Offender Aid and Restoration of Arlington County Oara Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
OAR is a community-based nonprofit organization that envisions a safe and thriving community where those impacted by the legal system enjoy equal civil and human rights. Continued in Schedule O . . .
- Income
- $2.1 million
- Spending
- $2.0 million
- Spent on programs
- 84%
- Reserves
- 8.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 70%
- Employees
- 12
- Volunteers
- 40
- Highest pay
- $151,402, executive dir.
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
Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 79% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 8.8 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 8% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 7% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 14% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1584% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 6 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
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 57% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 259 of 9 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 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)
- $911,163 spent. Reentry Services: OAR journeys with individuals of all genders experiencing incarceration at the Arlington County Detention Facility, Alexandrias William G. Truesdale Adult Detention Center, and other facilities. OAR also supports individuals returning to or living in Arlington County, the Cities of Alexandria and Falls Church, the DC Metro region, and surrounding areas. During FY 2025, OAR had the privilege of journeying with more than 500 participants throughout their reentry process, along with their children and families. Our Peer Recovery Specialists and Community Navigators are individuals with shared lived experience and specialized training who collaborate with participants both pre-release and post-release. Continued in Schedule O Continued . . . . OAR provides one-on-one and group programs, trainings, courses, interventions, and activities. These include evidence-based cognitive-behavioral support, fatherhood and parenting programs, relationship navigation, psychotherapy, vocational and educational support, personal development, wellness services, substance use disorder, reentry planning and readiness, workforce development, and family reunification services. OAR also provides direct assistance based on individual needs. Support may include housing assistance, eviction prevention, utilities, clothing, transportation, debt repayment, medical care and treatment, and cell phones with minutes and data plans. OARs Reentry Services increase public safety by supporting stability, healing, and successful reintegration. The heart of OARs mission lies in the voices of our participants. Selected reflections are included below.*
- $403,952 spent. Alternative Sentencing and Diversion: Through OARs Alternative Sentencing and Diversion programs, people of all genders and ages are able to remain with their families, continue working or attending school, give back to the community, and avoid the lifelong collateral consequences of incarceration. Through these efforts, more than 1,000 adults and 100 youth have remained in their communities rather than experiencing incarceration each year. Through partnerships with the Offices of the Commonwealths Attorney in Arlington County and the City of Falls Church, eligible participants are referred to OAR in lieu of continued court involvement or fees. Continued in Schedule O Continued . . . . OARs Alternative Sentencing and Diversion Program provides a restorative and community-based alternative to traditional prosecution for eligible individuals. The program is designed to interrupt cycles of incarceration, reduce harm, and support long-term stability by addressing the underlying needs that often bring people into contact with the criminal legal system. Participants engage in a structured diversion plan tailored to their individual circumstances, strengths, and goals. Plans may include community service, peer recovery support, coaching, connection to mental health or substance use treatment, employment and education support, housing stabilization, and other supportive services, as appropriate. OARs approach to alternative sentencing and diversion is trauma-informed, participant-centered, and grounded in dignity and restoration. Rather than focusing on punishment, the program emphasizes responsibility, healing, and meaningful engagement with the community. Successful completion of the Alternative Sentencing and Diversion Program can result in charges being reduced or dismissed, helping participants avoid the long-term collateral consequences of criminal records. These outcomes improve access to housing, employment, and education, and enhance family stability, while reducing the likelihood of future system involvement. In FY 2025, more than 1,000 adults and 100 youth participated in OARs alternative sentencing and diversion programs. By keeping people connected to their families, workplaces, schools, and communities, OARs Alternative Sentencing and Diversion Program strengthens community well-being and increases public safety through prevention, restoration, and support rather than incarceration. OAR maintains partnerships with more than 300 nonprofits, government agencies, civic organizations, and faith communities that welcome Community Service participants as volunteers. OARs Alternative Sentencing and Diversion programs increase public safety by promoting accountability, connection, and restoration. The heart of OARs mission lies in the voices of our participants. Selected reflections are included below.*
- $355,349 spent. Education, Outreach, Racial Justice, Liberation, Advocacy, and Legislative Change: Our reputation and impact in the community have allowed us to convene leaders and mobilize them to move the needle forward on racial justice and liberation. We address incarceration, the legal system, and all systems upstream, calling out the injustice that permeates these systems, and we seek true justice. Since individuals make up systems, we also support people confronting the daily harm they can cause. We lift the voices of those who've experienced incarceration and racial and other intersecting forms of marginalization. We challenge those who have benefited from the unjust system to become leaders in dismantling systemic injustice and redressing the harm caused. Continued in Schedule O . . . Education, Outreach, Racial Justice, Liberation, Advocacy, and Legislation Change: Continued . . . . Some of these efforts include ensuring that OAR's internal culture remains just and joyful, facilitating conversations with partners on creating just and joyful spaces, making presentations in the community about our Upstream efforts, working with local law enforcement agencies, Courts, and the Commonwealth Attorney's offices to eliminate discriminatory practices and policies, and partnering with legislators to change laws. OAR also has a 45-point advocacy and legislative agenda informed by many stakeholders to focus our efforts for the coming years, including 1) reducing the incarcerated population by 20% each year, 2) decreasing the racial disparity in sentencing by at least 20%, 3) establishing expungement in Virginia, and 4) banning the box on all applications, including employment, housing, and educational institutions. OAR is also part of the PAPIS (Pre-release and Post-Incarceration Services) Coalition, a group of nine organizations. Together, we hire a lobbying firm to advocate for increased reentry funding from the state of Virginia.
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
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 September 7, 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 September 30, 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 September 10, 2026.
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 September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since October 1976.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 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.