Urban Justice Center
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE ORGANIZATION WAS ESTABLISHED TO ENGAGE IN LEGAL ADVOCACY ON BEHALF OF THE HOMELESS, INDIGENT, DISENFRANCHISED, AND THOSE MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC WHO HAVE BEEN DEPRIVED OF CIVIL AND ECONOMIC RIGHTS IN THE NEW YORK CITY METROPOLITAN AREA.
- Income
- $40.4 million
- Spending
- $36.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 90%
- Reserves
- 4.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 80%
- Employees
- 183
- Volunteers
- 148
- Highest pay
- $346,124, exec director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 85 out of 100.
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 4.4 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 13% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 10% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 17% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1590% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 2525 of 25 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (4)
- $16.0 million spent. THE SAFETY NET PROJECT STANDS IN UNCONDITIONAL SOLIDARITY IN THE FIGHT AGAINST ALL FORMS OF WHITE SUPREMACY AND ANTI-BLACKNESS. WITH SORROW AND RAGE, WE RECOGNIZE THAT THE KILLINGS OF GEORGE FLOYD, BREONNA TAYLOR, TONY MCDADE, DAVID MCATEE, AND AHMAUD ARBERY REPRESENT ONLY SOME OF THE MANY BLACK LIVES LOST TO RACIST STATE VIOLENCE IN ALL ITS FORMS. WE SPEAK THEIR NAMES AND THE NAMES OF OTHERS LIKE. ELEANOR BUMPER, AMADOU DIALLO, KIMANI GREY, ERIC GARNER, AKAI GURLEY, DAVID FELIX, DELRAWN SMALL, DEBORAH DANNER, SAHEEN VASSELL,AND SO MANY MORE KILLED BY THE NYPD. WE MOURN THEIR DEATHS AND WE UNEQUIVOCALLY CONDEMN THE RACIST POLICING APPARATUS THAT HAS TAKEN SO MANY BLACK LIVES.WE SEE THE RIGHTEOUS ANGER AND THE DEEP SORROW IN ALL THE CURRENT UPRISINGS ACROSS OUR COUNTRY AND AROUND THE WORLD. WE SEE THE DEEP STRUCTURAL INEQUALITY OF OUR SOCIETY, WHICH VALUES PROFITS AND PROPERTY OVER PEOPLE. A SOCIETY THAT HAS SPENT MORE ON MILITARIZING POLICE AND PRISONS THAN IT HAS ON HOSPITALS, ESSENTIAL MEDICAL SUPPLIES, AND HOUSING FOR OUR HOMELESS NEIGHBORS, EVEN WHILE A GLOBAL PANDEMIC BRINGS WIDESPREAD DEATH. AND WE ASK: WHAT ARE WE SAYING ABOUT THE VALUE OF BLACK AND BROWN LIVES WHEN THE NURSE WHO WILL TREAT YOU IS WEARING A GARBAGE BAG BUT THE COP WHO WILL BEAT YOU IS EQUIPPED WITH THE FINEST MILITARY GRADE WEAPONRY? WE CANNOT ALLOW THIS TO GO ON.OUR HEARTS ARE HEAVY. HOWEVER, WE ARE INSPIRED BY THE TENS OF THOUSANDS WHO HAVE HAD THE BRAVERY TO CONFRONT RACIST STATE VIOLENCE HEAD-ON. WE ARE ALSO STRENGTHENED IN OUR RESOLVE TO BRING ALL THAT WE CAN TO THE COLLECTIVE STRUGGLE FOR A WORLD BEYOND POLICE AND PRISONS, A WORLD THAT CHERISHES BLACK LIVES, A WORLD THAT HAS JUSTICE AND EQUALITY RUNNING DEEPLY THROUGH ITS VEINS.
- $8.2 million spent. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PROJECT (DVP) WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2003 AS A DIRECT RESPONSE TO THE DISCONNECT AMONGST LEGAL AND SOCIAL SERVICES PROVIDERS FOR SURVIVORS OF INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE, AS WELL AS EMERGING AS ONE OF THE FIRST PROVIDERS TO CHAMPION ALL SURVIVOR VOICES REGARDLESS OF GENDER, RACE, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, OR OTHERWISE. DVP HAS GROWN FROM 1 STAFF MEMBER IN ONE BOROUGH TO 23 FULL TIME STAFF AND A TEAM OF INTERNS, PRO BONO ATTORNEYS, AND VOLUNTEERS, CITYWIDE.WE MEET THE FULL NEEDS OF SURVIVORS THROUGH COMPREHENSIVE LEGAL AND ADVOCACY SERVICES. DVP IS UNIQUE IN ITS APPROACH THAT VALUES AND RECOGNIZES THE DIGNITY AND WORTH OF ALL INDIVIDUALS. OUR WORK IS HOLISTIC, BASED IN CLIENT SELF-DETERMINATION, STRENGTHS-BASED, AND COLLABORATIVE.SERVICES ARE TRAUMA-INFORMED, ALLOWING STAFF TO DEVELOP WORKING ALLIANCES WITH CLIENTS WHILE THEIR INDIVIDUAL NEEDS ARE MET. FOSTERING SKILL BUILDING TO BETTER NAVIGATE AND OVERCOME BARRIERS, STAFF PRIORITIZE SERVICES IN WAYS THAT REFLECT CLIENT PREFERENCES WHILE ALSO ENSURING SAFETY. CURRENTLY, OUR SERVICES INCLUDES LEGAL ASSISTANCE, ADVOCACY, OUTREACH & TRAINING.
- $2.5 million spent. THE MENTAL HEALTH PROJECT'S MISSION IS TO DISRUPT AND DISMANTLE THE CYCLE OF HOSPITALIZATION, HOMELESSNESS, AND INCARCERATION THAT TRAPS LOW-INCOME NEW YORKERS WITH SERIOUS MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS. WE INTERVENE AT ALL PARTS OF THIS CYCLE: WE WORK TO SECURE FINANCIAL AND MEDICAL BENEFITS TO PREVENT HOMELESSNESS AND HOSPITALIZATIONS; WE HELP INDIVIDUALS OBTAIN HOUSING; WE PROVIDE PEER ADVOCACY TO EMPOWER OUR CLIENTS; WE ENSURE PROPER DISCHARGE PLANNING OCCURS PRIOR TO RELEASE FROM JAILS AND HOSPITALS; AND WE PROVIDE SOCIAL WORK SUPPORT TO CLIENTS. OUR INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAM INCLUDES ATTORNEYS, SOCIAL WORKERS, ADVOCATES, PEERS SPECIALISTS, AND ORGANIZERS WHO WORK TO ADDRESS OUR CLIENTS' PROBLEMS HOLISTICALLY.
- $5.9 million spent. VARIOUS OTHER PROGRAMS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since November 1991.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.