Legal Assistance of Western New York
Legal Assistance of Western New York reported $25.8 million in revenue and $25.8 million in expenses for calendar year 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $93.47 went to program services, $6.45 to management and general costs and $0.08 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 99.7% of the total. Government grants made up 94.7%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $166,341 (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR). 26 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 106% between 2019 and 2025. Source: Form 990, 2025.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $26MFor 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 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $26MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 93.5% | 86.7% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 6.5% | 11.1% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 0.1% | 0.8% |
| 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 | 99.7% | 94.8% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 94.7% | 50.1% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 0.7% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $166,341 | $245,814 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.64% | 1.41% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 26 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 1.3 | 6.4 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 22 of 22 | 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
2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseThrough its program services, lawny advances its mission of increasing access to justice by providing free civil legal services to low-income residents across a 14-county service area in Western New York. Lawny attorneys and advocates focus on preserving housing, securing access to healthcare and public benefits, protecting survivors of domestic violence, and addressing other essentials of life. In addition to direct representation, lawny engages in advocacy, community education, and outreach to ensure that vulnerable populations understand and can exercise their legal rights
Highest reported compensation
2025 · 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 | $150,143 | $0 | $16,198 | $166,341 |
| DEPUTY DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 35.00 hrs/week | $130,557 | $0 | $23,301 | $153,858 |
| SUPERVISING ATTORNEY Highest compensated employee, 35.00 hrs/week | $125,777 | $0 | $15,683 | $141,460 |
| SUPERVISING ATTORNEY Highest compensated employee, 35.00 hrs/week | $118,193 | $0 | $23,077 | $141,270 |
| SUPERVISING ATTORNEY Highest compensated employee, 35.00 hrs/week | $116,551 | $0 | $23,086 | $139,637 |
| MANAGING ATTORNEY Highest compensated employee, 35.00 hrs/week | $131,783 | $0 | $3,034 | $134,817 |
26 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Legal Assistance of Western New York (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $166K (Part IX, line 5).
7 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
2025 · 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–1b22 · 22 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 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 5226
- Volunteers Part I, line 6999
Largest outside contractors
2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| CATHOLIC CHARITIES COMMUNITY & FAMILY SE Grant subcontractor | $1,834,253 |
| THE LEGAL AID SOCIETY OF ROCHESTER NY Legal service | $1,749,660 |
| JUST CAUSE Legal service | $1,036,864 |
| CORNELL UNIVERSITY Grant subcontractor | $415,232 |
| JUST-TECH LLC It assistance | $337,588 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 5 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
4 private foundations reported grants to Legal Assistance of Western New York totaling $247K 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 Legal Assistance of Western New York's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Legal Assistance of Western New York, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Legal Assistance of Western New York spent in 2025, $93.47 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
Embed on your site
Similar-sized charities in this cause
- ZerovFrankfort, KY · revenue $26M · programs 99.0% · FY2025
- Lawfare Defense FundVenice, FL · revenue $26M · programs 82.9% · FY2024 (8 mo.)
- Michigan State Bar FoundationLansing, MI · revenue $26M · programs 98.2% · FY2025
- Safe PassagesOakland, CA · revenue $27M · programs 93.7% · FY2025
- Transparency International EVGermany, · revenue $26M · programs 86.8% · 2024
All crime & legal-related charities · Largest charities in New York
Questions people ask
How much of Legal Assistance of Western New York's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2025, Legal Assistance of Western New York reported that 93.5% of its $25.8 million in expenses went to program services, 6.5% to management and general and 0.1% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Legal Assistance of Western New York pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Legal Assistance of Western New York reported for one person in calendar year 2025 was $166,341, for the role of EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Legal Assistance of Western New York get its money?
Of $25.8 million in revenue in calendar year 2025, 99.7% came from contributions and grants (including 94.7% from government grants) and 0.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Legal Assistance of Western New York a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 16-0955954 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, 2025. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- 2025: Form 990 for calendar year 2025, object 202632159349300908 · read the filing
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202513149349300921 · read the filing
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202433109349301143 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202343069349302069 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202211319349302956 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202111319349302731 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202043149349302684 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 16-0955954: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.