Restorative Justice Institute

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
923024638
IRS 990 coverage
2024–2025
Forms available
Form 990 2025, Form 990-N 2023
Location
Pasadena, CA, USA
Phone
6263995695
Rating
77
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Religion Related N.E.C.
Affiliation
Religious (unspecified)

Reported finances

Revenue
$512,299
Expenses
$515,184
Assets
$251,656
Liabilities
$676

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

Leadership & pay

9 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • JOHN M WILLIAMS (Executive Dir.): $100,000 total reported compensation

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

Overview

Mission

Form 990 Part III Line 1 - Organization MissionOur experience of racial reconciliation is that it is contextual, communal, creative, and justice-oriented. Each event, cohort, training, and tour The Center leads is framed through the lens of violence, resistance, and resilience. Through this framework, our purpose is to create and mobilize reconciling communities both locally and nationally. The aim for each program is to facilitate dialogue and use interactive exercises as a core element of the offerings. Our programs are designed to introduce participants to the deceptive and destructive effects of racism in our lives and the body of Christ, and present opportunities to learn and experience the work of racial justice within a biblical framework. Through our guest speakers and interactive events, participants are introduced to diverse theological perspectives and encouraged to engage these perspectives in their everyday practices. Participants are surrounded by both learners and reconc

What it reported doing in 2025

Form 990 Part III Line 4a - Racial Reconciliation Workshops 1.0 & 2.0The workshops create a space where participants engage through conversation, experiences, and learning. Christ calls us to curate a common memory that articulates how systemic injustice and unrepentant sin distort Christian ethics and discipleship, obstructing justice and communion. -Initiation: These workshops have been conducted since 2017. -Execution: They are conducted by trained facilitators in churches and community centers across Pasadena and beyond. -Purpose: Workshop 1.0 examines systemic oppression, historical impacts, and racial identity in faith communities, introducing lament as a spiritual discipline. Workshop 2.0 delves deeper into cultural and systemic racism and the theology and practice of reconciliation. -Methodology: Utilizing scripture, history, experiential learning, and practical exercises, these workshops empower participants to engage in reconciling communities.

Operating model

Revenue model
Mixed. Its operating money came from several sources; no one source provided a clear majority.
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.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered and expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 74
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 70
  • Sustainability: 30
  • Growth: 80

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 75%; rating input score 75
  • Program expense ratio: 74.5%; rating input score 75
  • Fundraising efficiency: $29.98 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 65; 65th 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: 75%; rating input score 75; 19th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 5 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 62
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Missing
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: -0.6%; rating input score 28; 28th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.49; rating input score 24; 24th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 69; 69th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 19.4%; rating input score 17; 17th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 134.1% per year; rating input score 100; 99th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 24.6% per year; rating input score 100; 87th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: -8.5% per year; rating input score 0; 4th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 75% of revenue deployed · 74.5% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 6 of 8 board members independent · 5 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $384K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $100K · 9 people listed
  • Consistency: 26 of 26 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 2 filing years from 2024 to 2025
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
  • Related organizations: Filed and resolved organization relationships.
  • 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 — Accountability: Governance controls: 2 of 7 not reported.
  • High — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 28/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 24/100.
  • High — Growth: Asset growth scored 0/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 17/100.