Neighborhood Defender Service
Neighborhood Defender Service reported $55.2 million in revenue and $53.2 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $87.81 went to program services, $12.07 to management and general costs and $0.12 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 100.0% of the total. Government grants made up 100.0%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $434,753 (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR). 101 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 140% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $53MFor context, the median across 2,433 covered unclassified charities: $88.27 programs, $11.68 management, $0.05 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $55MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 87.8% | 86.7% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 12.1% | 11.5% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 0.1% | 0.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.00 | $0.01 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 100.0% | 29.9% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 100.0% | 3.8% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 58.9% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $434,753 | $301,601 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.82% | 1.38% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 101 | 6 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 0.7 | 6.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 17 of 17 | 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
FY2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseNds provides free legal services to indigent persons, in the harlem office, nds has grown our criminal defense practice to include a homicide practice. We expanded our family defense practice and made our immigration and civil defense practices more robust. We are uniquely positioned to provide a full host of legal services to the harlem community
In the detroit office, we began representing residents of detroit, michigan who have been charged with felony offenses. We provide our services to the community free of charge
Nds texas provides free legal services to indigent persons through criminal defense. This year we are running a program operation lone star to assist with defense of persons needing immigration defense. We provide these services as well as social services to our clients using a holistic approach
Highest reported compensation
FY2025 · 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Officer, 35.00 hrs/week | $400,255 | $0 | $34,498 | $434,753 |
| CHIEF OF SENIOR MANAGEMENT Officer, 35.00 hrs/week | $261,535 | $0 | $28,037 | $289,572 |
| CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Officer, 35.00 hrs/week | $223,990 | $0 | $41,057 | $265,047 |
| GENERAL COUNSEL Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $180,296 | $0 | $53,601 | $233,897 |
| MANAGING DIRECTOR DETROIT Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $189,952 | $0 | $38,484 | $228,436 |
| MANAGING DIRECTOR TEXAS Key employee, 35.00 hrs/week | $176,415 | $0 | $50,715 | $227,130 |
| CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Officer, 35.00 hrs/week | $178,598 | $0 | $46,708 | $225,306 |
| CHIEF ADVANCEMENT OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $172,723 | $0 | $51,301 | $224,024 |
101 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Neighborhood Defender Service (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $2.3M (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
FY2025 · 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–1b17 · 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 4No
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 5389
- Volunteers Part I, line 617
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses onlyIndividuals listed as contractors are left out. 2 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
7 private foundations reported grants to Neighborhood Defender Service totaling $793K 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 Neighborhood Defender Service's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Neighborhood Defender Service, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Neighborhood Defender Service spent in FY2025, $87.81 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Catholic Charities of the Diocese of YakimaYakima, WA · revenue $55M · programs 84.3% · FY2025
- Native American Health CenterOakland, CA · revenue $55M · programs 79.1% · FY2025
- The Glenridge on Palmer RanchSarasota, FL · revenue $55M · programs 86.8% · 2024
- East Tennessee Human Resource AgencyKnoxville, TN · revenue $55M · programs 97.8% · FY2025
- The Educational AllianceNew York, NY · revenue $55M · programs 83.4% · FY2025
Questions people ask
How much of Neighborhood Defender Service's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Neighborhood Defender Service reported that 87.8% of its $53.2 million in expenses went to program services, 12.1% to management and general and 0.1% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Neighborhood Defender Service pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Neighborhood Defender Service reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $434,753, for the role of EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Neighborhood Defender Service get its money?
Of $55.2 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 100.0% came from contributions and grants (including 100.0% from government grants) and 0.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Neighborhood Defender Service a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 06-1296692 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
- FY2025: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, object 202641349349313004 · read the filing
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024 (amended), object 202503529349301425 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023 (amended), object 202423489349300547 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022 (amended), object 202433489349300323 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021 (amended), object 202310189349300041 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202141329349302854 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 06-1296692: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.