Legal Aid Bureau
Also known as Maryland Legal Aid
Legal Aid Bureau reported $46.4 million in revenue and $47.6 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $85.38 went to program services, $13.90 to management and general costs and $0.72 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 97.1% of the total. Government grants made up 94.5%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $257,328 (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR). 10 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 55% 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 $48MFor 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 $46MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2024 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 85.4% | 86.7% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 13.9% | 11.1% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 0.7% | 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 | 97.1% | 94.8% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 94.5% | 50.1% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 0.7% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $257,328 | $245,814 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.54% | 1.41% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 10 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 6.2 | 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
FY2025 (6 mo.) · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseHighest 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, 40.00 hrs/week | $226,554 | $0 | $30,774 | $257,328 |
| CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $182,315 | $0 | $28,024 | $210,339 |
| CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER (E Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $185,880 | $0 | $10,089 | $195,969 |
| CHIEF HUMAN RESOURCE OFFIC Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $169,671 | $0 | $19,941 | $189,612 |
| DEPUTY LEGAL & ADVOCACYDIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $139,551 | $0 | $20,476 | $160,027 |
| ACTING LEGAL & ADVOCACY DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $142,607 | $0 | $15,743 | $158,350 |
| ADVOCACY DIRECTOR FOR IMPACT/APPELLATE LITIGATION Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $132,612 | $0 | $25,443 | $158,055 |
| CHIEF LEGAL AND ADVOCACY Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $149,999 | $0 | $7,542 | $157,541 |
10 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Legal Aid Bureau (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $2.6M (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–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 5488
- Volunteers Part I, line 6278
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 (6 mo.) · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| COMPLETE CONVERSION SERVICES INC 2nd floor renovation | $288,033 |
| WEST GROUP Online legal research subscription | $195,536 |
| LHH AND LHH RECRUITMENT SERVICES Temporary employees | $163,978 |
| JOHNSON CONTROLS FIRE PROTECTION LP Safety updates | $144,689 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 5 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
5 private foundations reported grants to Legal Aid Bureau totaling $46,342 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 Bureau'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 Bureau, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Legal Aid Bureau spent in 2024, $85.38 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- The District of Columbia Bar FoundationWashington, DC · revenue $44M · programs 97.1% · FY2025
- Legal Aid of North CarolinaRaleigh, NC · revenue $48M · programs 86.4% · 2025
- Criminal Justice Reform FoundationNew York, NY · revenue $44M · programs 71.8% · 2024
- Texas Riogrande Legal AidMercedes, TX · revenue $49M · programs 91.9% · FY2025
- Lone Star Legal AidHouston, TX · revenue $44M · programs 88.5% · 2024
All crime & legal-related charities · Largest charities in Maryland
Questions people ask
How much of Legal Aid Bureau's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2024, Legal Aid Bureau reported that 85.4% of its $47.6 million in expenses went to program services, 13.9% to management and general and 0.7% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Legal Aid Bureau pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Legal Aid Bureau reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $257,328, for the role of EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Legal Aid Bureau get its money?
Of $46.4 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 97.1% came from contributions and grants (including 94.5% from government grants) and 0.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Legal Aid Bureau a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 52-0591621 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (509(a)(2))), 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 202620589349300447 · read the filing · XML
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202511919349300026 · read the filing
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202421809349301302 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202341809349300019 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202231789349301318 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202121769349301032 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202011789349300906 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 52-0591621: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.