irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $555KCORPORATE CAMPAIGNS - WORTH RISES WORKS TO WEAKEN THE FINANCIAL STABILITY OF THE PRISON INDUSTRY TO DIMINISH ITS POWER OVER POLICY. WE UNDERMINE THE INDUSTRY'S REVENUE SOURCES, INCREASE THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS, REDUCE ACCESS TO CAPITAL, AND DECREASE THE POOL OF INVESTORS.
- #2 $350KPUBLIC EDUCATION - WORTH RISES CONDUCTS RESEARCH, COLLECTS DATA, AND PERFORMS ORIGINAL ANALYSES AIMED AT UNMASKING THE HARMS CAUSED BY THE PRISON INDUSTRY. UNDERSTANDING THE MOBILIZING POWER OF KNOWLEDGE, WE TRANSFORM OUR RESEARCH, DATA, AND ANALYSES INTO ACCESSIBLE AND COMPELLING CONTENT ALONGSIDE THE REAL STORIES OF DIRECTLY IMPACTED COMMUNITIES TO INCREASE AWARENESS AND SHIFT THE DISCOURSE AROUND MASS INCARCERATION.
named programs · 3 · from sources
What they call their work
Corporate Campaigns
Works to weaken the financial stability of the prison industry by targeting revenue sources, increasing business costs, reducing access to capital, and decreasing investor interest.
Policy Campaigns
Organizes and supports campaigns that challenge policies, institutions, and individuals who profit from mass incarceration, empowering communities and advocates to take action.
Public Education
Conducts research and data analysis to expose harms caused by the prison industry and transforms findings into accessible content to shift public discourse and increase awareness.
activities · 6 groups
What they do
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Criminal Justice Policy Advocacy 4 activities
- Advocating for free prison and jail communication policiesLeads policy campaigns to eliminate costs for phone and video calls in state prisons and local jails, achieving legislative and administrative changes in New York, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Colorado, California, and Connecticut, collectively saving families tens of millions of dollars annually.
- Co-developing federal policy blueprints to end carceral profiteeringCo-released a federal policy roadmap with Color Of Change calling on the Biden-Harris Administration to end corporate profiteering in healthcare, telecommunications, food, financial services, electronic monitoring, and labor within the carceral system.
- Conducting corporate accountability campaigns against prison industry profiteersRuns targeted campaigns to weaken the financial stability of companies profiting from incarceration by reducing investor participation, increasing business costs, and disrupting revenue streams, including efforts that contributed to Securus’ financial default and the dissolution of Atlantic Avenue’s acquisition attempt.
- Conducting research on the prison industry and corporate profiteering from incarcerationProduces in-depth research, reports, and data analysis exposing how private corporations and government entities profit from mass incarceration and mass surveillance. This includes publishing systematic evaluations of policy campaigns, cost-benefit analyses of ending prison labor exploitation, and digital reports on immigration detention profiteering.
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Curated Art Exhibitions and Public Displays 1 activity
- Hosting art exhibitions featuring incarcerated artistsOrganizes live exhibitions at venues such as the Urban Justice Center, NYU Gallatin Galleries, REVOLVE at SOUTH RAMP Studio, and the M.J. Freed Theater, and maintains an online gallery to showcase artwork beyond physical events.
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Digital Donation Processing Platforms 1 activity
- Operating digital engagement platforms for advocacy participationEnables supporters to sign petitions, complete surveys, contact elected officials and corporate leaders, and make donations through its website, using collected information to facilitate email campaigns and user actions.
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Artist Support Grants 1 activity
- Providing financial support to incarcerated artistsOffers financial awards to incarcerated artists whose work is featured in exhibitions, supporting their creative expression and compensating them for their contributions.
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Nonprofit Investigative & Community Journalism 1 activity
- Publishing educational materials on the prison industryProduces and distributes accessible educational content including the textbook "The Prison Industry: How It Works and Who Profits," impact reports, and digital publications that combine historical analysis, personal narratives, and data to inform public discourse.
