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Ujima the National Center on Violence Against Women

EIN 85-3490414 · Washington, DC

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair54 out of 100GovernanceStrong95 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO MOBILIZE THE COMMUNITY TO RESPOND TO AND END DOMESTIC, SEXUAL AND COMMUNITY VIOLENCE IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY. WE ACTUALIZE THIS MISSION THROUGH RESEARCH, PUBLIC AWARENESS AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT. UJIMA SERVES AS A RESOURCE TO: SURVIVORS OF VIOLENCE, ADVOCATES AND SERVICE PROVIDERS, AND THE COMMUNITY AT-LARGE.

Income
$12.2 million
Spending
$11.3 million
Spent on programs
94%
Reserves
0.9 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 88%
Employees
25
Volunteers
6
Highest pay
$243,344, ceo/executive director

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 54 out of 100. Higher than 24% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    4 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 0.9 months of spending.

  • Debt

    5 of 20

    It owes 56% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 7% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 30% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    94% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 95 out of 100. Higher than 27% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    6 of 6 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

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • 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 September 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 (4)
  1. $4.8 million spent. TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE (45%): UJIMA STAFF PROVIDED TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND SITE VISITS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND TERRITORIES ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE FATALITY REVIEW TEAMS; SAFETY PLANNING; CULTURALLY SPECIFIC RESPONSES FOR COURTS AND COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAMS, AND PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION STRATEGIES FOR HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DATING, VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, AND STALKING. THIS INCLUDED, BUT WAS NOT LIMITED TO IN-PERSON LISTENING SESSIONS, RESOURCE CENTER WEBINARS, IN-PERSON WORKSHOPS, AND SEVERAL ADDITIONAL SESSIONS FOR EXTERNAL ORGANIZATIONS. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE SUPPORTED AGENCIES IN EXPANDING THEIR CULTURALLY SPECIFIC PROGRAMMING, STRENGTHENING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY, AND CREATING NEW TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES FOR STAFF, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS. UJIMA RESPONDED TO NUMEROUS INDIVIDUALIZED REQUESTS FOR SUPPORT AND REFERRALS, PROVIDING EXPERTISE ACROSS A RANGE OF AREAS INCLUDING SYSTEMS CHANGE, ADVOCACY STRATEGIES, SUSTAINABILITY, AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
  2. $2.7 million spent. COMMUNITY EDUCATION, AWARENESS, & OUTREACH (25%): FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH UJIMA PARTNERED WITH ESSENCE AND THE ALLSTATE FOUNDATION TO SHARE A POWERFUL TOWN HALL DISCUSSION, HELPING TO SPARK IMPORTANT CONVERSATIONS. WE ALSO CREATED ORIGINAL CONTENT HIGHLIGHTING THE MANY TYPES OF ABUSE AND CIRCULATED IT ACROSS ALL OUR DIGITAL PLATFORMS TO HELP BROADEN AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING. UJIMA BEGAN DEVELOPING AN AN INTERACTIVE MAP THAT WILL CONNECT SURVIVORS ACROSS THE U.S. TO CULTURALLY SPECIFIC SERVICE PROVIDERS TO BRIDGE THE GAPS THAT OFTEN EXIST IN AVAILABLE SERVICES. IT'S ABOUT MAKING SUPPORT EASIER TO FIND, FASTER TO ACCESS, AND MEETING SURVIVORS EXACTLY WHERE THEY ARE.
  3. $1.6 million spent. THE ARP DV/SA CULTURALLY SPECIFIC POPULATION AND VACCINATION, MOBILE SERVICES PROGRAMS. (15%): THIS YEAR UJIMA PRIORITIZED THE WELL-BEING OF ADVOCATES THROUGH INITIATIVES SUCH AS HEALING THE HEALERS, DINING FOR IMPACT, AND SAFE GIRL SUMMER, WHICH AFFIRMED THAT CARE FOR ADVOCATES IS ESSENTIAL TO SUSTAINING THEIR LONGEVITY AND WELL-BEING, AS ADVOCATES SERVE SURVIVORS. THESE PROJECTS REACHED ADVOCATES ACROSS MULTIPLE REGIONS AND WERE GROUNDED IN LOCAL CULTURE, COMMUNITY CARE, AND COLLECTIVE HEALING. FURTHERING ITS INVESTMENT IN THE WELL-BEING OF ADVOCATES, UJIMA EXPANDED EFFORTS FOCUSED ON YOUTH ENGAGEMENT AND PREVENTION THROUGH FORWARD-LOOKING INITIATIVES, SUCH AS CONNECTED AND PROTECTED AND THE TEEN + YOUTH ENGAGEMENT ADVISORY GROUP. THESE EFFORTS STRENGTHENED DIGITAL SAFETY AND VIOLENCE PREVENTION WHILE INTENTIONALLY ENGAGING NEW AND EMERGING ADVOCATES, PARTICULARLY YOUNG PEOPLE INTERESTED IN ADVOCACY, BY PROVIDING EDUCATION, ADVOCACY TRAINING, AND PATHWAYS INTO THE FIELD. THIS PROGRAM ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2025.
  4. $1.6 million spent. RESEARCH (10%): UJIMA, IN COLLABORATION WITH ESPERANZA UNITED AND THE ASIAN PACIFIC INSTITUTE ON GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE, CONTINUED WORK ON THE SECOND ITERATION OF A CULTURALLY SPECIFIC NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND FACTSHEET, SCHEDULED FOR DISSEMINATION IN SPRING 2025. THIS PROJECT EXTENDS EARLIER COLLABORATIONS, INCLUDING THE COFFEE, CHARLA, AND CHAI WEBINAR SERIES, WHICH BROUGHT CULTURALLY SPECIFIC RESOURCE CENTERS TOGETHER TO AMPLIFY THE DIVERSE EXPERIENCES OF SURVIVORS.UJIMA STAFF BEGAN A RESEARCH PROJECT EXAMINING VIOLENT CRIME TRENDS FROM THE PAST FIVE YEARS, WITH A SPECIFIC FOCUS ON HOW RATES OF MURDER, RAPE, ASSAULT, AND ROBBERY INTERSECT WITH INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE. SPECIAL ATTENTION WAS GIVEN TO UNDERSTANDING WHETHER INCIDENTS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT HAVE INCREASED EVEN AS OVERALL VIOLENT CRIME HAS SHIFTED. THIS INITIAL RESEARCH RESULTED IN A PRELIMINARY DATA SET AND IDENTIFIED KEY AREAS REQUIRING DEEPER EXPLORATION AND CLARIFICATION, HELPING TO INFORM FUTURE DATA-DRIVEN PROGRAMMING AND ADVOCACY WORKSYSTEMS CHANGE, POLICY & ADVOCACY (5%): UJIMA STAFF CONTINUE TO ENGAGE IN POLICY DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES IN SUPPORT OF SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DATING VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, AND STALKING. UJIMA STAFF PARTICIPATED IN REGULAR MEETINGS OF THE NATIONAL TASK FORCE TO END SEXUAL AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE (NTF) AND THE TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE RESOURCE NETWORK (TTA RN). WHILE THE NTF AND TTA RN ARE FOCUSED ON THE DEVELOPMENT, PASSAGE, AND IMPLEMENTATION OF EFFECTIVE PUBLIC POLICY, UJIMA STAFF PROVIDE FEEDBACK, EXPERIENCE, AND EXPERTISE ON ISSUES AFFECTING THE BLACK COMMUNITY.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 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 September 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 May 2021.

    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.