2025 Annual Report - The Bail Project Skip to main content

Annual Report
2025

MESSAGE FROM THE CEO

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Dear Friends,

 

As you read our 2025 Annual Report, you’ll see a story of courage, resilience, and the collective strength of our community. I’m immensely proud of the progress we’ve achieved together, despite the challenges we face.

 

This year, bail reform has faced some of the toughest pushback yet. The resistance wasn’t about safety, it was about protecting a system that treats freedom as a privilege you have to pay for. In moments like these, every challenge reminds us what we’re fighting for. Real justice keeps families together, restores balance, and proves that safety and fairness are not opposites – together they strengthen our justice system.

 

Despite these headwinds, we’ve stood firm and persevered. While the opposition spreads fear, our message has been one of hope and progress rooted in data and evidence. This year, our community came together to make some truly remarkable things possible.

 

Together, we have supported over 39,000 people, sparing them from the devastating consequences of pretrial detention – like losing their homes, jobs, and family ties – and restoring their ability to fight their cases from a place of freedom.

 

At the same time, we are pushing forward systemic change. From working to pass a historic constitutional amendment in Texas that establishes due process protections, to stopping harmful legislation in Florida that would have increased cash bail and made it harder for people and organizations to post bond for others, we’re proving what’s possible when communities demand a pretrial system centered on justice rather than profit.

 

Above all, I am inspired by the perseverance of our clients, who are trapped in an unjust system but refuse to give up. Every client’s story reminds us what’s at stake – and what’s possible. By highlighting their success, we are demonstrating that a pretrial system built on compassion and care is more effective than one built on punishment. When fundamental rights and freedom itself are on the line, we fight back. I’ve watched our team embody a courage that cannot be shaken. As we look ahead, our determination has never been stronger.

 

Thank you for standing with us and for believing in a future where money doesn’t determine freedom.

In solidarity,

David Gaspar
Chief Executive Officer, The Bail Project

STRATEGY

Our core strategy is simple yet transformative: we pay bail for thousands of people each year, upholding the principle of “innocent until proven guilty” for those who would otherwise remain jailed simply because they cannot afford their freedom. But our work goes beyond simply paying bail. We understand that true justice requires support. We ensure that every person we serve has access to basic services, including text reminders and transportation, to help them return to court.

The data is clear: our model works. By delivering care and resources, we achieve the dual goals of securing due process and enhancing public safety without jailing people who are legally presumed innocent. Every data point is paired with a human story, showing the life-changing impact of combining freedom with support.

In the current political climate, where fear-mongering and misinformation threaten to roll back decades of progress, we remain committed to our humanitarian goal: to make freedom free and create a safer, fairer, and healthier society.

WHERE WE WORK

The Bail Project works nationwide to bring people home and support them throughout the pretrial process. Because local needs evolve, so do our sites — allowing us to respond directly to the most urgent needs of each community. Through this adaptive approach and our growing network of strategic partnerships, our work now spans a diverse range of jurisdictions, demonstrating our impact on a truly national scale.

This map highlights where we provided bail assistance and launched targeted policy campaigns this fiscal year, challenging harmful bail practices and advancing legislative reform. While our advocacy is national, these states reflect where we concentrated our efforts this year.

THE IMPACT OF FREEDOM

34,572

bailouts

39,919

clients served

92%

court appearance rate

28%

case dismissal rate

$91 Million

cash bail posted

89%

bail capital revolved

1,381,170

days of pretrial incarceration prevented

$107 Million

taxpayer dollars saved

CLIENT DEMOGRAPHICS

73%

male

27%

female

< 1%

non-binary

31%

ages 18-29

34%

ages 30-39

21%

ages 40-49

9%

ages 50-59

5%

over 60

62%

African American or Black

22%

White

11%

Latinx

3%

Native

1%

Other

<1%

Asian

CLIENT STORIES

The Bail Project is a collective of clients, staff, advocates, and supporters united by a simple belief: freedom should be free. The stories of those we serve reflect the strength it takes to persevere in the face of injustice and the profound difference support can make in a moment of crisis. Together, these stories are a testament to what’s possible: a system rooted in community and empathy, where justice and freedom are accessible to all.

WYDELL

Wydell helped his single mother support five boys from a young age and that dedication continued into adulthood. Early last year, Wydell and his girlfriend welcomed a new baby into the world. He was working to provide for his new family when his life was upended.

While he was returning from a trip to help his mother move, Wydell was pulled over by police and accused of stealing his own car, selling drugs, and possessing an illegal firearm. Despite providing proof of his innocence, he was arrested for resisting arrest and his bail was set at $7,500. Wydell sat behind bars for six weeks, causing him to miss work and lose his job. With help from The Bail Project, Wydell was released but the charges weren’t dismissed for three months, during which Wydell remained on house arrest.