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Uncategorized 6 activities
- Advocating against corporate involvement in executionsOrganized public pressure campaigns that led FDR Safety to withdraw from a contract with Alabama related to nitrogen gas executions and prompted Airgas to confirm its nitrogen would not be used for executions.
- Advocating for federal regulation of prison telecom ratesSuccessfully advocated for FCC rule changes to cap rates for prison telecommunications services, impacting approximately 1.4 million incarcerated people and expected to save families at least $500 million annually.
- Advocating for reduced money transfer fees and termination of commercial prison vendor programsSecured reforms in New York to reduce online money transfer fees and enable free transfers, and successfully advocated against the Secure Vendor Pilot Program, leading to its termination.
- Building advocacy capacity through conferences and training programsHosted the first Connecting Families Conference in Minneapolis for over 70 advocates, providing panels and training on advancing free prison communication, and offers a 15-week self-study course on the prison industry with readings, videos, discussion questions, and guest lectures.
- Delivering divestment demands to corporate owners of prison telecom companiesDelivered formal demands to Tom Gores in 2019, setting a December 2020 deadline for divestment from Securus Technologies, followed by nearly one year of direct dialogue with his team.
- Maintaining a public database of corporations profiting from incarceration and surveillanceDevelops and hosts an interactive, publicly accessible database that identifies over 4,000 corporations and investors involved in mass incarceration and mass surveillance, assigning harm scores and flags for divestment and prison labor use.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$2.40M
Contributions & grants$2.23M93%
Program service revenue$12K1%
Investment income$160K7%
Other revenue$113
expenses
Total expenses$2.72M
Program expenses78%
Admin / overhead18%
Fundraising4%
Salaries & benefits$2.05M
Grants paid out$65K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$6.88M
Cash$2.59M
Investments$3.31M
Liabilities$53K
Net assets$6.82M
Liquid reserves26.0 mo
3 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -45.7%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 6
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| BIANCA TYLEK | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $244K |
| DANA FLOBERG | DIRECTOR OF CORPORATE CAMPAIGNS | 1 | $181K |
| LUKE NOEL | CHIEF OF STAFF | 40 | $175K |
| ANDREW LAMA | GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS SPECIALIST | 40 | $149K |
| CELINA CHAPIN | CHIEF ADVOCACY OFFICER | 40 | $39K |
| JAN COMBOPIANO | CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER | 40 | $18K |
board members · 5
- ANIKA WARREN WOOD — BOARD MEMBER
- MICHEL LEGENDRE — BOARD MEMBER
- MICHELLE DANIEL JONES — BOARD MEMBER
- SAMUEL JACOBS — CHAIR
- TAHIR BOYKINS — BOARD MEMBER
relationships · 35
Who they work with
- 5-Year Impact Report Partner — Document published by Worth Rises to report on organizational impact in dismantling the prison industry
- African American Museum of Philadelphia Partner — Co-sponsored a mural with Worth Rises and Mural Arts Philadelphia to highlight prison slavery.
- AirLiquide Partner — Parent company of Airgas; subject of advocacy after Airgas supplied nitrogen later disavowed for use in executions.
- Airgas Partner — Advocated for Airgas to refuse supplying nitrogen for use in executions in Alabama.
- Airgas Partner — Targeted in advocacy efforts to prevent the use of its nitrogen gas in executions; responded by stating its nitrogen could not be used for executions.
- Allegro Industries Partner — Manufacturer of gas masks used in gas executions; targeted for enabling the practice.
- Color Of Change Partner — Co-released a federal policy blueprint to end carceral profiteering.
- Color Of Change Partner — Co-signed public advocacy letter calling for removal of Tom Gores from LACMA Board of Trustees.
- Color Of Change Partner — Collaborated with Worth Rises to release a Policy Blueprint for Ending Carceral Profiteering.
- EP+Co Partner — Collaborated on the "Most Famous Speech Never Given" project for the #EndTheException campaign, winning two Drum Awards.
