Central California Legal Services
Central California Legal Services reported $12.0 million in revenue and $11.9 million in expenses for calendar year 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $79.95 went to program services, $19.80 to management and general costs and $0.25 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 99.3% of the total. Government grants made up 62.6%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $198,769 (Executive Dir.). 15 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 65% between 2019 and 2025. Source: Form 990, 2025.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $12MFor 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
Calendar year 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $12M- Contributions & grants (non-government)$36.57 $4.4M
- Government grants$62.53 $7.5M
- Investment income$0.90 $107K
Other revenue was negative: −$22,466. The bar shows the positive sources only.
The 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 80.0% | 86.7% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 19.8% | 11.1% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 0.3% | 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 | 99.3% | 94.8% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 62.6% | 50.1% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 0.7% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $198,769 | $245,814 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 1.67% | 1.41% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 15 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 8.1 | 6.4 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 12 of 12 | 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 expenseCentral California Legal Services is a private, not-for-profit, public interest law firm established for the purpose of providing free civil legal assistance to low-income individuals, families, organizations and communities.the organization's revenue is primarily from contributions, which also includes grant income. The organization generates a minimal amount of program service revenue
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 Dir. Officer, 37.50 hrs/week | $180,173 | $0 | $18,596 | $198,769 |
| CHIEF PROG. OFF. Listed in Part VII, 37.50 hrs/week | $131,656 | $0 | $30,607 | $162,263 |
| DIRECTOR OF ADMIN Listed in Part VII, 37.50 hrs/week | $131,882 | $0 | $23,519 | $155,401 |
| DIRECTOR LIT & ADV Listed in Part VII, 37.50 hrs/week | $129,032 | $0 | $23,915 | $152,947 |
| PRO BONO DIRECTOR Listed in Part VII, 37.50 hrs/week | $125,858 | $0 | $25,291 | $151,149 |
| GENERAL COUNSEL Listed in Part VII, 37.50 hrs/week | $123,641 | $0 | $23,746 | $147,387 |
15 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Central California Legal Services (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $199K (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–1b12 · 12 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 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 5111
- Volunteers Part I, line 6156
Private foundation grants it received
4 private foundations reported grants to Central California Legal Services totaling $60,554 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 Central California 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 Central California Legal Services, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Central California Legal Services spent in 2025, $79.95 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Centro Legal de LA RazaOakland, CA · revenue $12M · programs 83.0% · FY2025
- See Forever FoundationWashington, DC · revenue $12M · programs 87.4% · FY2025
- Community Legal Aid ServicesAkron, OH · revenue $12M · programs 81.9% · 2025
- Acadiana Legal Service CorporationLafayette, LA · revenue $12M · programs 83.7% · 2024
- Vermont Legal AidBurlington, VT · revenue $12M · programs 82.4% · FY2025
All crime & legal-related charities · Largest charities in California
Questions people ask
How much of Central California Legal Services's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2025, Central California Legal Services reported that 80.0% of its $11.9 million in expenses went to program services, 19.8% to management and general and 0.3% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Central California Legal Services pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Central California Legal Services reported for one person in calendar year 2025 was $198,769, for the role of Executive Dir. (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Central California Legal Services get its money?
Of $12.0 million in revenue in calendar year 2025, 99.3% came from contributions and grants (including 62.6% from government grants) and 0.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Central California Legal Services a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 94-1631809 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 202602159349300315 · read the filing
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202513119349304306 · read the filing
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202423199349308182 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202323189349303127 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202243199349309829 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020 (amended), object 202323059349302102 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202042749349300529 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 94-1631809: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.