California Rural Legal Assistance
California Rural Legal Assistance reported $33.1 million in revenue and $31.3 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $75.17 went to program services, $21.77 to management and general costs and $3.06 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 96.4% of the total. Government grants made up 47.7%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $246,400 (EXCEUTIVE DIRECTOR). 39 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 88% between 2019 and 2024. Source: Form 990, 2024.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $31MFor 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 2024 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $33MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2024 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 75.2% | 86.7% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 21.8% | 11.1% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 3.1% | 0.8% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.03 | $0.01 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 96.4% | 94.8% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 47.7% | 50.1% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.9% | 0.7% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $246,400 | $245,814 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.79% | 1.41% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 39 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 6.3 | 6.4 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 26 of 26 | 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
2024 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseOur rural justice unit supports the delivery of high-quality civil legal services and access to justice for all low-income people in 16 rural counties throughout california. In 2024, crla closed 3,926 cases that impacted 10,608 people. Program revenue is derived from the collection of attorney fees and cost recoveries
Strategic initiative and statewide support - these programs focus on language justice and supporting systemic advocacy throughout the organization. Crla closed 1,163 cases focusing on the re-entry program
Our agricultural worker program address the legal needs of agricultural workers and their dependents throughout california. In 2024, crla closed 647 cases that impacted 1,915 people. Program revenue is derived from the collection of attorney fees and cost recoveries
Highest reported compensation
2024 · 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXCEUTIVE DIRECTOR Officer, 37.50 hrs/week | $219,726 | $0 | $26,674 | $246,400 |
| CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Officer, 37.50 hrs/week | $192,985 | $0 | $22,311 | $215,296 |
| GENERAL COUNSEL Key employee, 37.50 hrs/week | $186,301 | $0 | $16,547 | $202,848 |
| DEPUTY DIRECTOR Key employee, 37.50 hrs/week | $188,133 | $0 | $14,464 | $202,597 |
| CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER Highest compensated employee, 37.50 hrs/week | $163,599 | $0 | $27,467 | $191,066 |
| LEGAL DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 37.50 hrs/week | $164,270 | $0 | $20,023 | $184,293 |
| PROGRAM DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 37.50 hrs/week | $144,389 | $0 | $9,989 | $154,378 |
| DIRECTOR OF LEARNING AND IMPACT Highest compensated employee, 37.50 hrs/week | $146,775 | $0 | $6,040 | $152,815 |
39 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from California Rural Legal Assistance (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $867K (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
2024 · 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–1b26 · 26 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 5279
- Volunteers Part I, line 6150
Largest outside contractors
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses onlyIndividuals listed as contractors are left out. 2 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
13 private foundations reported grants to California Rural Legal Assistance totaling $1.2M 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 California Rural Legal Assistance's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for California Rural Legal Assistance, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 California Rural Legal Assistance spent in 2024, $75.17 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Legal Services Corp of VirginiaRichmond, VA · revenue $33M · programs 99.0% · FY2025
- Safer FoundationChicago, IL · revenue $33M · programs 80.9% · FY2025
- Brooklyn Legal ServicesNew York, NY · revenue $32M · programs 84.0% · 2024
- Legal Aid of Northwest TexasFort Worth, TX · revenue $34M · programs 87.4% · 2024
- Choices Behavioral Health CAREToledo, OH · revenue $32M · programs 97.5% · 2025
All crime & legal-related charities · Largest charities in California
Questions people ask
How much of California Rural Legal Assistance's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2024, California Rural Legal Assistance reported that 75.2% of its $31.3 million in expenses went to program services, 21.8% to management and general and 3.1% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does California Rural Legal Assistance pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation California Rural Legal Assistance reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $246,400, for the role of EXCEUTIVE DIRECTOR (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does California Rural Legal Assistance get its money?
Of $33.1 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 96.4% came from contributions and grants (including 47.7% from government grants) and 0.9% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is California Rural Legal Assistance a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 95-2428657 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
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202523039349301727 · read the filing · XML
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202402899349302830 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202332899349303403 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202203189349316145 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202132989349301538 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202003099349302475 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 95-2428657: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.