The Illinois Innocence Project works to free innocent men and women who have been wrongfully convicted and imprisoned for crimes they did not commit. The Project does not charge clients or their families for legal and advocacy services. Instead, we rely on government grants and private donations to keep this critical work going.
Typical Project Costs
Scan one client case file | $50 |
Obtain documents for investigation | $100 |
Visit one client in prison | $200 |
Use court reporter in one deposition | $250 |
Locate/interview one witness | $300 |
Examine evidence at police facility | $350 |
Consult a forensic expert once | $500 |
Conduct one DNA test on one item of evidence | $2,000 |
Support expert analysis/testimony | $5,000 |
The needs of the Project are ongoing; your donation matters.
To be a Monthly Donor
Monthly donations provide the Illinois Innocence Project with a consistent and reliable source of funding that allows us to plan ahead. Set up your donation online by indicating your monthly donation amount. You will then be directed to the University of Illinois Foundation secure website to set up the recurring donation by credit card. You may also contact our office at (217) 206-6569 for other payment options.
When you become a recurring donor, you will join a special group of people reaching out each month to support freeing the innocent and preventing wrongful convictions.
- Hassle-free monthly donation
- Automatic donation from your credit card
- The knowledge that your donation is put to work immediately
- Email updates on our progress
- The ability to change or suspend your donation at any time
- Year-end donation receipts for tax purposes
To Make a One-Time Gift
As a not-for-profit public charity, we rely on tax-deductible donations to fund our work. Your tax-deductible gift directly helps men and women in Illinois prisons who lack resources to pay for legal work and DNA testing to prove their innocence and set them free. Your support also helps protect the integrity of our justice system and helps train the next generation of attorneys and justice advocates in Illinois.
Please make checks payable to: UIF/Illinois Innocence Project
Mail to:
Illinois Innocence Project
University of IL Springfield
One University Plaza MS PAC 451
Springfield, IL 62703
Your gift is tax deductible as allowed by law