Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Community Justice Center

EIN 47-1779282 · Fresno, CA

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak49 out of 100GovernanceGood85 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

Cultivating individual and collective well-being, shared accountability, and healing through community-driven research and evidence-based restorative processes.

Income
$1.2 million
Spending
$1.3 million
Spent on programs
53%
Reserves
2.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 84%
Employees
18
Volunteers
55
Highest pay
$16,685, board member

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

Weak: 49 out of 100. Higher than 16% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 2.8 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 1% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 10% of income.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    53% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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

Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 31% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    8 of 8 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    0 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports 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 (3)
  1. $258,764 spent. CJN: Community Justice Network: integrated community services that heal, guide, and elevate individuals, families, and neighborhoods through a coalition of community-based organizations and practitioners that collectively work together. CJN successfully developed collaborations with 20 partners throughout the first year of the project, actively involving 1,500 residents in conversations concerning issues of public safety, racial equality, and economic advancement. CJN partners engage in prevention (community), intervention (system impacted), reintegration (reentry) and education/training. Southwest Fresno was primary focus of CJN work.
  2. $139,602 spent. COSA: Circles of Support and Accountability envisions a world, community, workplace, and family where every person is valued and given the opportunity to take responsibility where harm is done, recognized, and restored, making things as right as possible with all parties involved. CJC COSA Fresno and COSA San Diego Programs have 0% recidivism, not one person accepted into a COSA circle has caused another crime or harm. COSA Fresno provided weekly reentry circles and services to 71 individuals: 10 released from prison into COSA circles, 21 released into COSA Reentry Circle; 20 COSA graduates in COSA Community Circle; 20 Full Circle Members in Avenal State Prison (bi-monthly). Ethnicity: 48% Hispanic, 23% White, 19% Black, 4% Asian, 6% Other. COSA San Diego provided reentry circles and services to 52 participants: 42 released from prison, 2 released from jail, and 8 conditional released participants at Liberty Healthcare. 40% White, 30% Hispanic, 20% Black, 10% Other.
  3. $137,922 spent. CJC/VORP: Community Justice Conferencing/Victim Offender Reconciliation Program: youth diversion initiative for youth to accept responsibility for harm caused through family group conferencing and mediation with the parties harmed to make things as right as possible. 140 youth were referred to CJC/VORP: 106 Juvenile Court; 34 Juvenile Probation; 78% 15-19 years old; 27% 10-14 years old. 68% Hispanic, 16% Black, 7% White, 5% Asian; 4% other. CJC provides trained mediators to initiate, monitor, and completed 140 referrals through 565 Community Justice Conferences. These consist of a series of meetings between the responsible party/ parties (offender), harmed party/parties (victim), and their supportive individuals, with the assistance of a mediator to address harm, its impact, and an opportunity to make things as right as possible. An agreement is established and signed by the responsible party and harmed party/parties.

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

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since December 2014.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. 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.