Center for Victims of Torture
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE CENTER FOR VICTIMS OF TORTURE WORKS TO HEAL THE WOUNDS OF TORTURE ON INDIVIDUALS, THEIR FAMILIES AND THEIR COMMUNITIES AND TO STOP TORTURE WORLDWIDE.
- Income
- $28.6 million
- Spending
- $25.9 million
- Spent on programs
- 74%
- Reserves
- 2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 60%
- Employees
- 185
- Volunteers
- 50
- Highest pay
- $274,936, president and ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 61 out of 100. Higher than 34% of charities in its peer group (international, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 2.0 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 27% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 9% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 13% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1574% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 7 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 36% of charities in its peer group (international, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2517 of 17 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 September 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 (5)
- $6.8 million spent. INTERNATIONAL SERVICES CVT'S INTERNATIONAL DIRECT SERVICES INCLUDE GROUP COUNSELING/THERAPY, SOCIAL SERVICES, AND PHYSIOTHERAPY AS WELL AS OTHER RESILIENCE-FOCUSED INTERVENTIONS. IN ETHIOPIA, CVT WORKS IN REFUGEE CAMPS AND INTERNALLY DISPLACED COMMUNITIES IN THE COUNTRY'S NORTH. CVT MAINTAINS SMALL OPERATIONS IN TWO LOCATIONS IN KENYA, INCLUDING NAIROBI AND KAKUMA REFUGEE CAMP. IN UGANDA, CVT HAS A LONG-STANDING CENTER IN GULU WHERE SURVIVORS OF THE LORD'S RESISTANCE ARMY ATROCITIES RECEIVE CARE AND PURSUE THEIR JUSTICE GOALS.DUE TO STOP WORK ORDERS AND SUBSEQUENT AWARD TERMINATION, CVT'S DIRECT SERVICES OPERATIONS IN THE GAMBELLA REGION OF ETHIOPIA, PARTS OF NORTHERN ETHIOPIA, JORDAN, AND FOR RELEASED NICARAGUAN POLITICAL PRISONERS, AS WELL AS A SUB-AWARD PROVIDING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO ANOTHER ORGANIZATION IN SOUTHWEST UGANDA, ALL ENDED IN SPRING 2025.
- $6.2 million spent. U.S. CLIENT SERVICES IMPACT AND HOLISTIC RECOVERYDEDICATED TO HEALING THE PROFOUND PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WOUNDS INFLICTED BY TORTURE, OUR U.S. CLIENT SERVICES PROGRAMS (CSP) REACHED A SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE THIS YEAR, PROVIDING LIFE-RESTORING CARE TO MORE THAN 1,900 SURVIVORS OF TORTURE, THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS, AND BROADER COMMUNITY MEMBERS. BY ADDRESSING THE SYSTEMIC IMPACT OF TRAUMA, OUR CLINICAL INITIATIVES CONTINUE TO FOSTER RESILIENCE ACROSS OUR PRIMARY SERVICE HUBS IN ST. PAUL AND ST. CLOUD, MINNESOTA; ATLANTA, GEORGIA; AND ARIZONA.STRATEGIC EXPANSION AND CROSS-BORDER CONTINUITYRECOGNIZING THE SHIFTING PATTERNS OF MIGRATION AND THE ACUTE NEEDS OF OUR CLIENTS IN TRANSIT, WE HAVE SUCCESSFULLY EXPANDED OUR GEOGRAPHIC FOOTPRINT.