Vera Institute of Justice is an independent, nonpartisan nonprofit organization headquartered in Brooklyn, New York. Founded in 1962, the organization combines expertise in research, demonstration projects, and technical assistance to help leaders in government and civil society improve the systems people rely on for justice and safety. Vera operates offices in New York City, Washington DC, New Orleans, and Los Angeles, with projects and reform initiatives typically conducted in partnership with local, state, or national officials across the United States and internationally.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$167.5M
-34.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$9.5M
-34.6% YoY
Grant Count
44
-35.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$216K
+1.0% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission Statement: Vera is committed to ending the overcriminalization and mass incarceration of people of color, immigrants, and people experiencing poverty. The organization's vision is to build safe, healthy, empowered communities and a fair, accountable justice system.
Primary Focus Areas:
The organization addresses the most pressing injustices of the day, including:
- Causes and consequences of mass incarceration
- Racial disparities in the criminal justice system
- Loss of public trust in law enforcement
- Unmet needs of vulnerable and marginalized populations
- Harm experienced by crime and violence victims
Key Program Areas:
- Restoring Promise: An initiative that seeks to transform prison cultures, climates, and spaces by partnering with correctional leaders to reimagine housing units for young adults and realign corrections policies and practices with a commitment to human dignity
- Advancing Universal Representation: A national movement driving universal representation initiatives
- Legal Services: Programs providing legal services to vulnerable populations, including unaccompanied minors
Grantmaking
Vera Institute of Justice makes grants to support justice reform initiatives. Based on the most recent IRS Form 990 filing (2024):
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Vera's grantmaking and reform initiatives focus primarily on:
- New York
- California
- Texas
- Washington DC
- New Orleans
- Los Angeles
The organization also conducts projects and reform initiatives across the United States and around the world.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024 (Most Recent Filing):
- Total Assets: $167,541,428
- Total Revenue: $142,283,899
- Total Expenses: $151,205,102
- Total Giving: $9,493,388
Historical Financials:
- 2023 Revenue: $263,000,000
- 2023 Expenses: $262,000,000
- 2023 Total Assets: $256,000,000
- 2023 Total Liabilities: $128,000,000
Staffing:
- 383–417 employees (figures vary by reporting year)
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $167,541,428 | $256,287,526 | $247,197,850 |
| Revenue | $142,283,899 | $263,167,197 | $265,119,422 |
| Expenses | $151,205,102 | $262,476,408 | $245,436,672 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $2,476,525 | $2,967,365 | $1,219,371 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
244 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
President and Director: Nicholas Turner
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| DAMIEN DWIN | CHAIR | 1 | — |
| DEBO P ADEGBILE | VICE CHAIR | 1 | — |
| EVAN C GUILLEMIN | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| CARON BUTLER | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| NELSON O FITTS | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| HELAM GEBREMARIAM | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| JOHN GLEESON | TRUSTEE, THRU 12/31/2023 | 1 | — |
| DAVID KLAFTER | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| LILI LYNTON | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| JOHN MADSEN | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| BARI MATTES | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| KHALIL GIBRAN MUHAMMAD | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| DANYA PERRY | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| JUSTIN TUCK | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| LOLA VELAZQUEZ-AGUILU | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| ANILU VAZQUEZ-UBARRI | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| TALI FARHADIAN WEINSTEIN | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| NICHOLAS R TURNER | PRESIDENT AND DIRECTOR | 40 | $612,139 |
| EDWARD KWANGYOON CHUNG | VP, INITIATIVES | 40 | $323,759 |
| INSHA RAHMAN | VP, ADVOCACY & PARTNERSHIP | 40 | $299,184 |
| THERESA RAFFAELE JEFFERSON | VP, COMMS. & EXTERNAL AFFAIRS | 40 | $276,258 |
| ADAIR H IACONO | GENERAL COUNSEL & SECRETARY | 40 | $265,840 |
| STACEY STRONGARONE | VP, CHIEF OF STAFF | 40 | $262,101 |
| GRETCHEN HASKINS PAGE | VP, DEVELOPMENT | 40 | $251,636 |
| JAMES PARSONS VP RESEARCH | & MONITORING EVALUATION & LEARNING | 40 | $245,986 |
| TRACEY THOMAS-WILMOT | VP, CHIEF PEOPLE OFFICER | 40 | $230,874 |
| GREGORY M KLEMM CFO COO | ASSISTANT TREASURER, THRU 8/25/23 | 40 | $199,321 |
| MARGARET R DIZEREGA | MANAGING DIR., INITIATIVES | 40 | $224,764 |
| VICTOR OSAMUDIAME OBASEKI | MANAGING DIR., RACE, EQUITY, INCL. | 40 | $217,326 |
| VINA MORRIS DIRECTOR | TECHNOLOGY ADVANCEMENT & OPERATIONS | 40 | $213,858 |
| DAVID NIDIFFER | DIRECTOR OF FINANCE | 40 | $206,141 |
| NINA SIULC | DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH, INITIATIVES | 40 | $199,153 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
Vera Institute of Justice was selected to lead a multi-state effort to transform cultures, climates, and spaces in prisons through the "Designed for Dignity" initiative, which is funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA).
Vera Institute of Justice and Coalition File Federal Class Action ChallengingThe organization received a grant of $250,000 in March 2023, led by Chubb.
The Unaccompanied Children Program, which provided legal services to unaccompanied minors under care with health and human services, was transitioned to the Acacia Center for Justice as of December 1, 2023.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Similar funders by location and focus area
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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