Prisoner Visitation & Support
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- Only 35% of its spending went to programs.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
PRISONER VISITATION AND SUPPORT RECRUITS, TRAINS AND SUPPORTS VOLUNTEER VISITORS TO FEDERAL AND MILITARY PRISONERS.
- Income
- $289,797
- Spending
- $196,204
- Spent on programs
- 36%
- Reserves
- 25.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 87%
- Employees
- 4
- Volunteers
- 287
- Highest pay
- $58,525, ex director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 75 out of 100.
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 25.8 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 5% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 32% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 20% on the year before.
Spending floor
0 of 1535% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 19 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 97 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 2512 of 12 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
12 of 15Its accounts were reviewed or compiled by an independent accountant, but not audited.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 (1)
- $69,646 spent. PRISONER VISITATION AND SUPPORT (PVS) RECRUITS, TRAINS AND SUPPORTS VOLUNTEER VISITORS TO FEDERAL AND MILITARY PRISONERS. PVS RECRUITS, SCREENS AND INTERVIEWS VOLUNTEERS TO VISIT AT THE 130 FEDERAL AND MILITARY PRISONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. WE PROVIDE MONTHLY ZOOM AND IN-PERSON TRAINING TO ENSURE VISITORS CAN PROVIDE THE BEST EXPERIENCE POSSIBLE TO INCARCERATED PEOPLE. WE KEEP OUR VOLUNTEER NETWORK STRONG WITH REGULAR COMMUNICATIONS, EMAIL NEWSLETTERS, AND CHECK-IN CALLS. PVS IS LARGELY VOLUNTEER DRIVEN, WITH TWO FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT STAFF SERVING NEARLY 300 VOLUNTEERS, WHO CONTRIBUTED 10,680 HOURS OF VOLUNTEER TIME WITH THE ESTIMATED DOLLAR VALUE OF 357,673 IN 2024. THIS AMOUNT IS NOT REFLECTED IN THE FORM 990. WE ARE THE ONLY INDEPENDENT, NON-SECTARIAN, NATIONWIDE ORGANIZATION AUTHORIZED BY THE U.S. BUREAU OF PRISONS AND DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE TO VISIT IN EVERY PRISON. PRISONER VISITATION AND SUPPORT (PVS) RECRUITS, TRAINS AND SUPPORTS VOLUNTEER VISITORS TO FEDERAL AND MILITARY PRISONERS. PVS RECRUITS, SCREENS AND INTERVIEWS VOLUNTEERS TO VISIT AT THE 130 FEDERAL AND MILITARY PRISONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. WE PROVIDE MONTHLY ZOOM AND IN-PERSON TRAINING TO ENSURE VISITORS CAN PROVIDE THE BEST EXPERIENCE POSSIBLE TO INCARCERATED PEOPLE. WE KEEP OUR VOLUNTEER NETWORK STRONG WITH REGULAR COMMUNICATIONS, EMAIL NEWSLETTERS, AND CHECK-IN CALLS. PVS IS LARGELY VOLUNTEER DRIVEN, WITH TWO FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT STAFF SERVING NEARLY 300 VOLUNTEERS, WHO CONTRIBUTED 10,680 HOURS OF VOLUNTEER TIME WITH THE ESTIMATED DOLLAR VALUE OF 357,673 IN 2024. THIS AMOUNT IS NOT REFLECTED IN THE FORM 990. WE ARE THE ONLY INDEPENDENT, NON-SECTARIAN, NATIONWIDE ORGANIZATION AUTHORIZED BY THE U.S. BUREAU OF PRISONS AND DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE TO VISIT IN EVERY PRISON.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 November 6, 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 December 2024.
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 February 1976.
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 November 4, 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.