Justice Forward Virginia
Public records raise at least one point you should look into before giving.
What it says it does
The mission of Justice Forward Virginia which incorporated in 2020 is to bring attention to the urgent need for criminal legal system reform in Virginia to research and develop model criminal legal system reform policy and to advocate for reforms that will protect civil and human rights of disadvantaged persons in the criminal legal system thereby promoting safer and more equitable communities.
- Income
- $191,981
- Spending
- $172,886
- Highest pay
- $60,880, executive director
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. How we rate
Financial health
We do not score finances when yearly spending is very small or the return has too little detail. The ratios stop meaning much at that size.
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. How we rate
Governance
This organization files the short tax form, which does not ask about boards, policies or audits. That is normal for a small charity and is not a mark against it.
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. 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)
- $100,391 spent. In 2025 Justice Forward Virginia worked on a variety of issues both alone and in coalition with other groups to achieve two goals. First was to protect the progress that was made in reforming the criminal legal system in Virginia in prior years and second was to advance new reforms to help further that progress. The organization sought to educate the public and legislators about how the changes made to the criminal system in prior sessions were playing out in practice and most importantly to show them through the use of data that these reforms had no negative impact on public safety. In terms of new reforms Justice Forward worked with other groups to promote change to the law including increasing court appointed attorney pay fixing the first offender drug possession statute putting guardrails on mass surveillance technology and changing the failure to appear statute.
- $50,000 spent. The Clean Slate Initiative granted funds to JFV for the benefit of a 501c3 organization to provide information to communities impacted by record sealing legislation passed in the Commonwealth in 2021.
Source: Form 990EZ for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. 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)(4) social welfare organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 November 6, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Caution.
The IRS master file records contributions to this 501(c)(4) social welfare organization as not deductible.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since July 2023.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 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.