Lawndale Christian Legal Center
Lawndale Christian Legal Center reported $17.2 million in revenue and $9.6 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $77.44 went to program services, $16.04 to management and general costs and $6.52 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 99.1% of the total. Government grants made up 43.2%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $224,116 (Executive Director). 8 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 486% between 2019 and 2024. Source: Form 990, FY2025 (6 mo.).
Where $100 of spending went
The 6-month short period ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $9.6MFor 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 6-month short period ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $17MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2024 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 77.4% | 86.7% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 16.0% | 11.1% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 6.5% | 0.8% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.04 | $0.01 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 99.1% | 94.8% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 43.2% | 50.1% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 0.7% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $224,116 | $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 | 8 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 7.9 | 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 (6 mo.) · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseSpring Forward Housing Support, a pilot program partnership with the City of Chicago , provides housing support. LCLC currently services Chicago's west and south sides
Community Holistic Defense provides social services, including case management, outreach services, and wraparound supports, integrated with legal representation, for youth involved in the criminal justice system, ages 24 and younger, on Chicago's west and south sides
Community Release with Support, a pilot program partnership with the Bail Project, provides court reminders, transportation, and linkages to support services to individuals being released on personal recognizance bonds. LCLC currently services Chicago's west and south sides
Highest reported compensation
FY2025 (6 mo.) · 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, 40.0 hrs/week | $212,292 | $0 | $11,824 | $224,116 |
| VP of Research & Development Officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $174,976 | $0 | $6,259 | $181,235 |
| VP of Operations Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $137,002 | $0 | $7,313 | $144,315 |
| Vice President of External Affairs (part year) Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $137,981 | $0 | $450 | $138,431 |
| Managing Director of Supportive Services Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $103,404 | $0 | $8,124 | $111,528 |
| Managing Director of Housing Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $102,928 | $0 | $6,788 | $109,716 |
| Director of Holistic Social Services Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $103,260 | $0 | $4,330 | $107,590 |
| VP of Org. Health & Mgmt (part year) Officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $80,769 | $0 | $3,074 | $83,843 |
8 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Lawndale Christian Legal Center (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $567K (Part IX, line 5).
7 filings since 2019
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
FY2025 (6 mo.) · 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 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 594
- Volunteers Part I, line 613
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 (6 mo.) · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| Exponent Partners Software implementation | $210,150 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 1 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
15 private foundations reported grants to Lawndale Christian Legal Center totaling $735K 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 Lawndale Christian 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 Lawndale Christian Legal Center, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Lawndale Christian Legal Center spent in 2024, $77.44 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Legal Action of WisconsinMilwaukee, WI · revenue $17M · programs 83.0% · 2024
- Nevada Bar FoundationLas Vegas, NV · revenue $17M · programs 98.9% · 2024
- The Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New YorkAlbany, NY · revenue $17M · programs 84.4% · 2024
- Appellate AdvocatesNew York, NY · revenue $17M · programs 84.6% · FY2025
- ConcordanceSt Louis, MO · revenue $17M · programs 66.8% · 2024
All crime & legal-related charities · Largest charities in Illinois
Questions people ask
How much of Lawndale Christian Legal Center's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2024, Lawndale Christian Legal Center reported that 77.4% of its $9.6 million in expenses went to program services, 16.0% to management and general and 6.5% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Lawndale Christian Legal Center pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Lawndale Christian Legal Center reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $224,116, for the role of Executive Director (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Lawndale Christian Legal Center get its money?
Of $17.2 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 99.1% came from contributions and grants (including 43.2% from government grants) and 0.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Lawndale Christian Legal Center a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 27-2285007 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
- FY2025 (6 mo.): Form 990 for the 6-month short period ending June 30, 2025, object 202601339349303995 · read the filing · XML
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202543189349310109 · read the filing
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202500649349300745 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202312929349301526 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202203199349303890 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202133139349304828 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202013189349309446 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 27-2285007: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.