Maryland Legal Services Corporation
Maryland Legal Services Corporation reported $62.0 million in revenue and $61.9 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $99.19 went to program services, $0.81 to management and general costs and $0.00 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 97.3% of the total. Government grants made up 97.3%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $191,384 (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR). 3 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 175% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $62MFor 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 June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $62M- Contributions & grants (non-government)$0.05 $32,331
- Government grants$97.25 $60M
- Investment income$2.70 $1.7M
Other revenue was negative: −$21,629. The bar shows the positive sources only.
The 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 99.2% | 86.7% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 0.8% | 11.1% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 0.0% | 0.8% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.00 | $0.01 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 97.3% | 94.8% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 97.3% | 50.1% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 0.7% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $191,384 | $245,814 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.31% | 1.41% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 3 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 8.6 | 6.4 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 9 of 9 | 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 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseDuring FY25, the Maryland Legal Services Corporation (mlsc) awarded more than $60.5 million in operating, judicare, and special project grants to 47 nonprofit organizations serving low-income marylanders. These grantees closed over 73,000 cases, benefiting 159,147 individuals, and provided services in all 24 maryland jurisdictions. More than 2,500 attorneys donated over 66,440 hours of pro bono service in support of this work. Through their advocacy, legal aid providers helped clients secure nearly $25 million in economic awards and avoid or save more than $14 million in costs related to…
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 Director/trustee, officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $166,154 | $0 | $25,230 | $191,384 |
| DEPUTY DIRECTOR/CHIEF PROG Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $134,080 | $0 | $37,288 | $171,368 |
| CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $133,778 | $0 | $23,757 | $157,535 |
3 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Maryland Legal Services Corporation (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $541K (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–1b9 · 9 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 511
Private foundation grants it received
1 private foundation reported grants to Maryland Legal Services Corporation totaling $500 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 Maryland Legal Services Corporation's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Maryland Legal Services Corporation, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Maryland Legal Services Corporation spent in FY2025, $99.19 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- NamatiWashington, DC · revenue $61M · programs 72.6% · 2025
- National Conference of Bar ExaminersMadison, WI · revenue $65M · programs 87.0% · FY2025
- Alliance for Safety and JusticeOakland, CA · revenue $60M · programs 81.6% · FY2025
- Democracy Forward FoundationWashington, DC · revenue $66M · programs 90.7% · FY2025
- AmikidsTampa, FL · revenue $57M · programs 94.5% · FY2025
All crime & legal-related charities · Largest charities in Maryland
Questions people ask
How much of Maryland Legal Services Corporation's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Maryland Legal Services Corporation reported that 99.2% of its $61.9 million in expenses went to program services, 0.8% to management and general and 0.0% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Maryland Legal Services Corporation pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Maryland Legal Services Corporation reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $191,384, for the role of EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Maryland Legal Services Corporation get its money?
Of $62.0 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 97.3% came from contributions and grants (including 97.3% from government grants) and 0.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Maryland Legal Services Corporation a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 52-1266744 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
- FY2025: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, object 202640629349300839 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202500949349301450 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202411319349302831 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202203549349300715 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202103379349300800 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202033369349300208 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 52-1266744: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.