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Designing Justice & Designing Spaces

EIN 81-2658023 · Oakland, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair60 out of 100GovernanceStrong92 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

WE ARE AN ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN FIRM, REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT FIRM, AND NON-PROFIT WORKING TO END MASS INCARCERATION. OUR MISSION AND VISION IS TO USE ARCHITECTURE TO ADDRESS THE RACISM, POVERTY, AND UNEQUAL ACCESS TO RESOURCES CAUSED BY THE CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM ITSELF. OUR WORK COUNTERS THE TRADITIONAL ADVERSARIAL AND PUNITIVE ARCHITECTURE OF JUSTICE--COURTHOUSES, PRISONS, AND JAILS--BY CREATING SPACES AND BUILDINGS FOR RESTORATIVE JUSTICE, COMMUNITY BUILDING, AND HOUSING FOR PEOPLE COMING OUT OF INCARCERATION.

Income
$3.2 million
Spending
$4.3 million
Spent on programs
79%
Reserves
4.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 83%
Employees
19
Volunteers
6
Highest pay
$180,721, director of community engagement

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: 60 out of 100. Higher than 27% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 4.2 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 4% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 33% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 17% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    79% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 15 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: 92 out of 100. Higher than 46% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    5 of 6 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

    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 (1)
  1. $3.3 million spent. WE ARE AN OAKLAND-BASED ARCHITECTURE AND REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT NON-PROFIT WORKING TO END MASS INCARCERATION THROUGH PLACE-BASED SOLUTIONS THAT ADDRESS ITS ROOT CAUSES: POVERTY, RACISM, UNEQUAL ACCESS TO RESOURCES, AND THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM ITSELF. OUR WORK COUNTERS THE TRADITIONAL ADVERSARIAL AND PUNITIVE ARCHITECTURE OF JUSTICE--COURTHOUSES, PRISONS, AND JAILS--BY CREATING SPACES AND BUILDINGS FOR RESTORATIVE JUSTICE, COMMUNITY BUILDING, AND HOUSING FOR PEOPLE COMING OUT OF INCARCERATION.OUR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES INCLUDE: (I) FULL ARCHITECTURE SERVICES, WHERE WE PROVIDE NONPROFIT SERVICE PROVIDERS, COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS WITH AFFORDABLE PROFESSIONAL FULL ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES; (II) THE DJDS INSTITUTE, WHICH DOES RESEARCH & EVALUATION, CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT, ADVOCACY & COMMUNICATIONS, TOOLKIT(S), PUBLIC SPEAKING, CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS, AND CONSULTING; AND (III) REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT, INCLUDING PURCHASING AND REDEVELOPING PROPERTIES, CONVENING CO-DEVELOPER PARTNERSHIPS THAT BUILD MULTI-USE RESOURCE HUBS WITHIN COMMERCIAL PROJECTS, FEASIBILITY ANALYSIS FOR INNOVATIVE HOUSING MODELS, AND THE OWNERSHIP OF REAL ESTATE AS AN ORGANIZATION OURSELVES.AT DJDS, WE ARE BUILDING PILOT PROJECTS THAT ARE ESSENTIAL TO MOVE US TOWARD A WORLD WITHOUT PRISONS AND JAILS. AS AN INTERDISCIPLINARY CREATIVE FIRM, WE COMBINE EXPERTISE IN ARCHITECTURE, REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND ADVOCACY TO DEVELOP PROTOTYPE PROJECTS THAT WILL SERVE AS MODELS FOR BUILDING TYPOLOGIES THAT SUPPORT THE TRANSFORMATION OF OUR COMMUNITIES AND THE TRANSFORMATION OF OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM FROM PUNITIVE TO RESTORATIVE.

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 2017.

    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.

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