We share the same vision for the future: A world where the caging of human beings is a distant memory and our communities have everything they need to take care of each other. Leave a lasting legacy when you include DJC in your plans.
Are you…
Planned giving is for donors who think about the future strategically. There are ways to give for donors of all ages and profiles, and each way has its own benefits—benefits for both yourself and for the next generations.
There are many ways to make a planned gift to DJC. The best vehicle for you depends on your individual circumstances. Please discuss your gift planning desires with your accountant or other advisor and with DJC before making a decision on this matter. The information on this site is for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal advice.
Bequests are an excellent way for anyone of any age to establish a planned gift. Your will is the document through which you may pass on your legacy to family, friends, relations, and charitable organizations that you support. By making a bequest to DJC, a gift in your will or living trust, you ensure future funding for our movement.
Donors 70.5 and older are eligible to make a tax-free gift to DJC directly from their IRA called a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD). These gifts are tax-free, regardless of whether or not you itemize deductions on your tax return and can lower your taxable income. If you have to take a Required Minimum Distribution, QCDs are one way to reduce the tax liability.
Designate part or all of your IRA and other retirement or bank accounts, or life insurance policies to DJC and make a meaningful gift toward transforming the justice system.
You want to leave money to DJC in your will. You also want the flexibility to change your will should your life circumstances change. You can do both!
By adding just ONE sentence to your will, you can complete your gift. This type of donation to DJC in your will or living trust helps ensure that we continue our mission for years to come.
“I give, devise and bequeath to the Detroit Justice Center (tax identification number 82-2295339), a charitable corporation organized under Michigan law, now maintaining its headquarters in Michigan at 1420 Washington Blvd, Suite 301 | Detroit, MI 48226, _______% of the rest and residue of my estate.”
“I give, devise and bequeath to, the Detroit Justice Center (tax identification number 82-2295339), a charitable corporation organized under Michigan law, now maintaining its headquarters in Michigan at 1420 Washington Blvd, Suite 301 | Detroit, MI 48226, the rest and residue of my estate.”
“I give, devise and bequeath to the Detroit Justice Center (tax identification number 82-2295339), a charitable corporation organized under Michigan law, now maintaining its headquarters in Michigan at 1420 Washington Blvd, Suite 301 | Detroit, MI 48226, the sum of $________________.”
“In the event that (name or names; i.e., spouse, children, sibling, heirs) shall not survive me, or shall die during the administration of my estate, within ____ days from the date of my death, or as a result of a common disaster, then I give, devise and bequeath those beneficiaries’ shares of my estate to the Detroit Justice Center (tax identification number 82-2295339), a charitable corporation organized under Michigan law, now maintaining its headquarters in Michigan at 1420 Washington Blvd, Suite 301 | Detroit, MI 48226, the sum of $________________.”
It’s that easy – you’ll have made a big difference with just a few lines of text that you can change at any time! If you are considering including DJC in your will, please contact us. All inquiries are kept in the strictest confidence, but we’d like to be able to thank you since your gift will make a huge impact on our work. Contact Regina at 313-908-5987 or by email: rsharma@detroitjustice.org.
DJC aims to raise funds in a way that honors our values and is aligned with our mission. We describe ourselves as a movement-led organization: we leverage our gifts and talents to serve grassroots movements for racial justice and economic equity. We are particularly indebted to a long legacy of Black liberation struggles, and through strategic organizing across communities, we cultivate resources to advance the unfinished fight for freedom.
In Detroit, we have experienced the impacts of organized abandonment [1] by the state. For decades, our people have faced the negative repercussions of structural racism as money and other resources have fled our communities. At the same time, public funding has been channeled into harmful systems like mass incarceration. It is in this context that we pursue wealth reclamation[2]: “the process of rehabilitating extracted and privately controlled wealth to restore and nurture community health and vitality.” [3]
We follow the Community-Centric Fundraising (CCF) model which has been developed by Black, indigenous, and fundraisers of color. This approach is grounded in equity and social justice and prioritizes the communities we serve over individual organizations. We do our best to implement CCF principles, including advocating for transformative (as opposed to transactional) giving, because we believe that we all have a stake in building truly just cities, where everyone has what they need to care for one another.
Instead of dividing our clients or programs into “discrete units supported by different individual donors,” we encourage unrestricted support, which gives us the agility and freedom to determine how to spend resources in ways that advance our community’s needs. This is especially important given that Black-led organizations’ unrestricted net assets are 76% smaller than white-led counterparts. [4]
Bold and trust-based unrestricted gifts also enable us to invest in both defensive and offensive strategies to rebuild our cities. At DJC, we do everything we can to alleviate present-day suffering caused by the harms of the carceral system. At the same time, we are clear about what we’re fighting for and we are committed to creating new socio-economic infrastructures that will make prisons and policing obsolete.
DJC relies on a broad community of donors to sustain our expansive work. In addition to financial contributions, our donors share their experiences, insights, community relationships, and creativity with DJC. We strive to build strong, personal donor relationships based on clear communication, trust, and a shared vision. We take seriously the responsibility to put each gift to the best possible use. DJC and our donors dream of a better future–and then work to build it together.
To help promote our values and guide our decision-making process, our Board of Directors has approved the following Gift Acceptance Policy.
The Detroit Justice Center (DJC) is a non-profit law firm working alongside communities to create economic opportunities, transform the justice system, and promote equitable and just cities.
DJC accepts gifts primarily from individuals, foundations, and organizations that share a commitment to our values. We reserve the right to decline gifts from individuals or institutions that advocate viewpoints or take actions that fundamentally contradict those values.
DJC does not generally accept direct corporate donations. However, DJC will consider employee recommended gifts including matching contributions, donor advised funds, employee designations and support from employee sponsored resource and affinity groups. In some specific instances, such as mission-aligned social justice focused funds, DJC may accept or pursue financial contributions or grants from corporations. These considerations are made on a case by case basis with the members of the development team. Considerations above $50,000 are reviewed with and approved by DJC’s Executive Director. Considerations of $250,000 or above are reviewed and approved by DJC’s Executive Director and the DJC Board of Directors.
This policy may be amended from time to time at the Detroit Justice Center’s discretion.