Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Public Justice Foundation

EIN 59-1730478 · Washington, DC

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood89 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

PUBLIC JUSTICE TAKES ON THE BIGGEST SYSTEMATIC THREATS TO JUSTICE OF OUR TIME-ABUSIVE CORPORATE POWER AND PREDATORY PRACTICES, THE ASSAULT ON CIVIL RIGHTS AND LIBERTIES, AND THE DESTRUCTION OF THE EARTH'S SUSTAINABILITY. WE CONNECT HIGH-IMPACT LITIGATION WITH STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS AND THE STRENGTH OF OUR PARTNERSHIPS TO FIGHT THESE ABUSIVE AND DISCRIMINATORY SYSTEMS AND WIN SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE.

Income
$11.7 million
Spending
$9.2 million
Spent on programs
62%
Reserves
18.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 94%
Employees
46
Volunteers
221
Highest pay
$256,913, vice president, legal affairs

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

Good: 89 out of 100. Higher than 77% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 18.8 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 24% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 21% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 21% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    8 of 15

    62% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 10 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

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 30% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    89 of 89 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

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited 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 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 (6)
  1. $1.9 million spent. ACCESS TO JUSTICE - THE ACCESS TO JUSTICE PROJECT USES LITIGATION, ADVOCACY, AND ORGANIZING TO HELP PEOPLE AND WORKERS HARMED BY CORPORATE OR GOVERNMENTAL ABUSES BY FIGHTING AGAINST PROCEDURAL AND STRUCTURAL BARRIERS THAT PREVENT THEM FROM SEEKING SYSTEMIC CHANGE AND VINDICATING THEIR RIGHTS IN TRANSPARENT AND PUBLICLY ACCOUNTABLE FORUMS. THE PROJECT FIGHTS FOR WORKERS AND CONSUMERS AGAINST EFFORTS TO FORCE THEIR CLAIMS INTO ARBITRATION, PRESERVES PUBLIC ACCESS TO COURT RECORDS AND DISCOVERY MATERIALS, COMBATS NARROW APPLICATIONS OF ARTICLE III STANDING THAT KEEP INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS FROM PURSUING JUSTICE IN FEDERAL COURT, WORKS TO PRESERVE THE CLASS-ACTION DEVICE AS IT IS OFTEN THE ONLY ROUTE TO FORCE STRUCTURAL CHANGE, DISMANTLE IMMUNITY DOCTRINES AND OTHER PROCEDURAL BARRIERS TO MAKE THE CIVIL JUSTICE SYSTEM MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR INCARCERATED PEOPLE AND THEIR FAMILIES.
  2. $1.3 million spent. STUDENTS' CIVIL RIGHTS PROJECT - STUDENTS' CIVIL RIGHTS PROJECT COMBINES HIGH-IMPACT LITIGATION WITH OTHER ADVOCACY TOOLS TO COMBAT HARASSMENT AND OTHER FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION IN SCHOOLS. WE STRIVE TO CREATE SYSTEMIC CHANGE SO ALL STUDENTS CAN LEARN AND THRIVE, AND TO SECURE JUSTICE FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE DENIED EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES BASED ON THEIR RACE, NATIONAL ORIGIN, ETHNICITY, OR SEX, INCLUDING SEXUAL ORIENTATION, GENDER IDENTITY, AND GENDER EXPRESSION.
  3. $1.2 million spent. DEBTORS' PRISON PROJECT - THE DEBTORS' PRISON PROJECT IS DEDICATED TO FIGHTING THE CRIMINALIZATION OF POVERTY NATIONWIDE AT EVERY STAGE OF THE CRIMINAL LEGAL PROCESS: FROM ARREST THROUGH THE IMPOSITION AND COLLECTION OF FINES AND FEES. WORKING WITH ALLIES AND IMPACTED COMMUNITIES, WE USE STRATEGIC LITIGATION, ADVOCACY, AND EDUCATION TO ENSURE NO ONE IS JAILED SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY CAN'T PAY AND TO STOP GOVERNMENTS AND FOR-PROFIT CORPORATIONS FROM TREATING PEOPLE IMPACTED BY THE SYSTEM AS A REVENUE SOURCE TO EXPLOIT.
  4. $747,147 spent. COMMUNICATIONS - OUR COMMUNICATIONS WORK GROWS OUT OF OUR LEGAL WORK, FOCUSING AND AMPLIFYING OUR ON-GOING EFFORTS AT CHANGING UNJUST LAWS, DOCTRINES, RULES, AND PRACTICES. WE FOCUS ON CHANGING PUBLIC NARRATIVES THAT SEEK TO PRESERVE AND JUSTIFY SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC INJUSTICE AND USE STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS CAMPAIGNS TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH COMMUNITIES AND COALITION PARTNERS, ELEVATE OUR VISION OF A JUST AND EQUITABLE SOCIETY AND ADVOCATE FOR STRUCTURAL CHANGE.
  5. $475,942 spent. ENVIRONMENTAL ENFORCEMENT PROJECT - THE ENVIRONMENTAL ENFORCEMENT PROJECT GOES TO COURT TO FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE, SECURE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, AND MAKE POLLUTERS PAY. IT UTILIZES THE MOST POWERFUL TOOLS AVAILABLE TO CITIZENS BY ENFORCING OUR NATION'S ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS IN STATE AND FEDERAL COURT, AND HOLDING POLLUTERS TO ACCOUNT BY REQUIRING CORPORATIONS TO PAY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO FUND PROJECTS THAT CLEAN OUR LAND, AIR, AND WATER.
  6. $75,354 spent. OTHER PROGRAMS

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 November 6, 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 2024.

    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 June 1977.

    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 November 4, 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.