Project Return
Project RETURN is a Milwaukee-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides reentry support — transitional housing, employment assistance, peer Circles of Support, and advocacy — to formerly incarcerated individuals returning to the Greater Milwaukee Area.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1985
- HeadquartersMilwaukee, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Project Return does
Project RETURN is a Milwaukee-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that supports individuals who have experienced incarceration in making a positive, permanent return to community, family and friends. Founded circa 1985, the organization operates from its headquarters at 1004 N. Tenth St., #200, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and serves more than 1,000 people annually out of an estimated 2,500 returning citizens in the Greater Milwaukee Area each year. Its service portfolio is delivered entirely through human case management and volunteer support, with no proprietary technology platform.
The organization offers a portfolio of interconnected reentry programs: Bridge Housing (12 short-term transitional apartments in downtown Milwaukee near the courthouse, with stays up to six months); Circles of Support (restorative peer groups led by trained Circle Keepers); Employment Services (job placement, interview clothing, weekly job lists); an AODA (Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse) program; Advocacy; and Outreach, including monthly socials at the Milwaukee Women Correction Center. New client intake occurs during designated walk-in hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays. In 2025, the organization also launched a Volunteer Mentorship Program pairing men with lived incarceration experience with Bridge Housing residents.
The business model is grant- and donation-funded rather than revenue-generating from clients, who receive all services at no cost. Funding sources include a diversified portfolio of foundations (United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County, Siebert Lutheran Foundation, Reva & David Logan Foundation, Bader Philanthropies, Greater Milwaukee Foundation, Green Bay Packers Foundation, Forest County Potawatomi Foundation, Catholic Community Foundation, Patrick & Anna M. Cudahy Fund, Ralph Evinrude Foundation, Roots & Wings, Catholic Campaign for Human Development), corporate sponsorships (Augustine Financial, von Briesen & Roper, Old National Bank, Schlossman Subaru City), individual donations of cash and in-kind items, and two annual fundraising events (Golf Outing and Celebrate the RETURN Banquet). The organization holds a Candid Gold Transparency Honor and a Charity Navigator three-star rating, both awarded in 2025, and was named BizTimes' Small Nonprofit Organization of the Year in 2023.
Project Return firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Project Return
- Legal name
- Project RETURN
- Website
- https://projectreturnmilwaukee.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1985
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Project RETURN is a Milwaukee-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides reentry support — transitional housing, employment assistance, peer Circles of Support, and advocacy — to formerly incarcerated individuals returning to the Greater Milwaukee Area.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Project Return industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Reentry Support Services
- NAICS
- Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)
- SIC
- Services-Help Supply Services (7363)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Reentry & Justice-Involved Support Services (BPAGAEAN)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Substance Use Recovery & Harm Reduction Support Services (BPAGAEAO), Workforce Reentry Programs (Justice-Involved) (EDAAAOAG)
Keywords
Where Project Return is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Milwaukee
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Project Return business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Foundation Grants: Project RETURN receives support from multiple foundations including Siebert Lutheran Foundation, Reva & David Logan Foundation, Bader Philanthropies, Greater Milwaukee Foundation, and others. These grants fund operational programs and services.
- Individual Donations: The organization accepts cash, check donations, and item donations (clothing, furniture, hygiene products) from individuals to support clients returning from incarceration.
- Corporate Sponsorships: Annual events including the Golf Outing and Celebrate the Return Banquet are sponsored by corporate partners, providing revenue and visibility.
- United Way Support: Support from United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County provides foundational funding.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Project Return product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Project RETURN is a Milwaukee-based nonprofit that helps formerly incarcerated men and women make a positive, permanent return to the community. Its core offerings include short-term transitional Bridge Housing, peer-led Circles of Support, employment assistance, AODA (alcohol and other drug abuse) recovery support, advocacy, and community outreach. Services are delivered at no cost to clients and are funded through foundation grants, individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and United Way support.
Product overview
Project RETURN is a nonprofit social services organization offering a portfolio of interconnected reentry programs rather than a unified software product. The core offerings include Project RETURN Bridge Housing (short-term transitional housing in downtown Milwaukee for up to six months), Circles of Support (restorative circles led by trained Circle Keepers), Employment Services, AODA support, Advocacy, and Outreach. These services are designed to address the direct needs of individuals returning from incarceration, with programs offered to help clients overcome barriers created by their past. The organization also engages volunteers with lived experience as mentors and hosts two annual fundraising events: the Project RETURN Golf Outing and the Celebrate The RETURN Banquet.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Project RETURN Bridge Housing Short-term transitional housing program in downtown Milwaukee providing temporary accommodation for up to six months for people leaving incarceration, with on-site resources and support.
- Circles of Support Restorative support circles led by trained Circle Keepers, working alongside returning citizens and individuals experiencing incarceration to provide mentorship and community support in a restorative atmosphere.
- Employment Services Employment assistance services helping formerly incarcerated individuals find jobs, including weekly job lists, interview clothing assistance, and connections to employment opportunities.
- AODA Program Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse program providing support and resources for individuals dealing with substance use challenges during reentry.
