Prison Professors Charitable Corporation
A 501(c)(3) Nonprofit · EIN 85-2603315
Every resource is 100% free, funded by donations. Founded by Michael Santos after 26 years in federal prison, Prison Professors helps justice-impacted people earn freedom through merit.
Incentivize the Pursuit of Excellence
Prison Professors empowers people impacted by the criminal justice system to build pathways toward success. Michael Santos transformed his life during 26 years of incarceration, then built a nonprofit that creates self-directed resources, courses, and books that inspire resilience, accountability, and meaningful change.
The philosophy is simple: measure justice by how hard a person works to reconcile with society, live as a good citizen, and prepare for success upon release — not by how many calendar pages they serve in prison.
White Collar Advice has sponsored and partnered with the Prison Professors Charitable Corporationsince before Michael Santos completed his federal prison term in 2013. Justin Paperny serves as an ambassador for the nonprofit — the courses, the framework, and the tools are yours to use, at no cost.
“We are not asking society to offer a second chance. We are building a pathway where opportunity is earned through merit.”
Michael Santos
Founder, Prison Professors Charitable Corporation
What Prison Professors Offers
Lessons, books, and tools created by people who earned the highest level of liberty, at the soonest time, and succeeded upon release.
Free Lessons for Every Stage
Self-paced lessons covering eight stages of the journey — from investigation and plea, through prison life, to success after release and support for loved ones.
Free Books & Workbooks
Educational books and workbooks printed and shipped at no cost to people inside more than 1,100 jails and prisons across the country.
Podcasts & Master Classes
Conversations with formerly incarcerated people and in-depth video courses created by those who earned liberty at the soonest possible time.
The Profiles Platform
A free platform to document a biography, journals, book reports, and release plans — building a public record that judges and case managers can read.
Sentence Calculator & BOP Directory
A free federal sentence calculator and a directory of Bureau of Prisons facilities to help families and defendants understand what lies ahead.
Courses Inside Prisons
BOP-approved First Step Act Productive Activity courses, plus a tablet partnership with Edovo bringing the curriculum toward one million learners.
A Record of Results
26 Years
Michael Santos served in federal prison before founding the nonprofit
1,100+
Jails and prisons receiving free books and workbooks
900,000+
People reached through tablet-based curriculum
9,000+
People who have built a public record on the Profiles platform
Members of the Profiles community have written more than 14 million words that judges, case managers, and probation officers can read — a documented record of growth that changes outcomes.
How Donations Support the Nonprofit
100% of donations fund free education. Prison Professors is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN 85-2603315). Donations may be tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Free Books for People Inside
Donations pay to print and ship free educational workbooks to more than 1,100 jails and prisons nationwide.
Tablet-Based Courses
Funds develop courses for tablet learning platforms, putting the curriculum in front of hundreds of thousands of incarcerated learners.
In-Prison Presentations
Contributions send Michael Santos and the Prison Professors team into facilities to teach in person.
The Profiles Platform
Giving keeps the Profiles platform running, so people inside can document growth, accountability, and preparation for release.
What Giving Makes Possible
$25
Sends one book to someone in prison
$50
Provides course materials for five people
$100
Sponsors one person's complete Preparing for Success After Prison course
$250
Funds books for an entire housing unit
Beyond individual gifts, the nonprofit is sustained by corporate partnerships, employer matching programs, and planned giving — all directed toward keeping every lesson, book, and course free for the people who need them.
Every Gift on the Record
Transparency is part of the mission. Every donation to Prison Professors Charitable Corporation is published at prisonprofessors.org and shown live below.
Top Contributors
- 1$2,004,705.96
Changpeng Zhao
4 donations
- 2$1,000,000
Bill McGlashan
3 donations
- 3PrisonProf_BNB on X$569,115.45
2571 donations
- 4$100,000
EDS Holdco LLC
3 donations
- 5$100,000
Sandra and Justin Paperny
2 donations
Donation Records
| Date | Donor | Amount | Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 26, 2026 | PrisonProf_BNB on X | $101.48 | BNB |
| Jul 26, 2026 | PrisonProf_BNB on X | $107.95 | BNB |
| Jul 26, 2026 | PrisonProf_BNB on X | $98.36 | BNB |
| Jul 25, 2026 | PrisonProf_BNB on X | $124.49 | BNB |
| Jul 24, 2026 | PrisonProf_BNB on X | $149.04 | BNB |
| Jul 24, 2026 | PrisonProf_BNB on X | $111.9 | BNB |
| Jul 24, 2026 | Michael Santosautorenew | $100 | PayPal |
| Jul 24, 2026 | PrisonProf_BNB on X | $114.51 | BNB |
| Jul 23, 2026 | PrisonProf_BNB on X | $123.43 | BNB |
| Jul 23, 2026 | PrisonProf_BNB on X | $158.04 | BNB |
| Jul 23, 2026 | PrisonProf_BNB on X | $100.43 | BNB |
| Jul 23, 2026 | PrisonProf_BNB on X | $98.52 | BNB |
| Jul 23, 2026 | PrisonProf_BNB on X | $95.55 | BNB |
| Jul 23, 2026 | PrisonProf_BNB on X | $165.25 | BNB |
| Jul 23, 2026 | PrisonProf_BNB on X | $157.83 | BNB |
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