Why Donate — The Impact of Bail Fund Contributions
The Human Cost of Cash Bail
Every year, thousands of Virginians sit in local and regional jails not because they have been convicted of a crime, but because they cannot afford bail. The median bail amount for felonies in the United States is $10,000, and even the typical 10% bondsman fee of $1,000 is beyond the reach of many families. According to the Prison Policy Initiative, the median income of incarcerated individuals prior to their arrest is approximately $19,185 — less than half the national median. For these individuals, even a $500 bond is effectively a sentence of indefinite detention.
The consequences of pretrial detention are devastating and cascading. Research from the Laura and John Arnold Foundation shows that individuals detained for just 2-3 days are significantly more likely to receive a guilty plea (often because they want to get out), receive longer sentences, and be convicted of new offenses within two years of release. They lose jobs, housing, and custody of children — not because they were found guilty, but because they were too poor to post bail. Your donation directly prevents these outcomes.
How Your Donation Works
When you donate to the MohnMatrix Bail Fund, your contribution goes directly toward posting bail for individuals in Virginia jails who cannot afford it. We partner with licensed Virginia bail bondsmen (licensed under DCJS § 9.1-185) to post surety bonds. The bondsman's non-refundable fee — typically 10% of the bond amount — is covered by the fund. When the individual appears at all court dates and their case is resolved, any recoverable portion of the bail is returned to the fund. This revolving structure means a single donation can help multiple people over time as cases resolve and funds are recycled.
All donations are processed securely through Stripe, our PCI DSS Level 1 certified payment processor. We accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and cryptocurrency (Bitcoin and Ethereum). You receive an email receipt for every donation, and you can track how your contributions have been used through your MohnMatrix account dashboard. We publish quarterly impact reports showing the total number of people helped, the total bail posted, and case outcomes.
Inmate Deposits — Supporting Someone Inside
In addition to bail fund contributions, you can send money directly to an incarcerated individual's commissary account through our platform. Commissary funds allow individuals to purchase essential items like hygiene products, nutritious food to supplement jail meals, writing supplies, stamps, over-the-counter medications, and educational materials. For many incarcerated individuals, commissary is not a luxury — it's a necessity that directly impacts their health, dignity, and ability to maintain connections with family.
MohnMatrix charges a flat $2.99 processing fee for inmate deposits, significantly less than the $5.95-$7.95 fees charged by most third-party deposit services like JPay, GTL, and Securus. Funds are typically available in the inmate's account within 24-48 hours. We support deposits to all Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC) facilities and most local and regional jails. You can search for an inmate by name or facility to ensure your deposit reaches the right person.
Tax Information & Transparency
MohnMatrix operates with full financial transparency. While bail fund contributions are not currently tax-deductible (MohnMatrix is a for-profit technology company, not a 501(c)(3) nonprofit), we are committed to publishing detailed financial reports showing how every dollar contributed to the bail fund is used. Our quarterly reports include: total funds received, total bail posted, number of individuals released, case outcomes (conviction, dismissal, acquittal), fund recovery rate (percentage of bail returned after case resolution), and operating costs. We believe transparency builds trust, and we hold ourselves accountable to every donor.
Other Ways to Help
Beyond financial donations, there are several ways to support the MohnMatrix mission. You can join our Community Bail Bond Network and pledge to help when someone in your area needs bail — using your time, your connections, or even your property as collateral (under Virginia Code § 19.2-136 through § 19.2-142). You can spread the word about our platform on social media and in your community. You can refer bondsmen in your area who may want to join our verified network. And you can advocate for bail reform in Virginia by contacting your state legislators and supporting organizations working to end wealth-based pretrial detention.