- EP+Co Partner — Collaborated with Worth Rises on the "#EndTheException" campaign project "The Most Famous Speech Never Given."
- FDR Safety Partner — Successfully pressured to withdraw from a contract with Alabama related to gas executions.
- FDR Safety Partner — Worked with faith leaders and national partners to pressure FDR Safety to withdraw from its contract with Alabama to develop a nitrogen gas execution protocol.
- Federal Communications Commission Government — Regulatory body whose policy change on prison telecom rates aligns with Worth Rises' advocacy goals.
- Free Minds Partner — Collaborated with Worth Rises at a public event; FreeMinds poet ambassador participated in a book talk hosted by Georgetown Law's Abolition Advocacy Project.
- Gallatin Galleries at NYU Partner — Hosted the 'Capitalizing on Justice' exhibition
- Georgetown University Partner — Hosted a book talk event featuring Bianca Tylek, Executive Director of Worth Rises.
- JPay Partner — Engaged in advocacy leading to renegotiation of JPay's contract with NYS DOCCS to reduce online money transfer fees for incarcerated people's families.
- Kindful Partner — CRM and donation processing platform used to manage donor information and process payments.
- M.J. Freed Theater Partner — Hosted the 'Capitalizing on Justice' exhibition
- Mailchimp Partner — Email marketing service provider used to manage and send communications.
- Mural Arts Philadelphia Partner — Partnered with Worth Rises to unveil a mural shedding light on prison slavery in Philadelphia.
- Mural Arts Philadelphia Partner — Unveiled a mural in Philadelphia to raise awareness about prison slavery as part of the #EndTheException campaign.
- Onex Corporation Partner — Owner of Walter Surface Technologies and Allegro Industries; targeted due to corporate ownership chain enabling execution methods.
- Princeton University Partner — Hosted an event featuring Bianca Tylek, Executive Director of Worth Rises.
- REVOLVE at SOUTH RAMP Studio Partner — Hosted the 'Capitalizing on Justice' exhibition
- Securus Partner — Targeted private equity ownership of Securus in investor accountability campaigns, contributing to blocked mergers and corporate dissolution.
- The New Press Partner — Partnered to publish _The Prison Industry: How It Works and Who Profits_.
- The New Press Partner — Publisher of the book "The Prison Industry: How It Works and Who Profits," produced in collaboration with Worth Rises.
- The New Press Partner — Publishing partner for "The Prison Industry: How It Works and Who Profits."
+ 5 more
strategies · 5
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Amplifying Firsthand Narratives Through Digital Storytellingmethodology: storytelling_for_public_educationBy collecting and digitally archiving firsthand narratives from impacted communities and pairing them with visual storytelling, the organization educates the public at scale about prison labor and systemic injustice, because lived experience generates empathy and moral urgency more effectively than data alone.
- Constitutional Advocacy to End Legalized Slaverymethodology: constitutional_amendment_advocacyBy advocating for constitutional amendment to remove the exception for involuntary servitude as punishment for crime, the organization targets the legal root of prison labor exploitation, because eliminating this clause is necessary to abolish modern-day slavery in correctional facilities.
- Corporate and Investor Accountability to Disrupt Prison Profiteeringmethodology: corporate_accountabilityBy exposing and directly engaging corporate actors and institutional investors that profit from the prison industrial complex, the organization undermines the financial foundations of the system, because economic pressure reduces political influence and incentivizes divestment from exploitative practices.
- Free Communication as a Structural Interventionmethodology: free_communication_interventionBy eliminating costs for phone and messaging services in prisons and jails, the organization improves rehabilitation, family stability, and public safety, because maintaining strong familial and community ties reduces recidivism and humanizes incarcerated individuals.
- Research-to-Advocacy for Systemic Changemethodology: research_to_advocacyBy conducting investigative research and combining data with firsthand narratives, the organization produces accessible public education content that shifts cultural and political discourse on mass incarceration, because evidence paired with storytelling is more effective at changing public understanding and policy.