind and Visually Impaired.’

Below is the Blind Travel Foundation logo, shaped like an eye with a small airplane swirling inside.

Text at the bottom reads: ‘BlindTravel.org/Apply. Deadline February 1st, 2026.’

01/18/2026

Let’s hear it for all the O&M Specialists out there!

What is an Orientation & Mobility (O&M) Specialist? 🦯

Have you ever wondered who teaches a person who is blind or visually impaired how to travel safely, independently, and confidently?

That’s what an Orientation & Mobility Specialist (often called an O&M Specialist) does!

An O&M Specialist helps people learn the skills they need to move through the world with more independence, whether that means walking around the house, navigating a school hallway, crossing busy streets, or traveling in the community.

Some things an O&M Specialist may teach include:
1. Using a white cane effectively
2. Safe street crossing skills
3. Navigating stores, schools, and workplaces
4. Traveling with public transportation or ride services
5. Learning routes and landmarks
6. Building confidence and independence while traveling

And yes — that’s what I do!
As an O&M Specialist, I get to work with people of all ages to help them gain real-world travel skills and feel more confident getting around safely.

01/12/2026

Hey American Council of the Blind!

The deadline for our $10,000 travel grant application is February 1st! APPLY TODAY! https://www.blindtravel.org/apply/

We are hosting a Zoom Q&A on Friday, January 16th at 6 PM Eastern. https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86588152995

Do you have an idea for a $10,000 travel project that would benefit the blind and visually impaired community?

APPLY TODAY! BlindTravel.org/Apply

The deadline is Sunday, February 1st at 11:59 PM, 2026!

Important Dates & Deadlines

Application Timeline

• February 1 (11:59 PM ET) — Deadline to submit First Round application
• February 9 — Semi-finalist invitations sent
• February 10–21 — Semi-finalist interviews (30 minutes each; availability required)
• February 23 (11:59 PM ET) — Deadline to submit semifinal round materials
• March 6 — Finalist interview invitations sent
• March 10–20 — Finalist interviews with the Application Committee

Announcement and Project Timeline

• Late March / Early April — Winners announced
• April 15 – December 1 — Project period (projects must begin and be completed within this window)

Learn about past winners:
https://www.blindtravel.org/grant-winners/

Photo Description:

Bright blue graphic announcing $10,000 travel grants for blind and visually impaired people.

White text reads: ‘$10,000 Travel Grants for the Blind and Visually Impaired.’

Below is the Blind Travel Foundation logo, shaped like an eye with a small airplane swirling inside.

Text at the bottom reads: ‘BlindTravel.org/Apply. Deadline February 1st, 2026.’