OAR

What OAR does

OAR (Offender Aid and Restoration) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1974 and headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, that delivers restorative-justice, alternative-sentencing, and reentry services to individuals impacted by the criminal legal system across Northern Virginia. Its core programs comprise an Alternative Sentencing and Diversion program operated in partnership with Arlington County Courts, the City of Falls Church Courts, and the Vera Institute of Justice, and Reentry Services delivered inside local detention facilities in Arlington and Alexandria — including evidence-based cognitive-behavioral, fatherhood, and group psychotherapy programs plus vocational and personal development support. A second line of business focuses on children and families of incarcerated individuals through Project Connection (year-round monthly $50 gift cards and parental letters), Project Backpack (back-to-school support for 80+ children annually), and Project Winter Cheer (holiday support for 150+ children annually).

The organization's underlying delivery model is human-intensive rather than technology-based: there are no proprietary software platforms, AI systems, or APIs referenced in source materials, and service distribution runs entirely through institutional court referrals and direct community engagement. OAR's revenue is sourced from individual and corporate donations (tiered $25-$10,000+), planned giving and bequests, and in-kind contributions such as SmarTrip cards, gift cards, and supplies; the organization does not charge fees for services. Programs are led by staff with lived experience of incarceration, and the organization is supported by volunteer engagement, multi-channel social media, email newsletters, community events (Inside OAR Tours, Liberation Celebration), and an SMS-based Mobile Network. Recognition includes a Platinum-level GuideStar (Candid) transparency seal and "One of the Best" designation from Spur Local. The organization reports 11-50 employees and does not disclose financials.

Name

OAR

Legal name

Offender Aid and Restoration of Arlington, Inc.

Website

https://oaronline.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

OAR is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Arlington, Virginia, providing alternative sentencing, diversion, and reentry services to justice-involved individuals and their families across Northern Virginia, funded entirely through charitable donations and court partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Restorative Justice & Reentry Services

NAICS

Parole Offices and Probation Offices (922150), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (62431), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Corrections (Probation, Parole & Reentry) (BPAIAFAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Reentry, Rehabilitation & Reintegration Programs (Education, Vocational, Case Management) (BPAKANAH), Reentry & Justice-Involved Support Services (BPAGAEAN), Corrections & Reentry Adult Literacy (Justice-Involved Learners) (EDAAAAAL)

Keywords

• Restorative justice services
• Alternative sentencing programs
• Reentry support services
• Diversion program services
• Criminal justice advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Arlington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Individual and Corporate Donations: OAR relies primarily on tax-deductible donations from individuals, organizations, and corporate matching programs. Donations range from $25 to $10,000+ and are used to fund programs including alternative sentencing, reentry services, and children/family support programs.
2. Planned Giving and Bequests: OAR accepts bequests and planned gifts through wills and estate planning, providing donors with potential tax benefits while securing long-term funding for the organization.
3. In-Kind Donations: The organization accepts in-kind donations including SmarTrip cards, gift cards, office supplies, and Amazon Wish List items to support participants in their programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

OAR (Offender Aid and Restoration) is a community-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides alternative sentencing and diversion programs in partnership with Arlington County and Falls Church Courts, comprehensive pre-release and post-release reentry services delivered inside local detention facilities and in the community, and children-and-family support programs that maintain bonds between incarcerated parents and their children. Its work combines direct Downstream services (community service, reentry coaching, cognitive-behavioral programs, housing and ID assistance) with Upstream advocacy to reduce recidivism and racial disparities in the legal system.

