Legal Aid Society of San Diego
Legal Aid Society of San Diego reported $30.1 million in revenue and $29.8 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $86.55 went to program services, $12.93 to management and general costs and $0.52 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 98.2% of the total. Government grants made up 94.5%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $256,110 (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR). 28 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 74% 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 $30MFor context, the median across 2,433 covered unclassified charities: $88.27 programs, $11.68 management, $0.05 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 $30MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 86.5% | 86.7% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 12.9% | 11.5% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 0.5% | 0.0% |
| 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 | 98.2% | 29.9% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 94.5% | 3.8% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 1.1% | 58.9% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $256,110 | $301,601 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.86% | 1.38% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 28 | 6 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 4.3 | 6.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 19 of 19 | 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 expense"provide legal services to the indigent in the following substantive areas: health, housing, support for families, maintaining economic stability, safety & stability, and free clinics. What we doaccess to health care: we provide free help to those with problems gaining health coverage or health services who qualify for our services. We can help if there are changes in your health services, when there is a termination or change in health coverage and when there is a need to resolve problems with health plans
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 Officer, 35.00 hrs/week | $234,135 | $0 | $21,975 | $256,110 |
| CHIEF FISCAL OFFICER Officer, 35.00 hrs/week | $198,723 | $0 | $34,877 | $233,600 |
| DEPUTY DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 35.00 hrs/week | $176,324 | $0 | $25,344 | $201,668 |
| DEPUTY DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 35.00 hrs/week | $157,688 | $0 | $33,293 | $190,981 |
| DIRECTOR OF POLICY AND TRAINING Highest compensated employee, 35.00 hrs/week | $127,355 | $0 | $27,573 | $154,928 |
| DEPUTY DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 35.00 hrs/week | $136,265 | $0 | $18,272 | $154,537 |
| DIRECTOR OF HOUSING JUSTICE COLLABORATIVE Highest compensated employee, 35.00 hrs/week | $133,187 | $0 | $17,284 | $150,471 |
28 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Legal Aid Society of San Diego (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $512K (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–1b19 · 19 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 5288
- Volunteers Part I, line 6432
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| NEIGHBORHOOD LEGAL SERVICES OF LOS ANGEL Subcontractor for the hca program | $637,007 |
| INLAND COUNTIES LEGAL SERVICES Subcontractor for the hca program | $323,855 |
| COMMUNITY LEGAL AID SOCAL Subcontractor for the hca program | $301,421 |
| LEGAL SERVICVES OF NORTHEN CALIFORNIA Subcontractor for the hca program | $265,539 |
| BAY AREA LEGAL AID Subcontractor for the hca program | $237,130 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 23 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
4 private foundations reported grants to Legal Aid Society of San Diego totaling $323K 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 Society of San Diego'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 Society of San Diego, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 Legal Aid Society of San Diego spent in FY2025, $86.55 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- The Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy StudiesWashington, DC · revenue $30M · programs 87.8% · FY2025
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- AdjoinSan Diego, CA · revenue $30M · programs 90.5% · 2024
- Volunteers of America of OregonPortland, OR · revenue $30M · programs 71.3% · FY2025
- Central Kansas Mental Health CenterSalina, KS · revenue $30M · programs 73.6% · 2025
All unclassified charities · Largest charities in California
Questions people ask
How much of Legal Aid Society of San Diego's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Legal Aid Society of San Diego reported that 86.5% of its $29.8 million in expenses went to program services, 12.9% to management and general and 0.5% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Legal Aid Society of San Diego pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Legal Aid Society of San Diego reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $256,110, for the role of EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Legal Aid Society of San Diego get its money?
Of $30.1 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 98.2% came from contributions and grants (including 94.5% from government grants) and 1.1% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Legal Aid Society of San Diego a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 95-1869806 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 202641219349300749 · read the filing
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202501279349303570 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202431239349301483 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202331329349309118 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202201339349306085 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202121319349304672 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 95-1869806: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.