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Prison Fellowship Ministries

EIN 62-0988294 · Lansdowne, VA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood71 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

PRISON FELLOWSHIP WORKS TO RESTORE AMERICA'S CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AND THOSE IT AFFECTS. WE HELP MEN AND WOMEN REPLACE THE CYCLE OF BROKENNESS THAT LANDED THEM IN PRISON. (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)WE ADVOCATE FOR JUSTICE REFORM AND ACTIVATE GRASSROOTS NETWORKS TO DO THE SAME. WE EQUIP WARDENS TO BRING RESTORATIVE CHANGE TO THEIR FACILITIES. WE CARE FOR PRISONERS' FAMILIES AND HELP STRENGTHEN THE BOND BETWEEN CHILDREN AND THEIR PARENTS WHO ARE BEHIND BARS. WE CALL THE CHURCH TO LEAD THE WAY IN CARING FOR THOSE IMPACTED BY THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. AND WE DO IT ALL FROM A BIBLICAL WORLDVIEW.

Income
$70.3 million
Spending
$67.7 million
Spent on programs
69%
Reserves
2.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 92%
Employees
350
Volunteers
7,389
Highest pay
$390,658, president and ceo

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

Good: 71 out of 100. Higher than 55% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 2.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 22% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 4% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 3% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    69% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 24 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 31% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    13 of 14 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 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 (2)
  1. $40.8 million spent. PROGRAM MINISTRY:PRISON FELLOWSHIP STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS ARE IN PRISONS EACH DAY BUILDING COMMUNITIES OF GOOD CITIZENS THROUGH THE PRISON FELLOWSHIP ACADEMY AND PRISON FELLOWSHIP GROW, WHICH USE TARGETED CURRICULUM, COMPASSIONATE COACHES, AND RESTORATIVE COMMUNITY TO REPLACE PARTICIPANTS' CRIMINAL THINKING AND BEHAVIORS WITH RENEWED PURPOSE AND BIBLICALLY BASED LIFE PRINCIPLES. DURING FISCAL YEAR 2025, MEN AND WOMEN IN 229 ACADEMY AND GROW SITES IN 44 STATES PARTICIPATED IN THE YEAR LONG, EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAMS AS CHANGE AGENTS INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF PRISON. AS A RESULT, WE ARE SEEING INCARCERATED PEOPLE USE THEIR SENTENCES AS TIME TO FIND NEW, POSITIVE LIFE PATHS WITH PRISON FELLOWSHIP STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS AS THEIR GUIDES.PRISON FELLOWSHIP LEAD HELPED TO CULTIVATE PRISON FELLOWSHIP ACADEMY AND GROW GRADUATES INTO MATURE CHRISTIAN LEADERS WHO COMPLETED 70 DIFFERENT SERVICE PROJECTS THAT MADE AN IMPACT ON THEIR COMMUNITY.WITH THE HELP OF 7,389 IN-PRISON VOLUNTEERS WHO SERVED WITH PRISON FELLOWSHIP DURING FISCAL YEAR 2025, 5,640 INCARCERATED MEN AND WOMEN WERE IMPACTED BY PRISON FELLOWSHIP CLASSES, SEMINARS, OR INTENSIVE PROGRAMS. THROUGHOUT THE FISCAL YEAR, 186,173 BIBLES AND OTHER CHRISTIAN RESOURCES WERE DISTRIBUTED TO PRISONERS. THE MINISTRY ALSO DELIVERED 1,061,099 COPIES OF INSIDE JOURNAL, AN INSPIRATIONAL NEWSPAPER FOR THE PRISON POPULATION. ALSO, 145 OFFICIALS FROM VARIOUS STATE DEPARTMENTS OF CORRECTIONS HAVE GRADUATED FROM THE WARDEN EXCHANGE, A PROGRAM DESIGNED TO HELP CORRECTIONAL OFFICIALS