Purpose Dignity Action
Also known as Public Defender Association
Purpose Dignity Action reported $37.0 million in revenue and $33.6 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $90.24 went to program services, $9.42 to management and general costs and $0.34 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 95.6% of the total. Government grants made up 80.0%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $277,444 (CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR). 52 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 94% between 2019 and 2024. Source: Form 990, 2024.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $34MFor context, the median across 274 covered crime & legal-related charities: $87.85 programs, $11.30 management, $0.85 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $37MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2024 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 90.2% | 86.7% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 9.4% | 11.1% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 0.3% | 0.8% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.00 | $0.01 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 95.6% | 94.8% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 80.0% | 50.1% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 4.2% | 0.7% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $277,444 | $245,814 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.82% | 1.41% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 52 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 3.9 | 6.4 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 13 of 13 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
2024 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseColead/justcare: adapted lead during the COVID crisis to provide intensive case management teams for individuals who were living unsheltered after shelter closures and de-intensification, jail and court closures, closure of publicly accessible sanitation facilities, and closure of in-person behavioral health programs. Used hotels and other non-congregate facilities to provide private rooms for people needing significant support due to complex behavioral health needs. Assisted in developing exit plans, income stabilization, and permanent housing plans. Resolved encampments
Lead/seattle king county: pda staff are project managers for, and oversee subcontracts to case management agencies for, a community-based diversion program for people who violate laws related to their behavioral health issues and/or extreme poverty. In 2020, the program was renamed let everyone advance with dignity, and it began taking referrals directly from community members as well as law enforcement. Pda also provides legal services for lead participants and subcontracted for lead liaison services from the seattle city attorney's office
Lead national support bureau: provides technical support to jurisdictions nationally seeking to replicate seattle's lead diversion program for people who commit law violations related to behavioral health issues or income instability. National and washington state teams
Highest reported compensation
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $239,571 | $0 | $37,873 | $277,444 |
| CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $205,247 | $0 | $44,713 | $249,960 |
| CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $197,216 | $0 | $45,077 | $242,293 |
| CFO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $192,016 | $0 | $35,020 | $227,036 |
| DIR. OF EDUCATION AND RESILIENCY Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $166,573 | $0 | $42,806 | $209,379 |
| DEPUTY DIRECTOR Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $164,761 | $0 | $42,614 | $207,375 |
| MOBILIZATION DIRECTOR Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $168,573 | $0 | $30,583 | $199,156 |
| DIR. SPEC. INITIATIVES & OUTREACH Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $165,835 | $0 | $24,985 | $190,820 |
52 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Purpose Dignity Action (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $2.3M (Part IX, line 5).
6 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
2024 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b13 · 13 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2No
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4Yes
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18Yes
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 5101
- Volunteers Part I, line 614
Largest outside contractors
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| EVERGREEN TREATMENT SERVICES Direct client services | $10,861,562 |
| WE DELIVER CARE Transportation for clients | $1,049,518 |
| REBLX PARTNERS LLC MANAGEMENT Facilities maintenance | $846,356 |
| COMMUNITY PASSAGEWAYS Direct client services | $548,668 |
| POCAAN Direct client services | $498,562 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 12 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
3 private foundations reported grants to Purpose Dignity Action totaling $302K on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from Purpose Dignity Action's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Purpose Dignity Action, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Purpose Dignity Action spent in 2024, $90.24 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Mothers Against Drunk DrivingIrving, TX · revenue $37M · programs 67.5% · 2025
- Everytown for Gun Safety Support FundNew York, NY · revenue $37M · programs 82.1% · 2024
- Committee for ChildrenSeattle, WA · revenue $34M · programs 73.2% · FY2026
- Time OrganizationBaltimore, MD · revenue $38M · programs 70.9% · 2024
- Legal Aid of Northwest TexasFort Worth, TX · revenue $34M · programs 87.4% · 2024
All crime & legal-related charities · Largest charities in Washington
Questions people ask
How much of Purpose Dignity Action's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2024, Purpose Dignity Action reported that 90.2% of its $33.6 million in expenses went to program services, 9.4% to management and general and 0.3% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Purpose Dignity Action pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Purpose Dignity Action reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $277,444, for the role of CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Purpose Dignity Action get its money?
Of $37.0 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 95.6% came from contributions and grants (including 80.0% from government grants) and 4.2% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Purpose Dignity Action a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 91-0852323 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202533219349310693 · read the filing · XML
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202413209349301721 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022 (amended), object 202441509349301419 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202203199349328310 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202113159349304541 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202013219349311886 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 91-0852323: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.