Communities for Restorative Justice Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
451220191
IRS 990 coverage
2012–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Boston, MA, USA
Phone
6172946677
Rating
70
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Rehabilitation Services for Offenders

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$324,292
Expenses
$343,821
Assets
$517,295
Liabilities
$33,898

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

17 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • MARK ROBINSON (PRESIDENT UNTIL 9/17/25)
  • MATT HILLARD (VICE PRESIDENT)
  • ERIN FREEBORN (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR)

Highest reported compensation

  • ERIN FREEBORN (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $110,058 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

C4rj uses a circle process to help individuals to understand the harm they have caused and hold them accountable. We give those who have been affected a voice, in order to address the harm and build stronger, more respectful communities.

What it reported doing in 2024

Communities for restorative justice (c4rj) is a growing nonprofit that partners with 26 cities and towns, their police departments, and the offices of the middlesex county, suffolk county, and northwestern district attorneys to rebuild trust and offer a path forward in the wake of crime. We listen to victims, hold responsible parties accountable, and restore trust in communities. Our volunteer-led "circle" dialogue is called restorative justice. It's personal. It's powerful. And it's why c4rj is a proven, effective option within the justice system.we receive police and district attorney referrals and seek to include the people affected by crime in decision-making: victims (impacted parties), offenders (responsible parties), loved ones, supporters, community members, and law enforcement officials.c4rj took its first case in 2000 and has since worked with over 1,500 people impacted by crime. Our organization is driven by trained volunteers, is guided by a board of directors from the communities we serve, and employs an executive director five staff members and one fellow.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 66% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - The filed numbers largely add up and most voting board members are independent. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work and a relatively small share of total spending goes to programs.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 45
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 90
  • Sustainability: 33
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 51.2%; rating input score 51
  • Program expense ratio: 47.4%; rating input score 47
  • Fundraising efficiency: $1.85 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 9; 9th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 6 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 75
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Fail
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -6%; rating input score 28; 28th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.5; rating input score 52; 52nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.07; rating input score 30; 30th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 32%; rating input score 10; 10th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 7.7% per year; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 9.4% per year; rating input score 100; 70th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 9.4% per year; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 51.2% of revenue deployed · 47.4% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 15 of 15 board members independent · 6 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $163K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $110K · 17 people listed
  • Consistency: 28 of 28 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 4 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 13 filing years from 2012 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • Review — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 51/100.
  • Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Program expense ratio scored 47/100.
  • High — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 9/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: 2 of 8 not reported.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 28/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 52/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 10/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 30/100.