Legal Aid Chicago
Legal Aid Chicago reported $30.6 million in revenue and $25.7 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $80.43 went to program services, $15.33 to management and general costs and $4.24 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 96.8% of the total. Government grants made up 68.3%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $260,117 (CEO/EXEC. DIRECTOR). 21 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 79% between 2019 and 2024. Source: Form 990, 2024.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2024 · 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 2024 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $31MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2024 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 80.4% | 86.7% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 15.3% | 11.1% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 4.2% | 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 | 96.8% | 94.8% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 68.3% | 50.1% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.7% | 0.7% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $260,117 | $245,814 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.01% | 1.41% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 21 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 7.0 | 6.4 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 50 of 50 | 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
2024 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseThe children and families practice group handles our family law work (almost all of which involves domestic violence) which includes orders of protection, elder abuse, divorce, child custody, and child support. Its attorneys also work on behalf of relative caretakers and foster parents in abuse and neglect cases, and do special education work for youth who are in foster care
Legal Aid Chicago's housing practice group (hpg) ensures that tenants live in decent, safe, and affordable housing that is free from discrimination by providing brief services, negotiation, mediation, and extended representation. Hpg defends residents against unfair or unwarranted eviction and subsidy terminations, enforces tenants' rights, and engages in activities that further the administration of justice
The immigrants and workers' rights practice group is a multi-disciplinary team that focuses on four areas of legal expertise: employment law, immigration law, human trafficking, and migrant farmworker law. Iwr clients are often low-wage workers, and immigrants, both newly-arrived and longstanding residents of the state. We represent clients seeking unemployment insurance benefits, clients with wage claims, and claims of employment discrimination including sexual harassment, racial and national origin discrimination, disability discrimination, and claims of wrongful termination. The team also…
Highest reported compensation
2024 · 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CEO/EXEC. DIRECTOR Director/trustee, officer, 37.00 hrs/week | $212,667 | $0 | $47,450 | $260,117 |
| CHIEF EXTERNAL RELATIONS O Highest compensated employee, 37.50 hrs/week | $155,122 | $0 | $41,176 | $196,298 |
| CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 37.50 hrs/week | $139,827 | $0 | $39,414 | $179,241 |
| DIRECTOR OF LITIGATION Highest compensated employee, 37.50 hrs/week | $139,463 | $0 | $39,427 | $178,890 |
| CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 37.50 hrs/week | $146,362 | $0 | $32,067 | $178,429 |
| CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Officer, 37.50 hrs/week | $153,094 | $0 | $21,442 | $174,536 |
| DIRECTOR OF IMMIGRATION & WORKER'S RIGHTS Highest compensated employee, 37.50 hrs/week | $142,366 | $0 | $20,897 | $163,263 |
21 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Legal Aid Chicago (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $435K (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
2024 · 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–1b50 · 50 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 5270
- Volunteers Part I, line 6863
Private foundation grants it received
20 private foundations reported grants to Legal Aid Chicago totaling $861K 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 Aid Chicago'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 Aid Chicago, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Legal Aid Chicago spent in 2024, $80.43 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
Embed on your site
Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Federal Defenders of New YorkNew York, NY · revenue $31M · programs 79.6% · FY2025
- The Other Side AcademySalt Lake City, UT · revenue $31M · programs 91.1% · 2024
- Louisiana Bar FoundationNew Orleans, LA · revenue $31M · programs 93.3% · FY2025
- National Law Enforcement and Firefighters Childrens FoundationNew York, NY · revenue $32M · programs 93.1% · 2024
- Sandy Hook Promise FoundationNewtown, CT · revenue $31M · programs 74.5% · FY2025
All crime & legal-related charities · Largest charities in Illinois
Questions people ask
How much of Legal Aid Chicago's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2024, Legal Aid Chicago reported that 80.4% of its $25.7 million in expenses went to program services, 15.3% to management and general and 4.2% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Legal Aid Chicago pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Legal Aid Chicago reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $260,117, for the role of CEO/EXEC. DIRECTOR (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Legal Aid Chicago get its money?
Of $30.6 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 96.8% came from contributions and grants (including 68.3% from government grants) and 0.7% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Legal Aid Chicago a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 36-2754650 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
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202502409349300900 · read the filing
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202412409349300826 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202343039349301259 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202203079349301980 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202143169349308349 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202033099349301468 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 36-2754650: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.