Community Legal Aid Services
Community Legal Aid Services reported $11.9 million in revenue and $9.9 million in expenses for calendar year 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $81.88 went to program services, $13.53 to management and general costs and $4.59 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 96.2% of the total. Government grants made up 94.8%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $205,125 (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR). 2 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 62% between 2019 and 2025. Source: Form 990, 2025.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $9.9MFor 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 $12MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 81.9% | 86.7% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 13.5% | 11.1% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 4.6% | 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 | 96.2% | 94.8% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 94.8% | 50.1% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 0.7% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $205,125 | $245,814 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 2.07% | 1.41% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 2 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 18.5 | 6.4 |
| 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
2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseFamilywhen families struggle with their internal dynamics, it can affect stability in the rest of their lives - from where they live, to whom their children live with, to how much they're able to focus on their jobs and maintain an income. Legal Aid advocates work with couples who have decided that what's best for them is a clean break and a fresh start, and with victims of domestic abuse who need to permanently separate from their abuser. By helping resolve these interpersonal conflicts with legal solutions, Legal Aid releases the stress they feel in their home life and allows them to regain…
Housingfew things rock the foundation of someone's life like not having a safe, secure, and stable home. Not having a home affects every aspect of their life - from their emotional and mental health, to consistency in their child's education, to whether they have the transportation needed to make it to their jobs. Many of low-income families in our communities struggle with these issues, and when Legal Aid helps resolve them, the result is transformative. Adults stabilize, children learn, and families grow and prosper. Beyond the individual or family, the neighborhood sees less transiency…
Consumerdebt can overwhelm someone's life, especially when that person is impoverished. Legal Aid is committed to giving clients a fresh start through bankruptcy, tax debt relief, and more. Advocates help clients through the process to relieve debt, reduce creditor harassment, save important assets like their homes, and reverse shut-offs of necessary things like utilities. This allows individuals and families to be financially well, reducing stress, and helping them get back to being contributing consumers in the community
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, 40.00 hrs/week | $163,661 | $0 | $41,464 | $205,125 |
| CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $141,193 | $0 | $20,049 | $161,242 |
2 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Community Legal Aid Services (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $366K (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–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 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 592
- Volunteers Part I, line 6147
Private foundation grants it received
10 private foundations reported grants to Community Legal Aid Services totaling $55,067 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 Community Legal Aid 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 Community Legal Aid Services, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Community Legal Aid Services spent in 2025, $81.88 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Vermont Legal AidBurlington, VT · revenue $12M · programs 82.4% · FY2025
- Centro Legal de LA RazaOakland, CA · revenue $12M · programs 83.0% · FY2025
- Lawyers for ChildrenNew York, NY · revenue $12M · programs 86.2% · FY2025
- Central California Legal ServicesFresno, CA · revenue $12M · programs 80.0% · 2025
- Police Executive Research ForumWashington, DC · revenue $12M · programs 91.4% · 2024
All crime & legal-related charities · Largest charities in Ohio
Questions people ask
How much of Community Legal Aid Services's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2025, Community Legal Aid Services reported that 81.9% of its $9.9 million in expenses went to program services, 13.5% to management and general and 4.6% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Community Legal Aid Services pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Community Legal Aid Services reported for one person in calendar year 2025 was $205,125, for the role of EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Community Legal Aid Services get its money?
Of $11.9 million in revenue in calendar year 2025, 96.2% came from contributions and grants (including 94.8% from government grants) and 0.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Community Legal Aid Services a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 34-0753560 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 202622619349300117 · read the filing
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202512309349300406 · read the filing
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202401359349301305 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202342209349300109 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202201799349300800 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202132149349300018 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202031819349300738 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 34-0753560: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.