Appellate Advocates
Appellate Advocates reported $17.3 million in revenue and $17.1 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $84.62 went to program services, $15.03 to management and general costs and $0.35 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was program service revenue such as fees, sales and contracts: 98.7% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $356,349 (BOARD DIRECTOR, PRESIDENT). 8 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 99% 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 $17MFor 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
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $17MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 84.6% | 86.7% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 15.0% | 11.1% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 0.4% | 0.8% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | Not reported | $0.01 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 1.3% | 94.8% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 50.1% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 98.7% | 0.7% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $356,349 | $245,814 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 2.08% | 1.41% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 3.4 | 6.4 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 8 of 8 | 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 expenseContract with new york city to provide appellate legal representation to indigents who are appealing judgements of criminal conviction. Approximately 1,886 cases were assigned during the fiscal year ended june 30, 2024. In addition to appeals, the organization has a number of special projects to provide fuller representation to individuals who are convicted of crime
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BOARD DIRECTOR, PRESIDENT Director/trustee, officer, 35.00 hrs/week | $312,587 | $0 | $43,762 | $356,349 |
| BOARD DIRECTOR AND ASSISTA Director/trustee, officer, 35.00 hrs/week | $229,446 | $0 | $32,122 | $261,568 |
| SUPERVISING ATTORNEY Officer, 35.00 hrs/week | $226,835 | $0 | $31,757 | $258,592 |
| ASSISTANT ATTORNEY-IN-CHAR Highest compensated employee, 35.00 hrs/week | $219,722 | $0 | $30,761 | $250,483 |
| SUPERVISING ATTORNEY Highest compensated employee, 35.00 hrs/week | $211,560 | $0 | $29,618 | $241,178 |
| SUPERVISING ATTORNEY Highest compensated employee, 35.00 hrs/week | $211,237 | $0 | $29,573 | $240,810 |
| SUPERVISING ATTORNEY Highest compensated employee, 35.00 hrs/week | $193,111 | $0 | $27,036 | $220,147 |
| SUPERVISING ATTORNEY Highest compensated employee, 35.00 hrs/week | $172,908 | $0 | $24,207 | $197,115 |
8 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Appellate Advocates (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.8M (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–1b8 · 8 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bNo
- 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 18Yes
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 50
Private foundation grants it received
1 private foundation reported grants to Appellate Advocates totaling $15,000 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 Appellate Advocates's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Appellate Advocates, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Appellate Advocates spent in FY2025, $84.62 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Nevada Bar FoundationLas Vegas, NV · revenue $17M · programs 98.9% · 2024
- Bona Vista ProgramsKokomo, IN · revenue $17M · programs 81.6% · FY2025
- Lawndale Christian Legal CenterChicago, IL · revenue $17M · programs 77.4% · 2024
- JusticepointMilwaukee, WI · revenue $17M · programs 98.9% · 2024
- Legal Action of WisconsinMilwaukee, WI · revenue $17M · programs 83.0% · 2024
All crime & legal-related charities · Largest charities in New York
Questions people ask
How much of Appellate Advocates's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Appellate Advocates reported that 84.6% of its $17.1 million in expenses went to program services, 15.0% to management and general and 0.4% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Appellate Advocates pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Appellate Advocates reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $356,349, for the role of BOARD DIRECTOR, PRESIDENT (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Appellate Advocates get its money?
Of $17.3 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 1.3% came from contributions and grants and 98.7% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Appellate Advocates a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 11-3305212 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (509(a)(2))), 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 202631109349301323 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202501189349301710 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202400619349301020 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202341259349301144 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202221309349304847 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202133079349301448 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 11-3305212: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.