MAKE THEIR PRISONS SAFER, MORE CONSTRUCTIVE, AND MORE SUPPORTIVE OF PRISONERS' REHABILITATION. IN NORTH DAKOTA THIS YEAR, PRISON FELLOWSHIP PILOTED THE PRISON CULTURE ASSESSMENT, A TOOL TO EVALUATE THE HEALTH OF A PRISON FACILITY'S CULTURE AND ITS CONDUCIVENESS TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF GOOD CITIZENSHIP.PRISON FELLOWSHIP ANGEL TREE SERVES INCARCERATED PARENTS BY MOBILIZING THE CHURCH TO SERVE THEIR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. EVERY CHRISTMAS, ANGEL TREE EQUIPS LOCAL CONGREGATIONS AND PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS TO MINISTER TO HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN BY DELIVERING A GIFT AND THE GOSPEL MESSAGE ON BEHALF OF THEIR INCARCERATED PARENTS. IN ADDITION, MANY OF OUR PARTNER CHURCHES MEET THE PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL, AND SPIRITUAL NEEDS OF PRISONERS' FAMILIES THROUGH YEAR-ROUND MINISTRIES SUCH AS CAMPING, SPORTS CAMPS, MENTORING, AND IN-CHURCH ACTIVITIES.THROUGH THESE PARTNERSHIPS, ANGEL TREE PROVIDES A PATHWAY FOR STRENGTHENING AND RESTORING PRISONERS' RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEIR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. IN FISCAL YEAR 2025, 97,671 PARENTS SUBMITTED APPLICATIONS FOR ANGEL TREE CHRISTMAS, AND MORE THAN 270,983 CHILDREN WERE ASSIGNED TO LOCAL ANGEL TREE PARTNERS WHO SERVE THEM AT CHRISTMAS. THROUGH A SCHOLARSHIP FROM ANGEL TREE, 5,707 CHILDREN WITH AN INCARCERATED PARENT ATTENDED CHRISTIAN SUMMER CAMP. ANGEL TREE HOSTED SPORTS CAMPS WHERE 1,673 CHILDREN WITH AN INCARCERATED PARENT GAINED SKILLS IN VARIOUS SPORTS FROM SEASONED COLLEGE PLAYERS AND CURRENT OR FORMER PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES AND LEARNED OF GOD'S LOVE. THIS YEAR, WE CONNECTED PRISONERS' FAMILIES IN FIVE FOCUS CITIES TO A COMMUNITY OF NONPROFIT PARTNERS THAT HAVE THE EXPERTISE AND THE HEART TO LEND A FIRST CHANCE TO ANGEL TREE CHILDREN. THIS VISION IS SUPPORTED IN PART BY THE FIRST AND SECOND CHANCES PHILANTHROPY COUNCIL, COMPOSED OF CORPORATIONS AND FOUNDATIONS SEEKING TO HOLISTICALLY SUPPORT CHILDREN WITH INCARCERATED PARENTS AND UNLOCK SECOND CHANCES FOR PEOPLE WITH A CRIMINAL RECORD. WITH THE SUPPORT OF ITS PARTNERS, PRISON FELLOWSHIP MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR 247 ANGEL TREE CHILDREN TO ATTEND STEM CAMPS WHERE THEY HONED THEIR SKILLS IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS.THROUGH OUR EVANGELISM EVENTS, WE INTRODUCE INCARCERATED MEN AND WOMEN TO A NEW FUTURE IN CHRIST AND NURTURE THEIR SPIRITUAL GROWTH, REACHING 13,888 PRISONERS AT 144 HOPE EVENTS THIS YEAR.
  2. $5.6 million spent. PUBLIC EDUCATION:PRISON FELLOWSHIP'S ADVOCACY TEAM COMMUNICATES TO CHURCHES, VOLUNTEERS, AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC THE POLICY AND LEGISLATIVE ISSUES PRISON FELLOWSHIP SUPPORTS ON STATE AND FEDERAL LEVELS. THIS WORK IS PERFORMED VIA DIRECT MAIL, NEWS AND INFORMATION OUTLETS, WEB POSTINGS, ONLINE WEBINARS, LIVE EVENTS, CONFERENCES, AND OTHER VARIOUS MEDIA. PRISON FELLOWSHIP'S CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM ADVOCACY TEAM EDUCATES OUR SUPPORTERS ABOUT THE NEED FOR FAIRER SENTENCING, A MORE CONSTRUCTIVE CORRECTIONAL CULTURE, AND SECOND CHANCES FOR THOSE WHO HAVE PAID THEIR DEBT TO SOCIETY.

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 January 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 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.