Project Return Inc

What it reported doing in 2025

Overview of services: project return continues to meet people where they are-even though they are often several steps behind their counterparts of just a few years ago. We create an individualized plan to help each client access the resources needed for employment success. Examples of the services we provide include: building employability skills and connecting people to specialized, short-term job training in high-demand occupations. Helping clients arrange transportation to get to and from training or work. Assisting with the cost of tuition or textbooks. Offering free, donated clothing from our resource room, as well as hygiene kits. Purchasing work tools or specialized, safety clothing. Helping people obtain food and housing. Providing training that prepares clients for leadership roles at work and in the community.circles of support our circles of support program continues to grow! These small groups meet regularly to provide a stable, supportive network to individuals returning from incarceration. They help to overcome the social isolation and stigma that those returning from incarceration encounter and enable them to realize new possibilities in their lives. Last year a record-setting 391 formerly incarcerated people participated in one of our 13 circles. Additional circles of support are planned in 2025, including two that will be offered inside correctional facilities for individuals who are close to their release dates. We are currently in the midst of a research collaboration with marquette university and uwm to assess the impact of our circles program on re-entry success and will be excited to share results when they become available mid-year. At the core of our strategy across all programs is our reliance on peer specialists. We believe that formerly incarcerated people, board, staff, and volunteers have insight and perspectives essential to our work. We prioritize their input and believe it should have a direct imprint on our work with clients, as well as our advocacy efforts. Advocacy advocacy is essential in changing community mindsets and reducing systemic barriers to re-entry success. Along with other stakeholders, project return has advocated for added funding for milwaukee county's mental health treatment court. The goal of the treatment court is to break the cycle of criminal behavior for individuals struggling with mental illness through court-ordered, long-term behavioral health treatment with intensive court supervision. At one time a pilot project, the court now has a full-time coordinator and strong support from the chief judge of milwaukee county's circuit court. Housing initiative as seen by the large number of clients who are desperate to find housing, too many people return home only to find they no longer have one. According to the report who's coming home? (data you can use, 2021), about 42% (1,042) of the individuals who return to milwaukee from prison each year do not have a stable place to live. Research shows that finding stable housing within a month of release reduces the chances of returning to prison; conversely, individuals who enter a homeless shelter within the first two years after release are more likely to be re-incarcerated. For years, project return has worked with landlords to open up housing opportunities to clients who are in need. We have seen our clients struggle repeatedly to find safe, affordable housing a prerequisite to moving ahead in their lives. It is not easy to find and keep a job if you do not have a stable place to live! The project return board of directors is committed to moving ahead with plans to provide secure, affordable housing for people facing homelessness upon release from incarceration.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 75.1%; rating input score 75
• Program expense ratio: 78.4%; rating input score 78
• Fundraising efficiency: $7 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 24; 24th percentile among comparable filings

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: 84.6%; rating input score 85; 23rd percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 5 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 62
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Fail
  • Whistleblower policy: Fail
  • 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: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 4.2%; rating input score 43; 43rd percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.31; rating input score 16; 16th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.09; rating input score 36; 36th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 11.1%; rating input score 34; 34th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 9.6% per year; rating input score 100; 56th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 9.8% per year; rating input score 100; 60th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 4% per year; rating input score 100; 31st percentile among comparable filings