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603 Legal Aid

EIN 02-0484379 · Concord, NH

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood89 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO PROVIDE FREE QUALITY CIVIL LEGAL SERVICES TO PEOPLE FACING NEW HAMPSHIRE LEGAL ISSUES THROUGH COMPASSIONATE ADVOCACY, EDUCATION, AND PRO BONO REPRESENTATION.

Income
$3.0 million
Spending
$2.6 million
Spent on programs
88%
Reserves
7.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 92%
Employees
32
Volunteers
692
Highest pay
$146,982, executive director

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 89 out of 100. Higher than 74% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 7.2 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 27% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 14% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 18% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    88% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 57% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    15 of 15 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (3)
  1. $1.8 million spent. 603 LEGAL AID (603LA) SERVES AS NEW HAMPSHIRE'S (NH) ENTRY POINT FOR CIVIL LEGAL SERVICES, PROVIDING CRITICAL LEGAL ASSISTANCE TO LOW-INCOME RESIDENTS ACROSS THE STATE. FUNDING COMES FROM A COMBINATION OF FEDERAL, STATE, FOUNDATION, CY PRES, AND INDIVIDUAL SOURCES. 603LA SERVES DIVERSE POPULATIONS INCLUDING SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, TENANTS FACING EVICTION, INDIVIDUALS NAVIGATING FAMILY LAW MATTERS, LOW-INCOME TAXPAYERS IN DISPUTES WITH THE IRS, PEOPLE SEEKING CONSUMER DEBT RELIEF, INDIVIDUALS NEEDING NAME CHANGES OR CRIMINAL RECORD ANNULMENTS, AND VETERANS WITH CIVIL AND VA-SPECIFIC LEGAL NEEDS. KEY FUNDERS INCLUDE THE LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION (LSC), THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS (VA), AND THE IRS LOW-INCOME TAXPAYER CLINIC (LITC) PROGRAM. (CONT'D SCH. O)ADDITIONALLY, THE NH DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FUNDS SERVICES FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS THROUGH VICTIMS OF CRIME ACT (VOCA) AND VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ACT (VAWA) AWARDS. THIS INCLUDES 603LA'S RENOWNED DOMESTIC VIOLENCE EMERGENCY (DOVE) PRO BONO PROJECT WHICH FOR 30 YEARS HAS CONNECTED SURVIVORS TO ATTORNEY VOLUNTEERS FOR LEGAL REPRESENTATION AT FINAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND STALKING PROTECTIVE ORDER HEARINGS. ADDITIONAL SUPPORT COMES FROM THE NH BAR FOUNDATION (IOLTA AND JUSTICE GRANTS), NH CHARITABLE FOUNDATION, GRANITE UNITED WAY, SWIM WITH A MISSION, AND THE NH WOMEN'S FOUNDATION. INDIVIDUAL GIVING IS COORDINATED THROUGH THE CAMPAIGN FOR LEGAL SERVICES, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH NEW HAMPSHIRE LEGAL ASSISTANCE (NHLA).LSC FUNDING SUPPORTS 603LA'S CENTRALIZED INTAKE SYSTEM, WHICH SCREENS ROUGHLY 20,000 CIVIL LEGAL AID REQUESTS STATEWIDE EACH YEAR. ELIGIBLE CLIENTS ARE CONNECTED TO LEGAL ASSISTANCE THROUGH IN-HOUSE STAFF, PRO BONO VOLUNTEERS, OR PARTNER PROGRAM REFERRALS; THOSE WHO DO NOT QUALIFY RECEIVE REFERRALS TO APPROPRIATE ALTERNATIVE RESOURCES. LSC FUNDING ALSO ENABLES 603LA TO PROVIDE DIRECT LEGAL SERVICES TO HUNDREDS OF TENANTS FACING EVICTION AND FAMILIES EXPERIENCING DESTABILIZING FAMILY LAW CHALLENGES. ADDITIONALLY, A LSC TECHNOLOGY INITIATIVE GRANT, ALONG WITH INTEREST ON LAWYERS TRUST ACCOUNT (IOLTA) SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING, SUPPORTS A COMPREHENSIVE WEBSITE REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT DESIGNED TO IMPROVE PUBLIC ACCESSIBILITY AND EXPAND FREE LEGAL SELF-HELP RESOURCES.
  2. $232,014 spent. HOPE FOR HEROES (HFH) PROVIDES A WIDE RANGE OF CIVIL LEGAL SERVICES TO HOMELESS VETERANS AND THOSE AT-RISK OF HOMELESSNESS. STAFFED BY A VA-ACCREDITED ATTORNEY AND PARALEGAL, THE PROGRAM DELIVERS TRAUMA-INFORMED SERVICES ADDRESSING THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF VETERANS. HFH HAS REACHED OVER 250 NEW HAMPSHIRE VETERANS THROUGH LEGAL INFORMATION AND OUTREACH EVENTS AND HANDLED MORE THAN 175 LEGAL CASES RANGING FROM FAMILY LAW DISPUTES AND EVICTION PROCEEDINGS, TO ADVOCATING FOR SERVICE-CONNECTED BENEFITS AND DISCHARGE UPGRADES FOR QUALIFIED VETERANS.
  3. $241,679 spent. 603LA'S LOW-INCOME TAXPAYER PROJECT (LITP), SUPPORTED BY LONGSTANDING IRS LITC FUNDING, PROVIDES IN-HOUSE AND PRO BONO REPRESENTATION TO CLIENTS IN DISPUTES WITH THE IRS. THE LITP IS HOUSED WITHIN OUR NEW CONSUMER UNIT, THE FIRST OF ITS KIND IN NH, WHICH ASSISTS INDIVIDUALS NAVIGATING DEBT AND COLLECTION MATTERS THROUGH AN EMPOWERMENT-DRIVEN REPRESENTATION MODEL. THIS UNIT IS FUNDED BY TWO CY PRES AWARDS FROM THE NATIONAL LEGAL AID AND DEFENDER ASSOCIATION AND THE ROSE FOUNDATION.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since January 1996.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.

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