Shockingly, a few months after the dismissal, the resisting arrest charge was refiled and Wydell found himself back on house arrest, struggling to find a job because the charge shows up in background checks. “Anytime I try to talk to a job, even though I’m not convicted – and I’m actually fighting the charge – it’s popping up in my background check. So I can’t even get a job right now,” said Wydell.

For so many working people like Wydell, bail derails their lives – stealing their income, damaging their reputations, and making recovery nearly impossible even after innocence is proven. But Wydell is determined to keep fighting. He believes that with The Bail Project’s support, he’ll be able to work closely with his lawyer and get the case dismissed again.

“I’m grateful for them. Without them, I would be sitting in jail,” he said.

AMANDA

Diagnosed with severe rheumatoid arthritis, Amanda was unable to walk unassisted, forcing her to crawl onto a jail transport bus on her hands and knees. She was on her way to more than a month of jail – not because she had been convicted of a crime, but because she couldn’t afford her $10,000 bail.

Amanda’s arrest occurred after she and her husband were violently attacked by their neighbors. As the assault continued, and with 911 on hold, Amanda retrieved her legally owned firearm, desperate to stop the attack. She never fired the weapon but was still charged with assault with a deadly weapon.

In jail, Amanda was denied a wheelchair and her medication and was given meals she couldn’t eat due to allergies. “And the guards – most of them didn’t care,” Amanda said. “If you were in pain, they acted like you were faking.”

She was forced to rely on other incarcerated women for help, who, after seeing her struggle, connected her with The Bail Project. We paid her bail and got her released. Amanda’s story is a stark reminder of how the American pretrial system fails its most vulnerable – treating disability not with care, but with suspicion and neglect.

FRANCIS

In early summer 2021, Francis, a 64-year-old legally blind man, spent a month in Los Angeles’s Men’s Central Jail because he could not afford bail. Without a mobility cane or other assistance, he was forced to navigate the jail’s treacherous environment with help from other incarcerated men. His deteriorating physical and mental health led him to consider a plea bargain for a crime he did not commit, just to escape the harsh conditions. “I spent most of my time in jail alone. What I did the most was pray. I kept praying and talking to God,” Francis said.

People with disabilities are dramatically overrepresented in the justice system and jails are often not equipped to accommodate them. Francis, who had been shot and lost his sight decades earlier, was refused medication for constant headaches.

With assistance from The Bail Project, Francis’s bail was paid and he was released. But it took three years for his case to go to trial, where a jury ultimately found him not guilty. Bail doesn’t just jail people – it takes advantage of people in vulnerable situations and coerces them toward guilty pleas through desperation, eroding the very idea of due process.

SHELLY

At 65, Shelly and her husband, both struggling with health issues, faced homelessness after their food assistance was cut. “We were on the street for years. That’s a long time to lay down on concrete,” she said. Shelly, driven by hunger and grief over the recent death of her son, was arrested for stealing food from Walmart. She was charged with a misdemeanor and booked into jail with an $800 bail, an amount she could not afford.

America’s misdemeanor system often criminalizes poverty, imposing arbitrary bail amounts and fees that create a cycle of debt. The Bail Project paid Shelly’s bail and connected her with resources for food and housing. This support enabled Shelly to enroll in a diversion program that would ultimately lead to her charges being expunged. With new housing and stability, she is now focused on her health, rebuilding her life, and seeking answers about her son’s death.

Like many people in Shelly’s position, cash bail traps them in debt for survival-driven choices, while freedom from bail allows stability and healing to take root.

ALFREDO

Alfredo had a successful career as a chef – cooking for NASA astronauts and managing prestigious kitchens. But one day in March, a traffic stop turned his life upside down. After losing his job during the pandemic, he couldn’t afford to renew his car registration and was pulled over. When the police found illegal drugs on his passenger, Alfredo was arrested and booked at a Jacksonville detention facility.

The Jacksonville detention facility resembled a dystopian scene. Men on one side, women on the other, shackled, waiting to speak to a judge through a television screen. Alfredo was never told about the public defender appointed to him, nor was he given the chance to meet with them. When Alfredo’s turn came, he learned the police had also charged him with drug possession. The judge set his bail at an unaffordable $5,000. This resulted in Alfredo spending two weeks behind bars, separated from his elderly mother with dementia.

