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Interfaith Action for Human Rights

EIN 47-2562402 · Washington, DC

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair53 out of 100GovernanceGood82 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

INTERFAITH ACTION FOR HUMAN RIGHTS(IAHR) REPRESENTS PEOPLE OF FAITH AND ALLIES WHO EDUCATE AND ADVOCATE IN MARYLAND, DC, AND VIRGINIA FOR CORRECTIONS SYSTEMS TO ABOLISH UNNECESSARILY PUNITIVE PRACTICES SUCH AS SOLITARY CONFINEMENT AND TO INSTEAD FOCUS ON REHABILITATION AND SUCCESSFUL REENTRY OF OUR CITIZENS.

Income
$183,596
Spending
$186,737
Spent on programs
66%
Reserves
2.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 100%
Employees
3
Volunteers
125
Highest pay
$40,625, executive 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

Fair: 53 out of 100. Higher than 23% of charities in its peer group (civil rights, under $250k).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 2.6 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 13% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    8 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 2% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 26% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    66% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 17 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

Good: 82 out of 100. Higher than 71% of charities in its peer group (civil rights, under $250k).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    10 of 10 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    0 of 7

    Reports no 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.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports 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 (3)
  1. $42,956 spent. EDUCATION AND GRASSROOTS ORGANIZING: PUBLIC AWARENESS OF OUR ISSUES IS THE FOUNDATION FOR ALL OUR PROGRESS. OUR BEST ALLY IS A COMPASSIONATE ELECTORATE THAT IS WELL INFORMED ON THE CONDITIONS OF INCARCERATION. OVER THE LAST YEAR, IAHR HAS SPONSORED INNOVATIVE ONLINE PROGRAMMING REGARDING CONDITIONS OF CONFINEMENT INCLUDING INTERVIEWS WITH SIGNIFICANT AUTHORS, PROGRESSIVE PRACTITIONERS, AND RETURNING CITIZENS. IAHR HAS CONTINUED TO ADD NEW PARTNERS TO ITS WORK WHICH NOW INCLUDE ARNOLD & PORTER, RIGHTS BEHIND BARS, FREE MINDS BOOK CLUB AND WRITING WORKSHOP, MUSLIM ADVOCATES, AND THE VIRGINIA INTERFAITH CENTER FOR PUBLIC POLICY. WE ALSO CONTINUED TO BUILD OUR ADVISORY COUNCIL OF OVER 20 FAITH LEADERS IN OUR REGION, TO HELP GUIDE AND ASSIST IAHR IN ITS WORK AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH
  2. $49,092 spent. ADVOCACY: IN 2022, THE VIRGINIA GENERAL ASSEMBLY TOOK ANOTHER STEP FORWARD TOWARD ENDING SOLITARY CONFINEMENT IN THE STATES PRISONS. FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW, THE VIRGINIA SENATE VOTED TO LIMIT SOLITARY CONFINEMENT TO NO MORE THAN 15 CONSECUTIVE DAYS, PASSING SB108. THIS BILL WAS WRITTEN BY THE VIRGINIA COALITION ON SOLITARY CONFINEMENT, ORGANIZED AND STAFFED BY IAHR. THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES, WHILE NOT READY TO JOIN THE SENATE IN IMMEDIATE REFORM, DID PASS A SUBSTITUTE, BY A UNANIMOUS VOTE, THAT RAISED THE LEGISLATIVE PRIORITY OF THE ISSUE BY ESTABLISHING A WORK GROUP TO STUDY THE USE OF RESTORATIVE HOUSING (SOLITARY CONFINEMENT) WITHIN STATE CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES AND JUVENILE CORRECTIONAL CENTERS. IN MARYLAND, DELEGATE JAZZ LEWIS (D.24TH DISTRICT) SPONSORED IAHRS LEGISLATION, HB67, THAT WOULD MANDATE THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND CORRECTIONAL SERVICES TO PROVIDE TRANSITIONAL SERVICES TO ANYONE IN SOLITARY CONFINEMENT SIX MONTHS PRIOR TO THEIR RELEASE. IAHR HAS PROMOTED THE BILL AS SAFEGUARDING PUBLIC SAFETY AS WELL AS PROVIDING NEEDED SERVICES TO INCARCERATED PEOPLE SOON TO BE RELEASED. THE MARYLAND SENATE PASSED HB67/SB977 WITHOUT OPPOSITION.
  3. $30,683 spent. PEN PAL PROGRAM: OVER 4,600 D.C. RESIDENTS ARE INCARCERATED IN 122 PRISONS AROUND THE UNITED STATES. D.C. RESIDENTS ARE INCARCERATED IN PRISONS FROM CALIFORNIA TO FLORIDA TO UPSTATE NEW YORK. D.C. RESIDENTS IN PRISON OFTEN FEEL VERY ISOLATED SINCE THEY ARE OFTEN INCARCERATED SO FAR FROM HOME. IN 2022, APPROXIMATELY 125 IAHR VOLUNTEERS SERVED AS PEN PALS, WRITING TO AT LEAST ONE D.C. RESIDENT INCARCERATED IN A FEDERAL PRISON ONCE A MONTH FOR A YEAR. A KEY GOAL OF THE PROGRAM IS TO REDUCE THE LIKELIHOOD THAT THESE INCARCERATED PERSONS WILL COMMIT CRIMES AFTER THEY ARE RELEASED.

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

  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 December 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 May 2015.

    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.