Southern Poverty Law Center
Southern Poverty Law Center reported $149.6 million in revenue and $127.9 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending October 31, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $70.31 went to program services, $15.09 to management and general costs and $14.60 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 85.1% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $530,740 (PRESIDENT/CEO). 207 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 October 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $128MFor 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 October 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $150MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 70.3% | 86.7% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 15.1% | 11.1% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 14.6% | 0.8% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.15 | $0.01 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 85.1% | 94.8% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 50.1% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.1% | 0.7% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $530,740 | $245,814 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.41% | 1.41% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 207 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 83.2 | 6.4 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 10 of 10 | 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 expenseLegal - the Southern Poverty Law Center (splc) seeks justice by supporting victims of civil rights abuses and hate crimes and promoting the civil and human rights of groups most affected by bias and discrimination in our society: communities of color, immigrants, guests workers, children, the poor, and the LGBT community - both in the deep south and nationwide. Its case docket focuses on holding hate groups accountable for murders and other violent acts committed by their members; ending workplace exploitation of immigrants; challenging unconstitutional or discriminatory laws and policies…
Public information - the splc's public information and education efforts seek to combat hate and bias in our society, expose extremism, and reduce discrimination and injustice. The splc provides information about hate groups and other extremists, their activities, and their crimes to the public, law enforcement, policymakers, human rights organizations, and the media with the goal of preventing hate and extremism from entering the mainstream. The splc also seeks to foster equality in the classroom and support tolerance education by providing award-winning, anti-bias materials to more than…
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRESIDENT/CEO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $472,573 | $0 | $58,167 | $530,740 |
| FORMER ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, SIFI MANAGEMENT (THROUG Former, 40.00 hrs/week | $281,711 | $0 | $53,164 | $334,875 |
| CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $268,335 | $0 | $48,947 | $317,282 |
| TREASURER/EVP,CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $262,069 | $0 | $49,795 | $311,864 |
| CHIEF LEGAL OFFICER Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $272,979 | $0 | $38,102 | $311,081 |
| FORMER SENIOR SUPERVISING ATTORNEY (THROUGH 9/24) Former, 40.00 hrs/week | $247,282 | $0 | $60,659 | $307,941 |
| CHIEF POLICY OFFICER Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $262,848 | $0 | $37,924 | $300,772 |
| CHIEF PROGRAM STRATEGY OFFICER Key employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $260,365 | $0 | $37,397 | $297,762 |
207 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Southern Poverty Law Center (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $3.9M (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–1b10 · 10 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 18Yes
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 5459
- Volunteers Part I, line 612
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| CX MARKETING LLC Marketing services | $1,393,104 |
| GMMB INC Consulting services | $700,719 |
| ILINK SYSTEMS INC Business systems/process project | $684,214 |
| RISING TIDE INTERACTIVE LLC Marketing consulting | $473,720 |
| AVI SYSTEMS INC Audio visual services | $443,018 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 31 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
616 private foundations reported grants to Southern Poverty Law Center totaling $9.7M 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 Southern Poverty Law Center's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Southern Poverty Law Center, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Southern Poverty Law Center spent in FY2025, $70.31 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Justice InnovationNew York, NY · revenue $128M · programs 84.2% · FY2025
- The 85 FundFort Worth, TX · revenue $169M · programs 96.1% · 2024
- Legal Services of New JerseyEdison, NJ · revenue $118M · programs 94.7% · 2024
- American Arbitration AssociationNew York, NY · revenue $189M · programs 93.8% · 2025
- Native American Heritage AssociationFront Royal, VA · revenue $108M · programs 98.1% · FY2025
All crime & legal-related charities · Largest charities in Alabama
Questions people ask
How much of Southern Poverty Law Center's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending October 31, 2025, Southern Poverty Law Center reported that 70.3% of its $127.9 million in expenses went to program services, 15.1% to management and general and 14.6% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Southern Poverty Law Center pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Southern Poverty Law Center reported for one person in the fiscal year ending October 31, 2025 was $530,740, for the role of PRESIDENT/CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Southern Poverty Law Center get its money?
Of $149.6 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending October 31, 2025, 85.1% came from contributions and grants and 0.1% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Southern Poverty Law Center a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 63-0598743 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 October 31, 2025, object 202601629349300815 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending October 31, 2024, object 202511199349300716 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending October 31, 2023, object 202430449349301428 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending October 31, 2022, object 202320469349300512 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending October 31, 2021, object 202211659349300421 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending October 31, 2020, object 202100419349300430 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 63-0598743: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.