Many of the people behind bars with Alfredo did not speak English. Without access to legal counsel or translators, people were unknowingly signing their rights away, with some even unintentionally agreeing to be deported. Though his own case was uncertain, Alfredo supported other incarcerated individuals by coordinating calls, translating legal documents, and advocating for their rights to be protected.

Cash bail pushed Alfredo further into debt and made it difficult to find another job as a chef. Alfredo was incarcerated for nearly a month without a conviction, even though his charges were dismissed. His experience is a stark reminder that pretrial detention often resembles punishment before trial. Instead of being presumed innocent, people are funneled through a system that feels more like a warehouse than a court of law.

TYRON

Tyron, a 34-year-old deaf Black man with cerebral palsy, was violently attacked by Phoenix police officers after being falsely accused of assault. Bodycam footage shows officers brutalizing him simply because he couldn’t hear their commands.

Although the charges were eventually dropped, Tyron spent 24 days in jail because he couldn’t afford a $7,500 bond. Like many people with disabilities – who are disproportionately represented in the justice system – he faced conditions that compounded his trauma. Jail staff, unable to communicate with him, placed Tyron in isolation rather than providing accommodations.

In Phoenix, a Bail Project staff member posted Tyron’s bail and supported him with court reminders, transportation, and legal referrals. His story is a stark reminder of how cash bail punishes poverty, targets Black communities and people with disabilities, and undermines the presumption of innocence. A fairer pretrial system – one that exists without cash bail – is both necessary and possible.

LISTENING AS A PATH TO JUSTICE

Developing a better model for justice starts by listening to those who have been directly impacted by the cash bail system. As part of this commitment, The Bail Project works with the Tribal Defenders Office of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes in Montana. Together, we’re redefining what pretrial justice can look like when it’s built on empathy and cultural humility.

At this year’s Feedback+Bozeman summit in Montana, we joined the Tribal Defenders Office to share about the people-centered reform taking root on the Flathead Reservation. Two of our clients from the reservation, Jean-Paul and LaVonda, shared powerful personal testimonies illustrating how even brief pretrial incarceration for minor, nonviolent offenses can upend a person’s life. With our local Bail Disruptor, Riley, listening closely and providing support tailored to their needs, Jean-Paul and LaVonda were able to continue their healing journeys and maintain their sobriety and stability.

Jean-Paul and LaVonda’s stories highlight how our work goes beyond providing a service; it’s about truly listening, recognizing the full humanity in every person, and understanding the systemic barriers they face. Riley underscores this point, saying, “It’s so much more than just listing out the charges… It’s about hearing where they’re at in their life, where they’re at emotionally, where they’re at mentally.”

Our work on the Flathead Reservation serves as a model for how a more compassionate, listening-centered approach to justice can lead to better outcomes for individuals and communities.

A HUMANE ALTERNATIVE TO CRIMINALIZING MENTAL ILLNESS

At the intersection of mental health, substance use, and the criminal justice system lies a quiet crisis: people in need of care are too often funneled into jails. The system remains fractured, punitive, and ill-equipped to provide meaningful support. Jesse Janetta of Urban Institute echoes this reality, underscoring that real solutions require a shift from punishment to care: “We’ve got a system where jails have essentially become a catchall – especially for people with untreated mental illness and substance use disorders.”

Mental illness is not a crime, but our justice system treats it like one. Too often, people with mental health needs are met with handcuffs and jail time instead of compassion and care. Community-based programs offer safer, cheaper, and more humane alternatives to locking people up.

The Bail Project’s work combats the criminalization of mental illness by helping people connect with the care and support they need upon release.

At our Cleveland, Ohio, site, we interview clients to identify any support needs they may have, including behavioral health conditions that can affect both their care and case outcomes. When needs emerge, we partner with a mental health jail liaison team to connect clients with local behavioral health providers. We also facilitate Medicaid reinstatement upon release, since benefits are automatically suspended during incarceration.

By connecting clients with the care they need, The Bail Project facilitates a humane alternative to criminalizing mental illness – one that allows people to return to their communities and begin healing.

POLICY CAMPAIGNS

In 2025, The Bail Project’s policy team led efforts to advance pretrial justice, holding the line against regressive attempts to expand pretrial detention and restrict charitable bail – even in the face of a hostile political environment. Here are some policy victories we’re celebrating:

Texas

The Bail Project led a coalition of state and national partners to secure passage of a landmark constitutional amendment that enshrines critical due process protections. Known as SJR 5, this amendment strengthens individual rights and helps prevent unnecessary pretrial detention. Throughout the campaign, The Bail Project utilized grassroots organizing to educate constituents and mobilize them to demand action from their elected officials. In doing so, we’re building lasting local power that will drive future progress in Texas.