- INTERNATIONAL PRESENCE: IN NOGALES, MEXICO, WE LAUNCHED A SISTER PROGRAM TO OUR ARIZONA-BASED PROYECTO MARIPOSA. THIS EXPANSION ALLOWS FOR A CONTINUITY OF CARE THAT FOLLOWS THE NATURAL MOVEMENTS OF ASYLUM-SEEKING FAMILIES, ENSURING THEY RECEIVE DESTINATION CASE MANAGEMENT AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SUPPORT ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BORDER.- SPECIALIZED INITIATIVES: WE CONTINUED TO OPERATE OUR HIGH-IMPACT AFGHAN PROGRAMS; RAAHAT (GEORGIA) AND ARMAN (MINNESOTA). WORKING IN LOCKSTEP WITH AFGHAN COMMUNITY PARTNERS, THESE PROGRAMS PROVIDED INTENSIVE, CULTURALLY SPECIFIC SERVICES TO MORE THAN 300 PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SURVIVORS THIS YEAR.INNOVATION IN CARE AND SURVIVOR GOVERNANCETHIS YEAR, WE TRANSITIONED TOWARD A MORE SYSTEMIC APPROACH TO HEALING BY INTEGRATING ENHANCED FAMILY-FOCUSED THERAPY SERVICES. WE RECOGNIZE THAT THE RECOVERY OF AN INDIVIDUAL IS DEEPLY TIED TO THE HEALTH OF THE FAMILY UNIT.FURTHERMORE, WE HAVE REINFORCED OUR COMMITMENT TO SURVIVOR-LED GROWTH BY STRENGTHENING OUR SURVIVORS ADVISORY BOARD (SAB). IN A DIRECT EFFORT TO ENSURE OUR PROGRAMMING REMAINS RESPONSIVE AND ETHICAL, WE HAVE SUCCESSFULLY INTEGRATED THE BOARD'S 2024 RECOMMENDATIONS INTO OUR STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES, PLACING SURVIVOR VOICES AT THE CENTER OF OUR CLINICAL EVOLUTION.CORE PILLARS OF SERVICEWHILE OUR PROGRAMS ARE TAILORED TO THE UNIQUE CULTURAL AND GEOGRAPHIC NEEDS OF EACH SITE, THEY ARE UNIFIED BY A CORE MULTIDISCIPLINARY INTERVENTION MODEL:- CLINICAL CARE: PSYCHOTHERAPY, COUNSELING, AND SPECIALIZED PSYCHOEDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS.- COMPREHENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT: SOCIAL WORK, RESOURCE NAVIGATION, AND COMMUNITY REFERRALS.- PHYSICAL HEALTH & WELLNESS: DIRECT PHYSIOTHERAPY AND MEDICAL SUPPORT. IN OUR MINNESOTA SITES, WE HAVE FURTHER EXPANDED OUR "CARE TOOLS" TO INCLUDE SPECIALIZED MASSAGE THERAPY.- INTEGRATION SUPPORT: LEGAL AND DOCUMENTATION ASSISTANCE COMBINED WITH ROBUST COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR LEGAL AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS.
- $5.3 million spent. CAPACITY DEVELOPMENTCVT'S CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT (CD) DEPARTMENT SUPPORTS ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS TO STRENGTHEN THEIR CAPACITY TO ENGAGE IN TORTURE AND TRAUMA PREVENTION AND REHABILITATION WORK, INCLUDING ADVANCING JUSTICE AND ACCOUNTABILITY. THROUGH TRAINING, MENTORING, COACHING, CONSULTING, AND PEER EXCHANGE, CD INITIATIVES SUPPORT OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO ACHIEVE IMPROVEMENTS IN ADVOCACY, JOB PERFORMANCE, SECURITY, AND ORGANIZATIONAL FUNCTIONING (INCLUDING IMPROVED SERVICE QUALITY FOR TORTURE SURVIVORS). THE NATIONAL CAPACITY BUILDING (NCB) PROJECT ORGANIZES TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR A LARGE U.S.