Columbia Legal Services
Columbia Legal Services reported $12.6 million in revenue and $8.0 million in expenses for calendar year 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $64.14 went to program services, $33.94 to management and general costs and $1.92 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 94.8% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $321,230 (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (THRU 9/25)). 22 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 181% between 2019 and 2025. Source: Form 990, 2025.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $8.0MFor context, the median across 277 covered crime & legal-related charities: $87.81 programs, $11.33 management, $0.86 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
Calendar year 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $13MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 64.1% | 86.6% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 33.9% | 11.2% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 1.9% | 0.9% |
| 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 | 94.8% | 94.8% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 48.2% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.9% | 0.7% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $321,230 | $247,730 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 4.00% | 1.41% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 22 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 22.5 | 6.5 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 13 of 13 | 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
2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseSee schedule olegal services: through community-led movement lawyering and a systemic approach, we are supporting communities and movements by bringing deep legal expertise that is grounded in and strongly guided by an understanding of race equity.cases in litigation or that have been litigated during 2025:united farm workers of america, et al v. Greenwood mushroom sunnyside ia, llc:this lawsuit is to enforce the little norris-laguardia act and retaliation protections for union activity.the workers who are impacted are immigrants and largely women. These workers are fighting for better…
Highest reported compensation
2025 · 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 (THRU 9/25) Officer, 35.00 hrs/week | $294,762 | $0 | $26,468 | $321,230 |
| DIR. OF EQUITY & COMMUNITY (THRU 10/25) Highest compensated employee, 35.00 hrs/week | $203,532 | $0 | $14,242 | $217,774 |
| POLICY DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 35.00 hrs/week | $133,812 | $0 | $32,980 | $166,792 |
| INTERIM EXEC. DIR./PEOPLE & CULTURE Officer, 35.00 hrs/week | $157,125 | $0 | $1,897 | $159,022 |
| DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF ADVOCACY Highest compensated employee, 35.00 hrs/week | $129,484 | $0 | $28,405 | $157,889 |
| LITIGATION DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 35.00 hrs/week | $131,329 | $0 | $25,382 | $156,711 |
| DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF ADVOCACY Highest compensated employee, 35.00 hrs/week | $138,045 | $0 | $15,937 | $153,982 |
22 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Columbia Legal Services (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $480K (Part IX, line 5).
7 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
2025 · 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–1b13 · 13 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 554
- Volunteers Part I, line 618
Largest outside contractors
2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| ASP Accounting & consulting services | $162,925 |
| CFO SELECTIONS LLC Accounting & consulting services | $130,594 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 2 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
3 private foundations reported grants to Columbia Legal Services totaling $7,742 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 Columbia Legal Services's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Columbia Legal Services, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Columbia Legal Services spent in 2025, $64.14 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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All crime & legal-related charities · Largest charities in Washington
Questions people ask
How much of Columbia Legal Services's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2025, Columbia Legal Services reported that 64.1% of its $8.0 million in expenses went to program services, 33.9% to management and general and 1.9% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Columbia Legal Services pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Columbia Legal Services reported for one person in calendar year 2025 was $321,230, for the role of EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (THRU 9/25) (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Columbia Legal Services get its money?
Of $12.6 million in revenue in calendar year 2025, 94.8% came from contributions and grants and 0.9% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Columbia Legal Services a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 91-0974503 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, 2025. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- 2025: Form 990 for calendar year 2025, object 202612669349300531 · read the filing · XML
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202543179349305824 · read the filing
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202413109349303971 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022 (amended), object 202413559349301621 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021 (amended), object 202423559349301622 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202103199349320660 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202033219349303818 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 91-0974503: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.