Central Jersey Legal Services
Central Jersey Legal Services reported $15.0 million in revenue and $14.9 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $87.44 went to program services, $12.56 to management and general costs and $0.00 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 94.6% of the total. Government grants made up 94.5%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $252,713 (DEPUTY DIRECTOR). 35 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 107% 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 $15MFor 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 $15MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 87.4% | 86.7% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 12.6% | 11.1% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 0.0% | 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 | 94.6% | 94.8% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 94.5% | 50.1% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 4.8% | 0.7% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $252,713 | $245,814 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.70% | 1.41% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 35 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 2.7 | 6.4 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 23 of 23 | 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 expenseCentral Jersey Legal Services (cjls) is a nonprofit law firm that serves low-income residents of middlesex, mercer, and union counties. Cjls has attorneys and paralegals as well as other support staff in five locations across the regions. Offices are open monday-friday, 9 a.m. To 5 p.m. There are private attorneys who have volunteered their time and expertise to provide Legal Services to eligible clients free of charge. The program provides free civil Legal Services to individuals and families with income less than 250% of the federal poverty level. Cjls attorneys and paralegals provide…
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DEPUTY DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 35.00 hrs/week | $189,346 | $0 | $63,367 | $252,713 |
| CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Officer, 35.00 hrs/week | $173,749 | $0 | $61,605 | $235,354 |
| DIRECTOR OF GRANTS Highest compensated employee, 35.00 hrs/week | $172,905 | $0 | $61,731 | $234,636 |
| DEPUTY DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 35.00 hrs/week | $167,370 | $0 | $60,666 | $228,036 |
| EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Officer, 35.00 hrs/week | $193,532 | $0 | $22,798 | $216,330 |
| SENIOR STAFF ATTORNEY Highest compensated employee, 35.00 hrs/week | $177,339 | $0 | $19,610 | $196,949 |
| DEPUTY DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 35.00 hrs/week | $165,888 | $0 | $17,008 | $182,896 |
35 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Central Jersey Legal Services (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $452K (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–1b23 · 23 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 599
- Volunteers Part I, line 685
Private foundation grants it received
2 private foundations reported grants to Central Jersey Legal Services totaling $8,613 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 Central Jersey Legal Services's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Central Jersey Legal Services, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Central Jersey Legal Services spent in FY2025, $87.44 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Legal Aid Services of OregonPortland, OR · revenue $15M · programs 85.9% · 2024
- Children's Law CenterWashington, DC · revenue $15M · programs 74.8% · 2024
- Iowa Legal AidDes Moines, IA · revenue $14M · programs 85.4% · 2025
- Caring People AlliancePhiladelphia, PA · revenue $15M · programs 85.9% · FY2025
- Maine Children's TrustAugusta, ME · revenue $14M · programs 98.0% · FY2025
All crime & legal-related charities · Largest charities in New Jersey
Questions people ask
How much of Central Jersey Legal Services's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Central Jersey Legal Services reported that 87.4% of its $14.9 million in expenses went to program services, 12.6% to management and general and 0.0% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Central Jersey Legal Services pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Central Jersey Legal Services reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $252,713, for the role of DEPUTY DIRECTOR (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Central Jersey Legal Services get its money?
Of $15.0 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 94.6% came from contributions and grants (including 94.5% from government grants) and 4.8% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Central Jersey Legal Services a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 21-0684259 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 202600579349301210 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202500569349301660 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202400789349300850 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202321319349307057 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202211309349302256 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202110489349301106 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 21-0684259: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.