Veterans Defense Project
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
The purpose of the Veterans Defense Project is to conduct & support educational training, research & informational activities to educate criminal justice stakeholders as well as raise public awareness of issues affecting veterans involved with the criminal justice system & to expand Veterans Treatment Courts (VTSs) & veterans sentencing statutes throughout the United States, working towards a model that will make VTCs more consistent across jurisdictions.
- Income
- $195,551
- Spending
- $214,858
- Reserves
- 11.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 98%
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
We do not score finances when yearly spending is very small or the return has too little detail. The ratios stop meaning much at that size.
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
This organization files the short tax form, which does not ask about boards, policies or audits. That is normal for a small charity and is not a mark against it.
Source: Form 990EZ 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)
- $162,685 spent. Veterans Defense Project (VDP) advocates point to Minnesota law as a pioneering model for treatment over penalties. Since August 2021, when Gov. Tim Walz signed the Veterans Restorative Justice Act, or VRJA, allowing veterans to avoid jail time for certain crimes by instead taking intensive steps to treat the underlying trauma related to their service.We became frustrated with the way the courts were dealing or failing to deal with them, said Brock Hunter, a criminal defense attorney in Minneapolis & co-founder of the Veterans Defense Project. Hunter has worked on cases involving veterans for decades.In 2023, VDP co-founders Brock Hunter & Ryan Else worked with the Veterans Justice Commission, a national project chaired by former U.S. Defense Secretary & U.S. Senator Charles Hagel & includes former Defense Secretary & White House Chief of Staff Leon Panetta to assess & make recommendations around policies that can improve outcomes for justice-involved veterans & their communities. That work led to the adoption of the Veterans Justice Act by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) in August 2023. Nebraska became the first state to pass the Veterans Justice Act in early 2024.On November 11, 2024, the VDP held its third annual event honoring veterans in need of restorative justice, located at the University of St Thomas School of Law & live-streamed around the country. It featured remarks by retired General Joseph Votel & Major General Johanna Clyborne. The VDP remains quite active in many states, such as Pennsylvania & Ohio, educating & advising about the need for & benefits of enacting the Veterans Justice Act (VJA). The VJA has been endorsed by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), AllRise, formerly the National Association of Drug Court Professionals, & the many other organizations & individuals.
Source: Form 990EZ 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 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 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 October 2014.
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.