“Beyond Bail” Report

We created a comprehensive, first-of-its-kind resource that surveys local and statewide bail reforms from across the country, filling a critical gap in the field by outlining these changes in one place. Since its release, we’ve presented our findings to advocacy partners and reporters at the Associated Press, The Hill, and TIME, who were eager to cite the report – a testament to the demand for this type of resource.

Click to Download Report.

Defeating Charitable Bail Attacks

Misguided attacks on charitable bail have continued nationwide. In two key states – Florida and Oklahoma – The Bail Project decisively blocked efforts by the bail bond industry to pass harmful regulations that would have threatened our work. As a result, we not only protected our current and future clients but also built significant credibility and partnerships that will strengthen our continued fight for pretrial justice.

Shaping Key Policy Debates

For too long, public understanding of cash bail has been shaped by misinformation and fear. The Bail Project set out to change that, leading a strategic media campaign to build clarity, shift perceptions, and advance a vision of justice rooted in safety and fairness. Through 19 opinion pieces and more than 75 appearances in major media outlets, we shared powerful stories of our impact on clients and evidence-based solutions with broad audiences. We also shaped key policy debates through our own reports and publications, reaching the communities most directly affected by pretrial injustice.

“The False Promise of Bail” Report

Our Tulsa County case study revealed that cash bail has no measurable effect on court appearance – a finding that undercuts the core justification for wealth-based detention. The culmination of years of on-the-ground work, data collection, and local partnership, the report became one of our most notable publications. It generated coverage in outlets like Tulsa World, inspiring op-eds that challenge entrenched bail practices. Nationally, the findings reached academic institutions, advocacy networks, and media platforms such as Bolts Magazine and NPR; informed policy advocacy by partners such as the Oklahoma Policy Institute and the Prison Policy Initiative; and even drew direct rebuttals from the bail bond industry – a clear sign of its impact. Policymakers in Oklahoma and beyond – including California’s Office of the State Public Defender – have since engaged with our findings.

Click to Download Report.

ADS OF RESISTANCE

At a time when digital content can be buried by algorithms, showing up in real life still matters. Whether it’s talking to someone face-to-face or seeing a billboard in their neighborhood that says “You are not alone”, our presence sends a message: we mean what we say.

This year, we launched a billboard campaign in seven states and brought our first-ever interactive booth to the popular South by Southwest conference. These efforts were rooted in the same beliefs that drive our bailouts: trust, compassion, and the power of human connection.

Our billboards – “We Keep Families Together,” “We Protect Due Process,” “We’re Taking Money Out of Justice” – took on even greater meaning as political rhetoric escalated. Communities claimed them with pride. Reporters called. People paid attention.

We know showing up in the digital world is essential – but it’s not always equitable. That’s why we also show up where no one can scroll past us. We advertise like we advocate: boldly, clearly, and with real people at the center.

TRANSPORTATION

Removing a Barrier to Justice

Reliable transportation is one of the biggest factors determining whether someone can make it to court and research consistently shows that missed court dates often have nothing to do with a person’s willingness to appear. This year alone, one-third of our clients requested transportation assistance, underscoring just how critical this support is to achieving fair pretrial outcomes.

 

The median distance traveled by clients requesting rides was just 9 miles. Yet for someone without a car or access to public transit, that distance can be the difference between freedom and incarceration. Transportation support removes that barrier, easing the stress of navigating the legal system and reducing the risk of penalties – such as bench warrants, mounting fines, or rearrest – that stem from a missed court date.

 

In response, The Bail Project provided 8,420 rides to help clients overcome transportation barriers. More than two-thirds (67%) of those rides ensured people could attend their court hearings. The rest supported transportation to essential social services, court-mandated appointments, and safe trips home following release from jail. Here’s the breakdown:

5610

rides to court appearances

1324

rides to social service providers

1178

rides to court-mandated appointments

308

rides home after released from jail
Beyond its immediate impact, this data is vital to our mission. By tracking transportation needs across our sites, we identify where clients face the greatest challenges, what types of rides are most needed, and how transportation support reduces both the administrative burden on courts and the financial costs associated with missed appearances. Together, these insights strengthen our advocacy for more equitable, effective pretrial systems nationwide.

SUPPORTER SPOTLIGHT

The IV Fund, a family foundation steeped in a history of impactful philanthropy, was born from a desire to aid people in difficult moments and challenge wrongful convictions. Over time, their focus has expanded to foster a culture that prioritizes mental well-being to inspire resilience, strengthen mental health, and prevent suicide. This mission naturally aligns with The Bail Project, and the IV Fund has been a steadfast partner since our launch in 2017.