- Advocacy Services Advocacy services helping clients navigate barriers created by incarceration and connecting them with necessary resources for successful reentry.
- Outreach Program Community outreach services, including monthly socials at correctional facilities such as the Milwaukee Women Correction Center, connecting with individuals in need of reentry support and resources.
- Volunteer Mentorship Program Volunteer program in which men with lived incarceration experience mentor residents, meet them on their first day of reentry, and provide bi-weekly in-person support throughout their time in Bridge Housing.
Quantifiable outcome
- 42% of returning citizens in Milwaukee County need housing assistance, and Project RETURN now provides this through 12 downtown apartments
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Project Return
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Project Return technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Project Return partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered major, supporting and core.
- Augustine FinancialmajorLead Sponsor of the 17th Annual Project RETURN Golf Outing; provides financial planning and guidance services.
- von Briesen & Roper, s.c.majorSpecial Experience Sponsor / Hole-In-One Sponsor for Golf Outing; law firm providing event sponsorship.
- Old National BanksupportingRegional bank sponsoring the Golf Outing as Sponsor of Brotherhood.
- Schlossman Subaru CitysupportingElite Sponsor of Golf Outing; largest Subaru dealer in Milwaukee.
- Milwaukee County CRCcoreCommunity Resource Center partnership; CRC Superintendent Chantell Jewell has voiced strong support for Project RETURN's housing initiatives.
- Milwaukee County District Attorney Kent LovernsupportingDA has publicly voiced support for Project RETURN on Riverwest Radio, emphasizing the need for pathways for people returning from incarceration.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Project Return competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Safer Foundation: Chicago-based nonprofit delivering employment, housing, education, and case management for justice-involved individuals in Illinois. Comparable regional reentry services nonprofit with similar wraparound structure.
- Fortune Society: New York-based nonprofit providing comprehensive reentry services including housing, employment, education, and advocacy for formerly incarcerated individuals. Highly comparable wraparound model serving justice-involved populations in a single metro.
- A New Way of Life: Los Angeles-based nonprofit providing housing, reentry support, and advocacy for formerly incarcerated women. Comparable reentry housing and wraparound support model for justice-involved individuals.
- Osborne Association: Long-standing New York nonprofit offering reentry housing, employment, family services, and advocacy for people affected by incarceration. Comparable multi-decade operating history and full-spectrum reentry programming.
- Center for Justice Innovation: Nonprofit operating community-based alternatives to incarceration and reentry programs in New York and beyond, with court and community partnerships. Comparable justice-involved programming and county-level systems partnerships.
- Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO): National nonprofit providing immediate paid employment, job coaching, and retention support for people returning home from incarceration. Closely aligned employment-focused reentry model serving similar client base.
- Offender Aid and Restoration (OAR) of Jefferson County: Virginia-based nonprofit providing reentry case management, employment, and housing support for formerly incarcerated individuals. Comparable single-jurisdiction community reentry services model.
Emerging players
- Recidiviz: Technology-focused nonprofit helping corrections agencies use data to reduce recidivism. Adjacent reentry mission with a technology-enabled approach, complementing traditional service-delivery reentry nonprofits like Project RETURN.
Broad incumbents
- Volunteers of America (Reentry Services): Large national nonprofit operating reentry and supportive housing programs across multiple states, including returning-citizen housing and employment. Comparable reentry services as part of a broader human services portfolio.
- Goodwill Industries International (Reentry Programs): National nonprofit network with reentry-focused programs providing employment training, placement, and supportive services for formerly incarcerated individuals. Comparable employment-focused reentry work at broader scale.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Project Return social profiles
Digital presenceProject Return compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Project Return financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Project Return leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Project Return funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Project Return M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Project Return
What does Project Return do?
Project RETURN is a Milwaukee-based nonprofit that helps formerly incarcerated men and women make a positive, permanent return to the community. Its core offerings include short-term transitional Bridge Housing, peer-led Circles of Support, employment assistance, AODA (alcohol and other drug abuse) recovery support, advocacy, and community outreach. Services are delivered at no cost to clients and are funded through foundation grants, individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and United Way support.
Is Project Return a public or private company?
Project Return is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Project Return founded?
Project Return was founded in 1985. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Project Return based?
Project Return is headquartered in Milwaukee, United States, in the North America region.
How does Project Return make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Foundation Grants are the primary driver. The others are individual Donations, corporate Sponsorships and united Way Support.
Who are Project Return's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Safer Foundation, Fortune Society, A New Way of Life, Osborne Association, Center for Justice Innovation, Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) and Offender Aid and Restoration (OAR) of Jefferson County. Recidiviz is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Volunteers of America (Reentry Services) and Goodwill Industries International (Reentry Programs).
Does Project Return have an API?
No public API is recorded for Project Return.
What industry is Project Return in?
Project Return's product category is Reentry Support Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAEAN, Reentry & Justice-Involved Support Services, with a secondary code of BPAGAEAO, Substance Use Recovery & Harm Reduction Support Services. Its NAICS code is 813 and its SIC code is 7363.