-BASED NETWORK OF 49 TORTURE SURVIVOR CENTERS AND PROGRAMS IN 26 STATES, ALONG WITH OTHER REFUGEE AND IMMIGRANT SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS, TO STRENGTHEN THE DELIVERY OF INTEGRATED, SUSTAINABLE CARE FOR SURVIVORS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES. IN 2025 NCB PROVIDED TRAINING, WEBINARS, MEETINGS AND CONSULTATIONS BENEFITING AT LEAST 104 ORGANIZATIONS, REPRESENTING 602 NON-UNIQUE INDIVIDUALS. THE HELPING SURVIVORS HEAL (HSH) PROJECT WORKED WITH 12 TORTURE REHABILITATION ORGANIZATIONS OUTSIDE THE U.S. TO EXPAND ACCESS TO APPROPRIATE EVIDENCE BASED MENTAL HEALTH AND PSYCHOSOCIAL SERVICES TO SURVIVORS OF TORTURE. UNFORTUNATELY, THE HSH PROJECT AND THESE PARTNERSHIPS WERE HALTED BY THE STOP WORK ORDERS FROM THE U.S. GOVERNMENT IN JANUARY 2025.THE NEW TACTICS IN HUMAN RIGHTS PROGRAM PROMOTES ENHANCED STRATEGIC AND TACTICAL PLANNING AND ACTION AMONG THE GLOBAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMUNITY AND ONLINE WITH THOUSANDS OF TRAINING PARTICIPANTS FROM 89 COUNTRIES. THE IDREAM PROJECT SUPPORTS HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS (HRDS) AROUND THE WORLD WHO HAVE BEEN FORCED INTO EXILE DUE TO THEIR HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCACY WORK, BY PROVIDING CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT SERVICES IN THESE THREE AREAS: MENTAL HEALTH RESILIENCE, EFFECTIVE ADVOCACY, AND INTEGRATED SECURITY; OTHER PROJECTS PROVIDE SIMILAR SUPPORT TO HRDS IN THEIR HOME COUNTRIES. THE ADAPTIVE RESILIENCE FOR CIVIL SOCIETY AT RISK (ARC) PROJECT MEASURABLY AND SUSTAINABLY FOSTERS THE HOLISTIC SECURITY AND RESILIENCE OF HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS, USING A STRENGTHS-BASED AND ADAPTIVE APPROACH IN THE FACE OF DYNAMIC THREAT ENVIRONMENTS AND CLOSING CIVIC SPACE. IT BUILDS SAFETY, ENHANCES CONTEXTUALIZED AND ACCESSIBLE RESOURCES, AND SUPPORTS PEER COLLABORATION. CVT'S MYANMAR INITIATIVE ENGAGES WITH CIVIL SOCIETY IN REFUGE AND EXILE AS THEY PROVIDE PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT TO THEIR COMMUNITIES. THE SURVIVORS OF TORTURE INITIATIVE (SOTI) SUPPORTS SYRIAN CIVIL SOCIETY TO ADVANCE INCLUSIVE JUSTICE AND HEAL TRAUMA. WITH A NETWORK OF ABOUT 100 SYRIAN ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL AS INSTITUTIONS LIKE THE INTERNATIONAL, IMPARTIAL AND INDEPENDENT MECHANISM (IIIM) AND THE INDEPENDENT INSTITUTION ON MISSING PERSONS IN THE SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC (IIMP), SOTI PROVIDES CRITICAL SUPPORT TO GROUPS REBUILDING SYRIA. IT FOCUSES ON DETAINEES, TORTURE SURVIVORS AND THEIR FAMILIES, PROVIDING RESILIENCE AND REHABILITATION SERVICES TO VICTIMS AS WELL AS THE HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS WHO SUPPORT THEM. ITS THERAPEUTIC MODEL FOR DOCUMENTATION OF VIOLATIONS SUPPORTS ADVOCACY, LITIGATION, AND INVESTIGATION