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Center for Justice & Accountability

EIN 94-3299686 · San Francisco, CA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood89 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE CENTER FOR JUSTICE AND ACCOUNTABILITY (CJA) IS AN INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO DETERRING TORTURE, WAR CRIMES, CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY AND OTHER SEVERE HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES AROUND THE WORLD THROUGH LITIGATION, POLICY ADVOCACY AND OUTREACH IN PURSUIT OF TRUTH, JUSTICE AND REDRESS FOR VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS.

Income
$5.4 million
Spending
$5.1 million
Spent on programs
91%
Reserves
7 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 76%
Employees
17
Volunteers
54
Highest pay
$199,649, deputy executive director

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: 89 out of 100. Higher than 74% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 7.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 17% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 5% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 28% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    91% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 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 57% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    13 of 13 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 (1)
  1. $4.6 million spent. CJA IS A LEADING U.S.-BASED ORGANIZATION WORKING WITH SURVIVORS AND COMMUNITIES IMPACTED BY ATROCITY CRIMES IN SEEKING TRUTH, JUSTICE, AND REDRESS. THROUGH INNOVATIVE HIGH-IMPACT LITIGATION, CJA HAS BROUGHT CASES AGAINST HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATORS FROM BOSNIA, CAMBODIA, CHILE, CHINA, COLOMBIA, EL SALVADOR, GUATEMALA, HAITI, HONDURAS, INDONESIA, LIBERIA, PERU, SOMALIA, SRI LANKA, SYRIA AND THE UNITED STATES. ADDITIONALLY, CJA PARTICIPATES IN OTHER CASES OF IMPORTANCE TO THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMUNITY AS AMICUS CURIAE IN HUMAN RIGHTS CASES IN THE U.S. AS WELL AS ADVOCACY BEFORE UNITED NATIONS AND REGIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS BODIES. CJA ALSO SUPPORTS INITIATIVES THAT ADVANCE THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT'S COMMITMENT TO CRIMINALLY PROSECUTE HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSERS. CJA WORKS ON AN ONGOING BASIS WITH U.S. AND INTERNATIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT. CJA INTEGRATES OTHER INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES TO HOLD HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSERS ACCOUNTABLE. CJA PAIRS SURVIVOR-CENTERED LITIGATION WITH TRANSITIONAL JUSTICE PROJECTS, IN WHICH CJA WORKS ALONGSIDE LAWYERS AND HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS FROM IMPACTED COMMUNITIES IN JOINT CASE INVESTIGATION AND DEVELOPMENT. CJA ENGAGES IN ADVOCACY TO ENSURE THAT THERE ARE LEGAL REMEDIES TO HOLD HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATORS ACCOUNTABLE, WHEREVER THEY MAY BE FOUND. CJA PARTNERS WITH PRO BONO LAWYERS TO LITIGATE OUR CASES. DURING THE 2024-25 FISCAL YEAR, CJA'S PRO BONO PARTNERS DONATED SERVICES AND PROFESSIONAL OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES VALUED AT APPROXIMATELY $8,347,007. CJA ALSO LEVERAGES PARTNERSHIPS WITH LEADING ACADEMIC CENTERS, FORENSIC, MILITARY AND COUNTRY EXPERTS, SURVIVOR COALITIONS, MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS, TORTURE TREATMENT CENTERS, AND FRONTLINE NGOS. THESE PARTNERSHIPS ARE FOUNDATIONAL TO OUR SUCCESS IN INVESTIGATING NEW CASES, ENSURING A SURVIVOR-CENTERED APPROACH TO JUSTICE, AND ENGAGING IN TRANSNATIONAL LITIGATION THAT HAS IMPACT IN THE COUNTRIES WHERE THE CRIMES ORIGINALLY TOOK PLACE. THE IMPACT OF CJA'S WORK CAN BE MEASURED IN AT LEAST FIVE IMPORTANT WAYS: 1. THE USE OF CJA'S CASES AROUND THE WORLD AS A CATALYST AND SUPPORT FOR DOMESTIC ACCOUNTABILITY MOVEMENTS. 2. THE DEVELOPMENT OF A BODY OF INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS JURISPRUDENCE. 3. THE HISTORIC RECORD OF TRUTH OUR CASES CREATE. 4. THE THERAPEUTIC BENEFITS THAT SURVIVORS OF GROSS HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES EXPERIENCE AS A RESULT OF PARTICIPATING IN JUSTICE PROCESSES. 5. THE DOMESTICATION OF INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS NORMS IN THE UNITED STATES THROUGH CJA'S HUMAN RIGHTS LITIGATION IN U.S. COURTS. CJA MADE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS IN SEVERAL OF ITS CASES BEFORE THE COURTS ON ACCOUNTABILITY FOR ATROCITY CRIMES. CJA ALSO FILED BRIEFS AS AMICUS CURIAE IN CASES PENDING IN U.S. APPELLATE COURTS. THROUGH ITS CAPACITY BUILDING WORK, CJA PROVIDES ADVICE AND ASSISTANCE TO LOCAL LAWYERS AND HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS ON COLLECTION, PRESERVATION AND ANALYSIS OF EVIDENCE TO ASSIST IN HOLDING PERPETRATORS OF ATROCITY CRIMES ACCOUNTABLE. MORE INFORMATION IS AT WWW.CJA.ORG.

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 December 1999.

    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.