Indiana Innocence Project I

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
993127649
IRS 990 coverage
2025–2025
Forms available
Form 990 2025, Form 990-N 2024
Location
Indianapolis, IN, USA
Rating
68
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Legal Services

Reported finances

Revenue
$1,021,424
Expenses
$225,439
Assets
$808,436
Liabilities
$711

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

10 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • Frances L Watson (President)
  • Kristine Bunch (Vice President & Treasurer)

People named in this filing

  • Frances L Watson (President)
  • Valena Beety (Board Memeber)
  • Kristine Bunch (Vice President & Treasurer)

Selected names, not a complete roster or a statement of current roles. Open leadership details for the complete filed list.

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

The Indiana Innocence Network focuses on identifying, investigating, and litigating claims of factual innocence while advocating for systemic justice reform.

What it reported doing in 2025

Case Investigation and Litigation Beneficiaries Reached: In 2025, the organization represented 6 individuals who signed retainer agreements or reached the stage of filing legal motions (such as DNA testing or post-conviction relief). Legal Expertise: The program is led by a Legal Director and Legal Counsel, supported by 100 hours of pro bono attorney contributions. Case Intake and Screening Requests Processed: The network received 154 new letters requesting assistance in 2025. Measurable Outcomes: The team successfully processed 94 rejections and maintained an average initial screening time of 2 months. Volunteer Support: 15 traditional volunteers contributed approximately 200 hours to support intake, research, writing, and case research

Operating model

Revenue model
Grant-funded. 98% 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 - 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 some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 45
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 88
  • Sustainability: 86
  • Growth: NotEnoughData

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 22.9%; rating input score 23
  • Program expense ratio: 96.9%; rating input score 97
  • Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd 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; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 5 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 71
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Fail
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 77.9%; rating input score 97; 97th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 3.59; rating input score 78; 78th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 73; 73rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 78; 78th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: Limited
  • Revenue growth: Limited
  • Asset growth: Limited

Details

  • Where the money goes: 22.9% of revenue deployed · 96.9% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 7 of 7 board members independent · 5 of 7 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $219K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 10 people listed
  • Consistency: 21 of 21 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 3 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • 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.

  • High — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 23/100.
  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: 2 of 7 not reported.