Prison Fellowship International

What it reported doing in 2024

Serving prisonersmore than 12 million prisoners worldwide are locked away and forgotten in environments where they often experience danger, isolation and identity loss. Without a rehabilitation plan, most who re-enter society find themselves behind bars again within five years. This hopeless cycle affects each prisoner, along with their families and communities. Prison fellowship international (pfi) seeks to break the cycle of crime and restore lives, worldwide, through jesus' love. Through transformative programs and practices implemented via its global network of more than 120 national affiliate ministries, pfi pursues restoration and healing in response to crime so that incarcerated men and women are transformed, relationships are reconciled and communities are restored. Since 2014, the prisoner's journey (tpj) has been changing prisoners' lives by helping them learn more about jesus and form a restorative relationship with him. The program is implemented in three phases: an invitation to enroll in the course at an event, eight weeks of small group meetings to learn about who jesus is, what he calls them to do and what he wants for their lives, and the reception of a bible alongside an invitation to enroll in additional discipleship programs to develop a deeper knowledge of jesus all facilitated inside prisons by trained prisoners or volunteers. A study conducted by baylor university showed that program involvement increases prisoners' motivation for identity transformation, a sense of meaning in life and virtuous characteristics (forgiveness, accountability, responsibility, gratitude, self-control) while decreasing negative emotional states and the likelihood of engaging in interpersonal aggression. This means that tpj increases indicators of successful rehabilitation and actions that typically lead to positive culture change in prisons. Since program inception, more than one million prisoners have graduated from the program, with 72% of graduates continuing to follow-on discipleship programs. In fy25, tpj operated in prisons in 35 countries around the world.low literacy levels, lack of translated scripture materials and technology access pose significant barriers to prisoner access to the gospel. Prison fellowship international's in-prison program, the listener's way (tlw) removes these barriers by bringing audio scripture to prisoners in their heart language. The program provides audio devices that are specifically designed to work in low bandwidth environments so prisoners can gather to listen to the bible in audio form and engage with follow up questions and sample prayers written to relate to their unique in-prison context. Throughout fy25, pfi expanded tlw to include five additional study units to enable program participants to explore more of the bible once they completed the initial unit on the gospel of luke. This expanded version also comes with new devices, including personal audio bibles to be presented to program graduates upon their release from prison so that they can continue their scripture engagement journey in their communities. Since program inception in 2022, more than 146,000 prisoners have graduated from the program. In fy25, tlw operated in prisons in 30 countries around the world. Restorative practices help repair criminal harm by emphasizing accountability, forgiveness and making amends. When victims, prisoners and community members meet to do that, the results are transformational. Using an eight-session curriculum based on the story of zacchaeus, sycamore tree project: justice and peace (stp) increases prisoners' awareness of how crime harms victims, what is needed to make amends and how to be peacemakers in the future. Prison officials, chaplains and law enforcement have reported that many participants have significant changes in attitudes and often no longer view crime as acceptable, making it less likely that they will re-offend once released. Many victim participants of the program also repo

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 56.7%; rating input score 57
• Program expense ratio: 76%; rating input score 76
• Fundraising efficiency: $6.01 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 24; 24th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 94.4%; rating input score 94; 22nd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 3 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 50
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Pass
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: 2 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 25
  • Claims monitoring procedures: Pass
  • Requires narrative reports: Fail
  • Conducts field audits: Fail
  • May suspend future funding: Fail
  • Requires financial reports: Pass
  • Conducts site visits: Fail
  • Requires grant agreements: Fail
  • May require repayment: Fail
• Grant itemization coverage: 95.2%; rating input score 95; 25th percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Yes; rating input score 100

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 66th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 8 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 89
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 25.6%; rating input score 86; 86th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.53; rating input score 52; 52nd percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.05; rating input score 84; 84th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 10.1%; rating input score 20; 20th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 9.1% per year; rating input score 100; 67th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 11.2% per year; rating input score 100; 78th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 11.4% per year; rating input score 100; 70th percentile among comparable filings