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Compassion Prison Project

EIN 83-4253779 · Los Angeles, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak45 out of 100GovernanceGood76 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION IS TO TRANSFORM PRISONS AND COMMUNITIES THROUGH COMPASSIONATE ACTION. OUR MAIN FOCUS IS ON CHILDHOOD TRAUMA AND HOW IT AFFECTS THE LIVES OF MEN AND WOMEN LIVING AND WORKING IN PRISONS. IN OUR RESEARCH, USING THE CDC/KAISER PERMANENTE ACES STUDY (ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES), WE HAVE SEEN THAT ACES ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY HIGH WITHIN THE PRISON SYSTEM. AT CPP, WE ARE FOCUSED ON BRINGING CHILDHOOD TRAUMA AWARENESS, EDUCATION AND HEALING TO PRISONS AND COMMUNITIES BOTH IN THE U.S. AND GLOBALLY.

Income
$641,040
Spending
$1.3 million
Spent on programs
76%
Reserves
2.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 66%
Employees
5
Volunteers
35
Highest pay
$157,026, executive director & presi

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

Weak: 45 out of 100. Higher than 12% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 2.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 8% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 95% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 47% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    76% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 13 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: 76 out of 100. Higher than 46% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    5 of 9 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.

  • Independent check of accounts

    6 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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. $956,240 spent. TRAUMA TALKS:OUR FLAGSHIP PROGRAM, TRAUMA TALKS, IS A DYNAMIC 16-PART EDUCATIONAL VIDEO SERIES WITH ACCOMPANYING WORKBOOK DESIGNED TO EDUCATE AND SPREAD AWARENESS ABOUT CHILDHOOD TRAUMA AND THE EFFECTS OF TRAUMA ON THE BRAIN, BODY AND SPIRIT. RENOWNED TRAUMA EXPERTS BRUCE PERRY, BESSEL VAN DER KOLK, GABOR MAT, PETER LEVINE, AS WELL AS SEVERAL OTHERS HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE SERIES. TRAUMA TALKS INTRODUCES VARIOUS HEALING MODALITIES AND CIRCLE DISCUSSIONS TO HELP INCARCERATED RESIDENTS PROCESS THEIR TRAUMA.COMPASSION TRAUMA CIRCLES: COMPASSION PRISON PROJECT RUNS ZOOM COMMUNITY CIRCLES WITH PEOPLE DIALING IN FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD. THE PURPOSE IS TO RAISE AWARENESS OF THE PREVALENCE OF ACES (ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES) ACROSS SOCIETY AND BEGIN THE PROCESS OF HEALING THROUGH EDUCATION AND OPEN DIALOGUE. WE RUN COMPASSION TRAUMA CIRCLES IN PRISONS AND TRANSITIONAL HOUSING CENTERS AS WELL.ACE SURVEY COLLECTION:COMPASSION PRISON PROJECT 'S WORK WITH PRISONS AND COMMUNITIES IS BASED ON THE CDC-KAISER PERMANENTE ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES (ACE) STUDY WHICH IS ONE OF THE LARGEST INVESTIGATIONS INTO CHILDHOOD ABUSE, NEGLECT AND LATER-LIFE HEALTH RISKS. COMPASSION PRISON PROJECT IS CURRENTLY COLLECTING ACE SURVEYS. WE HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED SURVEYS FROM 46 DIFFERENT STATES.CORRECTIONAL OFFICER TRAUMA TRAINING:THE AVERAGE LIFE EXPECTANCY OF A CORRECTIONAL OFFICER IS 59, THE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS BEING PTSD AND TRAUMA. OUR GOAL IS FOR PRISONS TO BECOME TRAUMA-INFORMED WHERE PRISON RESIDENTS AS WELL AS CORRECTIONAL PROFESSIONALS FEEL SAFE AND SEEN.RETURNING CITIZEN SUPPORT:COMPASSION PRISON PROJECT SUPPORTS RETURNING CITIZENS AT OUR WEEKLY ZOOM MEETING AND WE ARE CREATING IN PERSON AND ONLINE TRAUMA TALKS COURSES OF RETURNING CITIZENS AND THEIR FAMILIES. THE FOCUS IS ON PROVIDING RESOURCES, PRACTICAL TOOLS AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE IN COMMUNITY.COMPASSION IN ACTION, PODCAST AND YOUTUBE CHANNEL:COMPASSION PRISON PROJECT FOUNDER AND GUESTS DISCUSS THE OBJECTIVES AND APPROACHES INVOLVED IN BRINGING TRAUMA AWARENESS AND COMPASSIONATE HEALING TO THE FOREFRONT OF PUBLIC CONVERSATION. WE HAVE PRODUCED 15 PODCASTS WITH MORE ON THE WAY. GUESTS INCLUDE BESSEL VAN DER KOLK, DR. GABOR MAT, DR. BRUCE PERRY, DR. PETER LEVINE AND MORE. COMPASSION PRISON PUBLISHING COMPASSION PRISON PROJECT IS PUBLISHING A SERIES OF BOOKS BASED ON THE POETRY, ARTWORK, AND STORIES FROM MEN AND WOMEN INCARCERATED THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES.

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 August 2019.

    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.