Prisons Foundation

What Prisons Foundation does

Prisons Foundation is a Washington, DC-based nonprofit organization that assists imprisoned writers, music composers, and artists in developing productivity, self-esteem, and reentry-ready skills. The foundation's stated mission emphasizes that 95% of prisoners return to society as neighbors, framing rehabilitation-oriented creative work as a community-safety concern.

Its core service is a publishing assistance program through which incarcerated creators publish books on Amazon.com. The foundation provides free information and advice on self-publishing, alongside paid services covering editing, typing, cover design, and manuscript uploads. The organization runs on a small team of 13, composed of regulars and part-time volunteers, and operates without any proprietary technology platform.

The business model combines donations — processed through PayPal on the foundation's website — with fee-based professional publishing services. Program delivery extends through the sister nonprofit Safe Streets Arts Foundation, which produces art and stage shows at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts as part of the annual Page-to-Stage Festival, as well as at colleges and universities. The foundation also owns the Prisons Foundation Covid-19 Memorial Grove, a one-acre parcel in Linden, Virginia, established in 2020 to commemorate victims of Covid-19 in prison.

Name

Prisons Foundation

Legal name

Prisons Foundation

Website

https://prisonsfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Prisons Foundation is a Washington, DC nonprofit that helps imprisoned writers, composers, and artists publish books on Amazon.com and showcase work through its sister Safe Streets Arts Foundation at venues including the Kennedy Center.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Prison Rehabilitation and Arts Services

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Corrections & Reentry Adult Literacy (Justice-Involved Learners) (EDAAAAAL), Civil Liberties & Constitutional Rights Advocacy (BPAGAFAA)

Keywords

• Prison rehabilitation services
• Incarcerated artist support
• Prison publishing assistance
• Nonprofit arts programs
• Reentry career coaching

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations: The organization relies on donations from supporters to fund its mission. Donations are processed through PayPal.
2. Publishing Services: Provides paid services for editing, typing, designing covers, and uploading manuscripts for imprisoned authors and artists to publish on Amazon.com.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The Prisons Foundation is a nonprofit that helps imprisoned writers, music composers, and artists publish books on Amazon.com by providing free publishing advice alongside paid services for editing, typing, cover design, and manuscript uploading. Through its sister nonprofit, Safe Streets Arts Foundation, it also produces art and stage shows at the Kennedy Center's Page-to-Stage Festival and at colleges and universities, and maintains a one-acre Covid-19 memorial grove in Linden, Virginia.

Product overview

Prisons Foundation is a nonprofit organization that operates as a single unified service focused on assisting imprisoned writers, music composers, and artists. The core offering is publishing assistance services, helping prisoners publish their books on Amazon.com through free information and advice plus paid services for editing, typing, cover design, and manuscript uploads. The organization also operates its sister nonprofit Safe Streets Arts Foundation, which produces art and stage shows at venues including the Kennedy Center. Additionally, the organization owns the Prisons Foundation Covid-19 Memorial Grove in Linden, Virginia, commemorating Covid-19 victims in prison.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Prisons Foundation Covid-19 Memorial Grove: A one-acre expanse of land in Linden, Virginia commemorating victims of Covid-19 in prison.

Products and services

• Publishing Assistance Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 95% of prisoners will return to society as future neighbors, making rehabilitation and skill development critical for community safety.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Safe Streets Arts FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister nonprofit organization that produces art and stage shows at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts as part of the annual Kennedy Center's Page-to-Stage Festival, as well as at colleges and universities. Works collaboratively with Prisons Foundation to support imprisoned writers and artists.
• Amazon.comcoreTechnology or IntegrationPlatform through which the Prisons Foundation helps prisoners publish their books. The foundation provides free information and advice on publishing on Amazon, as well as paid services for editing, typing, designing covers, and uploading manuscripts.
• John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing ArtsflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual Kennedy Center's Page-to-Stage Festival venue where Safe Streets Arts Foundation (sister organization) produces art and stage shows featuring work by imprisoned artists.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Defy Ventures: Nonprofit delivering entrepreneurship training and mentoring to currently and formerly incarcerated individuals. Comparable to Prisons Foundation in its reentry-focused mission and use of skills-building (business vs. publishing) to prepare prisoners for return to society.
• The Fortune Society: Long-established New York-based reentry nonprofit offering employment, housing, education, and advocacy for formerly incarcerated individuals. Comparable as a broad-service reentry organization addressing the same '95% will return' population.
• Rehabilitation Through the Arts: Nonprofit that brings theater and arts programming into New York State prisons and reentry settings. Directly comparable to Prisons Foundation's Safe Streets Arts Foundation arm, both serving incarcerated artists and performers with the goal of rehabilitation.
• Prison Arts Coalition: Resource network supporting arts programming in prisons across the United States. Comparable in its focus on connecting incarcerated artists with opportunities for creative expression, though functioning as an umbrella rather than direct service provider.
• Hope for Prisoners: Las Vegas-based nonprofit providing reentry support, mentoring, and advocacy for formerly incarcerated individuals. Comparable in providing structured post-release services and life-skills support to the same target population.
• A New Way of Life: Los Angeles-based nonprofit providing housing and reentry support to formerly incarcerated women. Comparable as a service-oriented reentry nonprofit working with the justice-involved population.
• Anti-Recidivism Coalition: California-based reentry advocacy and support organization for formerly incarcerated people. Comparable in mission focus on rehabilitation, reintegration, and elevating voices of justice-involved individuals.
• Last Mile: Nonprofit that delivers technology and entrepreneurship training inside prisons and post-release. Comparable in bringing productive skill-building (tech vs. publishing) into correctional settings to support reentry.
• Shakespeare in Prison: Nonprofit running Shakespeare-based theater programming inside Michigan prisons. Comparable to the Safe Streets Arts Foundation arm in using performing arts as a rehabilitation tool inside correctional facilities.

Broad incumbents

• Vera Institute of Justice: Large, well-established criminal-justice research and reform organization. Comparable as a major player in the broader justice/reentry space, though operating primarily as a research and policy institute rather than direct service provider.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/prisons-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Prisons Foundation