EFFORTS. IN FY25, THE PROJECT ADAPTED TO SHIFTING CIRCUMSTANCES IN SYRIA AND THROUGHOUT THE REGION; HOWEVER, LENGTHY PROJECT SUSPENSION AND UNCERTAINTY IMPEDED CVT'S IMPLEMENTATION. RELATEDLY, "SYSTEMS OF SUPPORT FOR VICTIMS AND WITNESSES OF ATROCITY CRIMES PARTICIPATING IN ACCOUNTABILITY PROCESSES" AIMS TO STRENGTHEN JUSTICE FOR SYRIANS. IT DOES THIS BY SUPPORTING CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS, COORDINATING SERVICES FOR VICTIMS AND WITNESSES, AND ENGAGING WITH ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISMS TO CREATE AWARENESS OF PARTICIPATION BARRIERS. A CORNERSTONE OF THIS PROJECT IS THE CO-DESIGN OF A COLLABORATIVE SYSTEM FOR COORDINATING AND FUNDING SUPPORT ACROSS A WIDE RANGE OF NEEDS AND SERVICES. THIS PROJECT WAS SUSPENDED BEFORE THE CO-DESIGN PROCESS COULD TAKE PLACE, AND SUBGRANTS COULD NOT BE ISSUED DUE TO THE UNCERTAINTY OF ONGOING PROJECT REVIEWS.CVT'S EFFORTS TO REGISTER AND INITIATE OPERATIONS INSIDE SYRIA WERE SUPPORTED BY PRIVATE FUNDING.IN IRAQ, CVT'S "JUSTICE WITH THE SHABAK" PROJECT AIMS TO ADVANCE JUSTICE AND ACCOUNTABILITY BY STRENGTHENING REPARATIONS ENGAGEMENT FOR SHABAK SURVIVORS OF ATROCITY CRIMES WHO HAVE HISTORICALLY EXPERIENCED ABANDONMENT, EXCLUSION, AND MARGINALIZATION AND WHO FACE BARRIERS TO THEIR PARTICIPATION IN LEGAL REDRESS, NOTABLY CLAIMING THEIR RIGHTS UNDER THE YAZIDI SURVIVOR LAW (YSL). ACTIVITIES ARE FOCUSED ON UNDERSTANDING AND ADDRESSING THESE BARRIERS; PROVISION OF RESILIENCE SERVICES TO SUPPORT ENGAGEMENT; AND SUPPORTING SURVIVORS TO CLAIM BENEFITS UNDER REPARATIONS LAW. THE PROJECT AIMS TO PARTNER WITH COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS IN IMPLEMENTING ACTIVITIES AND PROVIDES TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO ACCOMPLISH JOINT EFFORTS. THE PROJECT WAS SUSPENDED AFTER THE FIRST QUARTER, WHICH LARGELY FOCUSED ON HIRING OF STAFF AND OTHER FOUNDATIONAL ACTIVITIES. FOLLOWING A LIFT OF SUSPENSION, UNCERTAINTY ABOUT THE PROJECT'S FUTURE IMPEDED ITS IMPLEMENTATION, IN PARTICULAR SUBGRANTS AND SERVICES.CVT IS ALSO A SUBGRANTEE ON ANOTHER IRAQ-BASED PROJECT THAT AIMS TO EMPOWER THE "COALITION FOR JUST REPARATIONS" TO ADVANCE EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE YAZIDI SURVIVOR LAW AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE EFFORTS. THE JIYAN FOUNDATION, WHICH LEADS THIS PROJECT, WORKS WITH CVT TO SUPPORT VICTIMS' ASSOCIATIONS, PROMOTE TRAUMA-INFORMED APPROACHES TO DOCUMENTATION, AND SUPPORT THE COALITION IN STRATEGIC ADVOCACY EFFORTS. THIS PROJECT WAS ALSO SUSPENDED FOR A PERIOD IN FY25.FINALLY, CVT PARTICIPATED AS A CONSORTIUM MEMBER IN THE "TRANSITIONAL JUSTICE ~ RAPID RESPONSE" PROJECT, LED BY THE CENTER FOR JUSTICE AND ACCOUNTABILITY. IN FY25Q1, CVT ENGAGED IN DISCUSSIONS WITH THE CONSORTIUM AND DONOR ON THE PROJECT'S STRATEGIC DIRECTION; HOWEVER, THE PROJECT WAS SUSPENDED IN EARLY Q2 AND TERMINATED IN Q4 DUE TO DONOR RESTRUCTURING.
