Compassion Prison Project

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
834253779
IRS 990 coverage
2020–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-N 2019
Location
Los Angeles, CA, USA
Phone
3104288908
Rating
71
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Prison Alternatives

Reported finances

Revenue
$641,040
Expenses
$1,251,709
Assets
$316,963
Liabilities
$25,913

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

Leadership & pay

9 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • FREDRIKA A HORSTMAN (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR & PRESI)

Highest reported compensation

  • FREDRIKA A HORSTMAN (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR & PRESI): $157,026 total reported compensation
  • JAYME YOUNGER (CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER): $117,692 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

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.

What it reported doing in 2024

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.

Operating model

Revenue model
Grant-funded. 66% of the money available for current operations came from government grants.
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 - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. A relatively small share of voting board members are independent and some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 84
  • Transparency & Controls: 70
  • Accountability: 56
  • Sustainability: 11
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
  • Program expense ratio: 76.4%; rating input score 76
  • Fundraising efficiency: $7.86 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 30; 30th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 1 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 17
    • Compensation committee: Missing
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Missing
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 55.6%; rating input score 56; 12th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 5 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 56
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Fail
    • Document-retention policy: Fail
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Missing
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -95.3%; rating input score 1; 1st percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.25; rating input score 12; 12th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.08; rating input score 45; 45th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 21.9%; rating input score 13; 13th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 41% per year; rating input score 100; 94th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 19.8% per year; rating input score 100; 85th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 34.9% per year; rating input score 100; 93rd percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 100% of revenue deployed · 76.4% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 5 of 9 board members independent · 5 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $956K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $157K · 9 people listed · 1 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Consistency: 26 of 26 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors and executive pay
  • Filing history: 5 filing years from 2020 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 2 filed money-flow records
  • 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.
  • Staff and benefit plans: Retirement and health plans the organization files with the Department of Labor, and the people in them.

Key Signals

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

  • Review — Accountability: Independent voting board scored 56/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: 3 of 8 not reported.
  • Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 30/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 1/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 12/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 13/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 45/100.