Product overview

OAR (Offender Aid and Restoration) is a nonprofit organization providing a portfolio of reentry and diversion services, not a technology product platform. The organization offers Alternative Sentencing + Diversion programs as its core community justice offering, paired with comprehensive Reentry Services including cognitive-behavioral programs, fatherhood programs, and vocational training. OAR operates three children and family support programs: Project Connection (year-round monthly $50 gift card support), Project Backpack (back-to-school assistance), and Project Winter Cheer (holiday season support). Additional offerings include Welcome Home Kits, Hypothermia Kits for seasonal needs, the Mobile Network text message service, and Inside OAR community tours. These programs work together to serve individuals impacted by the criminal legal system and their families throughout Northern Virginia.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Alternative Sentencing + Diversion Community service program allowing individuals referred by Arlington County and Falls Church Courts to complete volunteer work in lieu of jail time and fines and to work off accrued court costs. Includes a Diversion program implemented with the Vera Institute of Justice and the Office of the Commonwealth's Attorney aimed at reducing recidivism and racial disparities among participants.
• Reentry Services Pre-release and post-release reentry programming for individuals experiencing incarceration or returning from detention, including evidence-based cognitive-behavioral programs, fatherhood programs, group psychotherapy, vocational training, education, personal development, transition planning, and reentry readiness. Delivered by facilitators with lived incarceration experience in local detention facilities in Arlington and Alexandria.
• Project Connection Year-round monthly support program for children with parents experiencing incarceration or recently released, providing $50 gift cards and letters from parents to maintain family bonds during incarceration.
• Project Backpack Back-to-school children and families program running June through September, providing $50 gift cards to children impacted by incarceration to support the upcoming academic year; OAR reports supporting over 80 children annually through this program.
• Project Winter Cheer Winter season children and families program running November through January, providing $50 gift cards to ensure children impacted by incarceration are supported during the holiday season; OAR reports supporting over 150 children annually through this program.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 80 children supported annually through Project Backpack back-to-school program
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Vera Institute of JusticecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOAR is implementing a Diversion program in partnership with the Vera Institute and Office of the Commonwealth's Attorney - Arlington County and the City of Falls Church, with the goal of reducing recidivism as well as racial disparities amongst individuals sentenced to diversion programs.
• Office of the Commonwealth's Attorney - Arlington CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint diversion program partnership focused on reducing recidivism and racial disparities in the criminal justice system.
• Office of the Commonwealth's Attorney - City of Falls ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint diversion program partnership serving Falls Church residents in alternative sentencing and diversion programs.
• Spur LocalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSpur Local (formerly Catalogue for Philanthropy) recognizes OAR as 'One of the Best' nonprofit organizations in the DC area, providing third-party credibility endorsement for donors.
• PAPIS Coalition in VirginiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOAR participates in the PAPIS (Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences and Promoting Well-being through Interagency Collaboration) Coalition in Virginia as part of their upstream systemic change efforts.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• The Fortune Society: New York-based nonprofit providing reentry support, alternative-to-incarceration programs, and comprehensive social services to justice-involved individuals. Directly comparable in mission, program mix (reentry, family support, advocacy), and nonprofit funding model.
• Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO): National nonprofit focused on employment-focused reentry services for people coming home from incarceration. Highly comparable to OAR's employment advising and vocational training components, with a similar referral and case management model.
• Offender Aid and Restoration of Dane County: Sister OAR chapter in Madison, Wisconsin providing the same mix of community service, diversion, and reentry programs. Name overlap and shared origins make it a near-clone peer, though operating in a different region.
• Osborne Association: New York-based nonprofit offering reentry, alternatives to incarceration, prison education, and family services for justice-involved people. Comparable scope, advocacy + direct-service model, and urban nonprofit structure.
• Exodus Transitional Community: NYC nonprofit providing reentry housing, case management, and workforce development for formerly incarcerated individuals. Comparable target population, nonprofit funding model, and program mix to OAR's reentry services.
• Rubicon Programs: Northern California nonprofit providing reentry, employment, and supportive services to formerly incarcerated individuals and other barriers-impacted populations. Comparable in integrating employment coaching with wraparound case management.
• A New Way of Life Reentry Project: Los Angeles-based nonprofit providing housing, reentry support, and advocacy for women and men coming home from incarceration. Comparable direct-service and advocacy model with similar small-NGO funding base.

Broad incumbents

• Prison Fellowship: Large national faith-based nonprofit working at scale on prisoner reentry, advocacy, and alternatives to incarceration. Operates across the U.S. with broader geographic reach and bigger budget than OAR, but a closely related mission.
• Goodwill Industries International (Reentry Programs): Large national nonprofit network running reentry-focused employment and training programs in many U.S. cities. Comparable employment-coaching component for reentering individuals, though Goodwill operates far more broadly across mission areas.

Emerging players

• Hudson Link for Higher Education in Prison: Nonprofit providing college education, life skills, and reentry support to currently and formerly incarcerated individuals. Comparable education-and-reentry focus, but narrower programmatic scope than OAR.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/oarjustice
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/OARToday?feature=mhee
• Facebookfacebook.com/OARJustice
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/oar-arlington
• Instagraminstagram.com/oarjustice

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about OAR