The IV Fund explains why this partnership is so vital to their mission:

“Any contact with the criminal legal system is bad for mental well-being, and jail exacerbates that. We also know that contact with the criminal justice ecosystem is higher for people who experience mental health diagnoses, and that even for those with no history of mental health issues, any contact with the criminal legal system can be detrimental to one’s mental well-being.” – Ariel Green, Director of Grants and Strategic Initiatives, IV Fund

Mental health care is among the most frequently requested services from our clients. Despite ongoing challenges, our commitment to providing the critical pretrial support people need to navigate the legal system and break the cycle of incarceration remains central to The Bail Project’s mission.

Augusta Powell, Director of Grants and Operations, IV Fund, reflects:

“Watching our partners continue to push in the right direction, especially at this time when there’s so much happening in the world, gives me hope. It is a hard time to be a funder because philanthropy can’t fill the gaps, but it allows us to stay focused and continue to support our partners who are also focused. Waking up every morning and thinking about the organizations and people who are working to enhance positivity and resilience has been a beautiful way for us to practice positivity and resiliency ourselves.”

The Bail Project’s work would not be possible without the support of our generous funders. We are grateful to the IV Fund for their invaluable commitment to ensuring that people don’t suffer the devastating impacts of pretrial incarceration and can receive the support they need. Their mission to enhance mental health and well-being shines throughout the communities we serve.

OUR TEAM

The Bail Project’s work is powered by people – our clients, our generous supporters, and our staff who are driven by a sense of purpose and a deep commitment to justice each day. From supporting our clients and sharing their stories to publishing new research and advocating for policy change, our team’s lived experiences and skills are at the heart of what we do.

67% of our staff identify as people of color and 69% identify as women. Many of them have been directly impacted by the criminal justice system, and all are united by a belief that no one should be jailed simply because they can’t afford to pay bail.

“I love what I do and I believe so deeply in our mission,” said Lorena, a Bail Disruptor in Phoenix. “We genuinely want to help people by getting them released and getting them connected to support in the community.”

For Michael, a Client Support Specialist in Phoenix, this work is personal: “I speak with clients every day whose freedom is on the line. I know that feeling. And I know what strength it takes to face it head-on. That’s what keeps me going.” He uses his lived experience to help others through some of the hardest moments of their lives.

And as Sydney, a Bail Disruptor in Tulsa, put it: “I have been able to post the bonds for hundreds of individuals – many of them days away from losing everything they have worked for. With our assistance, our clients were able to keep their housing, their jobs, and even their children.”

Across the country, we show up for our clients – again and again – because freedom should never depend on a price tag.

REVOLVING BAIL FUND

When our clients return to court, their bail money comes back into our revolving bail fund, allowing us to help even more people.

1

Bail is paid.

2

Bail returns
to the fund
at the end of
a client’s case.

3

Bail money
is used to free
someone else.

1

Bail is paid.

2

Bail returns
to the fund
at the end of
a client’s case.

3

Bail money
is used to free
someone else.

FINANCIALS

The Bail Project intentionally operated at a budgeted deficit this year – a strategic decision to invest in mission-critical operations to sustain our impact amid a shifting fundraising landscape. By thoughtfully leveraging our reserves, we remain well-positioned to navigate anticipated challenges while continuing to meet the needs of our clients and advance our mission, thanks to the steadfast partnership of our philanthropic community.

REVENUE

Individual Contributions

Foundation Grants

Corporate Contributions

Investments and Other Income

Total Revenue

$3,289,843

$1,167,564

$195,241

$2,155,929

$6,808,577

EXPENSES

Salaries & Wages

Employee Fringe & Benefits

Nonpersonal Expenses

Total Expenses

Excess of Operating Revenues Over Operating Expenses

$8,391,291

$1,769,498

$6,092,856

$16,253,645

$(9,445,068)

Net Assets at the Beginning of the Year

Net Assets at the End of the Year

$67,730,591

$58,285,253

Financials are pre-audit.

In a year defined by growing inequality and mounting challenges to pretrial reform efforts, one thing has remained constant: your commitment to showing up.

Your support ensures that people aren’t left behind simply because they can’t afford bail – and that families stay together. It means that freedom, dignity, and due process are defended – not just in principle, but in practice.

We know that change doesn’t come from waiting – it comes from persistence, from presence, and from the people who refuse to give up on each other.

In these moments, we’re reminded that justice, fairness, and compassion are not radical ideas – they are part of the American promise. And every action we take together brings us closer to fulfilling it.

Your partnership is a declaration of the belief that justice should never be a luxury. That hope is worth investing in.

Thank you for your commitment to building a more just world.

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