The Campaign Legal Center
The Campaign Legal Center reported $13.9 million in revenue and $21.0 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $75.87 went to program services, $17.82 to management and general costs and $6.31 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 88.2% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $490,108 (PRESIDENT). 50 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue fell 2% between 2019 and 2024. Source: Form 990, 2024.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $21MFor 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 $14MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2024 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 75.9% | 86.7% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 17.8% | 11.1% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 6.3% | 0.8% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.11 | $0.01 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 88.2% | 94.8% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 50.1% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 1.0% | 0.7% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $490,108 | $245,814 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 2.33% | 1.41% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 50 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 20.9 | 6.4 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 17 of 18 | 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 expenseVoting rights: voting should be accessible for all citizens, no matter where they live, the color of their skin or how much money they make. To make every vote count, we need a system that is free and fair to ensure that everyone's voice is heard, including those who have had contact with the criminal legal system. Clc believes that state and federal policies should uniformly protect the right to vote and promote voter participation across the united states. This clc program, through litigation, policy analysis, state-based and federal advocacy, and public education, seeks to protect the…
Campaign finance: the first amendment guarantees every american the right to participate fully in the political process. The dependence of political candidates on wealthy special interests is a serious flaw in our political system and makes elected officials responsive to their large donors rather than to the public. The tremendous power of special interest money in politics often drowns out the voice of everyday americans, threatens our first amendment freedoms, and erodes the foundations of our entire democracy. To restore fairness to our political system, this clc program advocates for…
Communications: clc's communication program supports the overall mission of clc and utilizes strategies to leverage and brand clc as a thought leader, educator and advocate. The communication program works across clc program teams to create and disseminate content, build program audiences, and seek partnership and collaboration on important public conversations. This includes supporting Campaign Legal conversations, which explores complicated issues in democracy, sharing stories of voters who have faced barriers to participating in the political process, and educating press, partners and…
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRESIDENT Director/trustee, officer, 36.00 hrs/week | $457,853 | $0 | $32,255 | $490,108 |
| EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Officer, 39.50 hrs/week | $255,634 | $856 | $14,810 | $271,300 |
| VICE PRESIDENT, COMMUNICATIONS Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $238,410 | $0 | $25,910 | $264,320 |
| SR.DIRECTOR,ETHICS & GENERAL COUNSEL Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $229,983 | $0 | $25,395 | $255,378 |
| VICE PRESIDENT, OPERATIONS & FINANCE Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $230,073 | $0 | $24,009 | $254,082 |
| SR.DIRECTOR, LITIGATION & STRATEGY Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $231,345 | $0 | $22,251 | $253,596 |
| SR. VICE PRESIDENT Highest compensated employee, 20.00 hrs/week | $225,890 | $0 | $0 | $225,890 |
50 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from The Campaign Legal Center (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $761K (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–1b18 · 17 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 5111
Largest outside contractors
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| MELROSE WASHINGTON HOLDINGS LLC Office rent | $615,419 |
| SEVEN LETTER Comms consultant | $567,500 |
| OPINCON STRATEGIES LLC Comms consultant | $235,085 |
| MUELLER COMMUNICATIONS LLC Comms consultant | $221,950 |
| RSM Accounting services | $163,922 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 11 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
43 private foundations reported grants to The Campaign Legal Center totaling $12M 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 The Campaign Legal Center's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for The Campaign Legal Center, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 The Campaign Legal Center spent in 2024, $75.87 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Land of Lincoln Legal AidEast St Louis, IL · revenue $14M · programs 83.0% · 2025
- Midpenn Legal ServicesHarrisburg, PA · revenue $14M · programs 85.5% · FY2025
- Attic Correctional ServicesMadison, WI · revenue $14M · programs 89.4% · FY2025
- Legal Services of Eastern MissouriSt Louis, MO · revenue $14M · programs 82.9% · 2024
- International Journalism DefenseNew York, NY · revenue $14M · programs 96.3% · 2024
All crime & legal-related charities · Largest charities in District of Columbia
Questions people ask
How much of The Campaign Legal Center's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2024, The Campaign Legal Center reported that 75.9% of its $21.0 million in expenses went to program services, 17.8% to management and general and 6.3% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does The Campaign Legal Center pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation The Campaign Legal Center reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $490,108, for the role of PRESIDENT (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does The Campaign Legal Center get its money?
Of $13.9 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 88.2% came from contributions and grants and 1.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is The Campaign Legal Center a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 04-3608387 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 202532759349300228 · read the filing
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202442719349300044 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202342349349300929 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202202579349301310 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202132779349300618 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202043189349301514 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 04-3608387: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.