American Bar Association Fund for Justice and Education
American Bar Association Fund for Justice and Education reported $102.4 million in revenue and $100.9 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $79.76 went to program services, $19.25 to management and general costs and $0.99 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 91.1% of the total. Government grants made up 82.6%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $807,170 (Executive Director). 103 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 13% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending August 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $101MFor 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 August 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $102MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 79.8% | 86.7% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 19.3% | 11.1% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 1.0% | 0.8% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.01 | $0.01 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 91.1% | 94.8% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 82.6% | 50.1% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 2.5% | 0.7% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $807,170 | $245,814 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.80% | 1.41% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 103 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 3.9 | 6.4 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 43 of 44 | 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
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Since 1983, the ABA has prioritized immigration law and policy as one of its core public service efforts. The ABA Commission on Immigration COI directs the Associations efforts to ensure fair treatment and full due process rights for immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers within the United States. The Commission manages six core operational activities 1 Commission and Advisory Committee member activities, 2 Detention Information Hotline, 3 direct legal services through the South Texas Pro Bono Asylum Representation Project ProBAR in Harlingen, Texas, and Houston, Texas, 4 direct legal…
The ABA Center on Children and the Laws mission is to promote access to justice for children and families. Our staff of 21 legal and core professionals work on grant-funded projects across the country that are unified by two complementary goals, to improve legal representation and to improve the legal systems that impact children and families lives. We achieve our mission and goals through a three-tiered approach. First, the Center works in individual communities across the country where it partners with local stakeholders-including courts, child welfare agencies, lawyers, tribes, schools…
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Executive Director Officer, 010.00 hrs/week | $0 | $774,253 | $32,917 | $807,170 |
| Sr Assoc. Executive Director and CFO Officer, 004.00 hrs/week | $0 | $385,545 | $43,646 | $429,191 |
| Assoc Exec Director-Global Programs Key employee, 020.00 hrs/week | $348,125 | $0 | $56,783 | $404,908 |
| Sr Assoc Exec Dir and General Counsel Key employee, 005.00 hrs/week | $0 | $338,120 | $50,804 | $388,924 |
| Sr Assoc Exec Dir and Chief of Staff Key employee, 002.00 hrs/week | $0 | $362,639 | $24,817 | $387,456 |
| ABA ROLI Chief Operating Officer Global Programs Key employee, 020.00 hrs/week | $234,071 | $0 | $75,509 | $309,580 |
| Chief Financial Officer Officer, 005.00 hrs/week | $0 | $202,442 | $77,310 | $279,752 |
| Director Chief Counsel Highest compensated employee, 038.00 hrs/week | $224,390 | $0 | $54,795 | $279,185 |
103 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from American Bar Association Fund for Justice and Education (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $714K (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–1b44 · 43 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 18Yes
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 5745
- Volunteers Part I, line 620,000
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| Westat Inc Research Services | $466,959 |
| Financial Intefrity Network LLC Professional Services | $340,800 |
| YostFish LLC Project Management Services | $335,003 |
| Phase2 Technology LLC IT Services | $330,000 |
| Noble Texas Builders LLC Contractor | $229,434 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 27 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
13 private foundations reported grants to American Bar Association Fund for Justice and Education totaling $721K 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 American Bar Association Fund for Justice and Education's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for American Bar Association Fund for Justice and Education, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 American Bar Association Fund for Justice and Education spent in FY2025, $79.76 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- The Community FirmDenver, CO · revenue $102M · programs 97.2% · 2024
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- Nexus Family HealingPlymouth, MN · revenue $99M · programs 80.8% · 2024
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- Community Resources for JusticeBoston, MA · revenue $95M · programs 87.1% · FY2025
All crime & legal-related charities · Largest charities in Illinois
Questions people ask
How much of American Bar Association Fund for Justice and Education's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, American Bar Association Fund for Justice and Education reported that 79.8% of its $100.9 million in expenses went to program services, 19.3% to management and general and 1.0% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does American Bar Association Fund for Justice and Education pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation American Bar Association Fund for Justice and Education reported for one person in the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025 was $807,170, for the role of Executive Director (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does American Bar Association Fund for Justice and Education get its money?
Of $102.4 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending August 31, 2025, 91.1% came from contributions and grants (including 82.6% from government grants) and 2.5% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is American Bar Association Fund for Justice and Education a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 36-6110299 as a 501(c)(3) organization (supporting organization (509(a)(3))), 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 August 31, 2025, object 202611079349301401 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2024, object 202531189349301183 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2023, object 202411099349300026 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2022, object 202301039349300015 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2021, object 202241169349300124 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2020, object 202141059349300534 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 36-6110299: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.