- $587,617 spent. EVALUATION AND RESEARCHBUILDING A MOVEMENT OF HEALING AND JUSTICE REQUIRES A SPIRIT OF INNOVATION AND PROVEN EFFECTIVENESS. MEASURING OUTCOMES RESULTING FROM CVT'S DIRECT SERVICE AND CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT PORTFOLIO IS AN INTEGRAL COMPONENT OF THE ORGANIZATION'S APPROACH TO SERVICE DELIVERY. CVT HAS INTEGRATED MONITORING, EVALUATION, AND APPLIED RESEARCH INTO ITS PROGRAMMING FOR MORE THAN THREE DECADES AND HAS CONTINUED TO INCORPORATE NEW AND INNOVATIVE APPROACHES AS PROGRAMS HAVE EVOLVED. THE GLOBAL EVALUATION AND RESEARCH DEPARTMENT INCLUDES STAFF FROM DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS, EDUCATION, TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE, INCLUDING FAMILIARITY WITH A VARIETY OF METHODOLOGICAL APPROACHES TO MONITORING, PROGRAM EVALUATION AND APPLIED RESEARCH. CVT EVALUATION AND RESEARCH STAFF HAVE EXPERIENCE ADAPTING MEASURES AND DATA COLLECTION APPROACHES TO DIVERSE CULTURAL CONTEXTS AND COMPLEX ENVIRONMENTS.BY THE END OF 2025, FOLLOWING STOP WORK ORDERS AND FUNDING CUTS IN EARLY 2025, THE EVALUATION AND RESEARCH DEPARTMENT CONSISTED OF 10 GLOBAL STAFF (AND ADDITIONAL IN-COUNTRY M&E STAFF), DOWN FROM 17 AT THE END OF 2024.
- $481,501 spent. PUBLIC POLICY CVT'S GLOBAL POLICY AND ADVOCACY CENTERS ON ENSURING SAFETY, INCLUSION, AND JUSTICE FOR THOSE WHO HAVE SURVIVED TORTURE, CRUEL TREATMENT, OR OTHER CONFLICT-RELATED TRAUMA. THE WORK OFTEN CROSS-CUTS THESE AREAS, REFLECTING THE COMPLEXITY OF SURVIVORS' NEEDS AND THEIR INTERCONNECTED, FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHTS. SAFETY: ADVANCING LAWFUL, FAIR, AND TRAUMA-INFORMED SYSTEMS THAT PROVIDE SAFE HAVEN FOR SURVIVORS, AND THAT EMPOWER PUBLIC AND PRIVATE STAKEHOLDERS TO ENGAGE SURVIVORS IN WAYS THAT CAN ENHANCE, RATHER THAN JEOPARDIZE, THEIR SENSE OF SAFETY.INCLUSION: EXPANDING, IMPROVING, AND ENSURING EQUITABLE ACCESS TO PROGRAMS, POLICIES, AND PRACTICES THAT ENABLE SURVIVORS TO HEAL AND THRIVE, AND BUILDING RESOURCES FOR TORTURE REHABILITATION GLOBALLY.JUSTICE: PURSUING STRATEGIES TO COMBAT IMPUNITY FOR PERPETRATORS OF TORTURE AND RELATED GROSS HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS, TO FULFILL SURVIVORS' RIGHT TO REDRESS AND REHABILITATION FOR THE CRIMES THEY ENDURED, AND TO PREVENT THOSE CRIMES FROM RECURRING.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 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 September 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 October 1985.
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.