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Pro Bono Net Inc

EIN 06-1521179 · New York, NY

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood76 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

PRO BONO NET CREATES SCALABLE AND SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS AND PARTNERSHIPS THAT BRING FREE, SAFE, HIGH-QUALITY LEGAL HELP TO MILLIONS OF PEOPLE. OUR PROGRAMS:1. ENABLE INDIVIDUALS TO DIRECTLY ACCESS THE POWER OF THE LAW.2. EMPOWER ADVOCATES AND VOLUNTEERS TO MORE EFFECTIVELY REACH AND REPRESENT THOSE IN NEED.3. EQUIP LEGAL, SOCIAL JUSTICE, AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS WITH TOOLS AND RESOURCES TO GROW THEIR IMPACT.WE ARE THE COUNTRY'S LEADING ACCESS TO JUSTICE INNOVATOR WITH A 25-YEAR HISTORY OF IMPACT. WE ENVISION A WORLD IN WHICH EVERYONE IS EMPOWERED TO EXERCISE THEIR LEGAL RIGHTS ON ISSUES AFFECTING THEIR SAFETY, HOME, FAMILY AND LIVELIHOOD.

Income
$5.6 million
Spending
$5.0 million
Spent on programs
84%
Reserves
3 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 36%
Employees
26
Volunteers
170
Highest pay
$224,686, president

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 76 out of 100. Higher than 53% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 3.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 15% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 10% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 10% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    84% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 5 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 16 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, 2024, 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 (1)
  1. $4.2 million spent. CIVIL JUSTICE PROGRAM: OUR CIVIL JUSTICE PROGRAM INCUBATES, SCALES AND MANAGES INNOVATIVE ONLINE PROGRAMS AND PARTNERSHIPS THAT HELP PEOPLE NAVIGATE THE LEGAL SYSTEM AND MAKE THAT SYSTEM FAIRER FOR EVERYONE. CIVIL JUSTICE PROGRAM SERVICES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDE: LAWHELP.ORG, OUR NETWORK OF STATEWIDE LEGAL INFORMATION PORTALS IN 17 STATES, HELPS MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WITHOUT LAWYERS UNDERSTAND THEIR RIGHTS, MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS, AND CONNECT WITH FREE AND LOW-COST HELP IN THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITY; LAWHELPNY, THE LEADING CONSUMER LEGAL INFORMATION AND REFERRAL RESOURCE FOR LOW-INCOME NEW YORKERS, PROVIDES NEARLY HALF A MILLION NEW YORKERS A YEAR WITH PLAIN LANGUAGE LEGAL RIGHTS RESOURCES AND REFERRALS TO TRUSTED SERVICE PROVIDERS TO HELP PROTECT THEIR HOUSING, SAFETY, PUBLIC BENEFITS, FAMILIES AND MORE; LAWHELP INTERACTIVE (LHI), OUR SELF-HELP PLATFORM FOR CREATING LEGAL DOCUMENTS, HELPS MORE THAN A MILLION LOW-INCOME AND ECONOMICALLY VULNERABLE INDIVIDUALS CREATE FREE AND ACCURATE COURT FORMS AND SELF-ADVOCACY LETTERS SIMPLY AND EASILY, AN ESSENTIAL STEP IN BEING ABLE TO EXERCISE, VOICE AND DEFEND THEIR RIGHTS; THE LEGAL RISK DETECTOR, OUR WEB-BASED LEGAL HEALTH "CHECK-UP" TOOL USED BY ELDERCARE PROFESSIONALS TO SCREEN THOUSANDS OF AT-RISK OLDER ADULTS FOR LEGAL NEEDS AND EASILY REFER THEM TO LEGAL SERVICES; PROBONO.NET, OUR NATIONAL ONLINE NETWORK FOR PRO BONO AND LEGAL AID ADVOCATES TO ACCESS VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES, TRAINING, MENTORS, AND PRACTICE RESOURCES IN CRITICAL AREAS SUCH AS IMMIGRANTS' RIGHTS, LEGAL HELP FOR VETERANS, AND ASSISTANCE FOR SURVIVORS OF CLIMATE-DRIVEN DISASTERS.PRO BONO MANAGER: PRO BONO MANAGER, A SOCIAL ENTERPRISE VENTURE, OFFERS LAW FIRMS A CUSTOMIZED PRACTICE MANAGEMENT APPLICATION TO INCREASE THE EFFECTIVENESS AND REACH OF THEIR PRO BONO PROGRAMS. PRO BONO MANAGER HAS BEEN ADOPTED BY LEADING INTERNATIONAL LAW FIRMS AND IS USED BY THOUSANDS OF LAWYERS AND PARAPROFESSIONALS WITHIN THOSE FIRMS TO PROVIDE FREE ASSISTANCE TO THOSE IN NEED.JUSTICIA LAB IS PRO BONO NET'S IMMIGRANT JUSTICE TECHNOLOGY LAB, AND A NONPROFIT LEGAL TECH INITIATIVE WHOSE MISSION IS TO TRANSFORM IMMIGRANT JUSTICE THROUGH COLLABORATION, CREATIVITY AND TECHNOLOGY. JUSTICIA LAB SERVICES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDE:CITIZENSHIPWORKS, OUR EASY-TO-USE ONLINE TOOL THAT MAKES APPLYING FOR CITIZENSHIP EASY AND ACCESSIBLE TO ALL. CITIZENSHIPWORKS HAS HELPED MORE THAN 50,000 INDIVIDUALS UNDERSTAND THE NATURALIZATION PROCESS, APPLY FOR CITIZENSHIP, AND ACCESS HELP THROUGH A NETWORK OF 200 PARTNERS.IMMIGRATION ADVOCATES NETWORK (IAN), A COMMUNITY OF MORE THAN 11,000 LAWYERS, PARALEGALS, STUDENTS, AND NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS COMMITTED TO IMMIGRANT JUSTICE. IAN HARNESSES THE POWER OF TECHNOLOGY AND COLLABORATION TO PROVIDE NONPROFIT AND PRO BONO IMMIGRATION LAW PRACTITIONERS WITH FREE ONLINE TRAINING RESOURCES, PRACTICE RESOURCES AND ACCESS TO EXPERTS ON ISSUES SUCH AS REFUGEE/ASYLUM ADVOCACY, WORKING WITH IMMIGRANT CHILDREN, AND WORKING WITH CLIENTS IN DETENTION. RECLAMO!, LAUNCHED IN 2022, AND THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE DIGITAL TOOL DEVELOPED TO DATE TO COMBAT WAGE THEFT OF IMMIGRANT WORKERS IN THE UNITED STATES. RECLAMO! ALLOWS WORKERS TO REMOTELY AND INDEPENDENTLY IDENTIFY THEIR RISK OF WAGE THEFT, INITIATE THE WAGE RECOVERY PROCESS, AND IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES FOR WORKPLACE ORGANIZING. IMMI, A WEBBY AWARD-WINNING FREE ONLINE TOOL THAT HELPS IMMIGRANTS IN THE U.S. EASILY SCREEN FOR OPTIONS, FIND LEGAL ASSISTANCE, AND PROTECT THEIR FUTURE. TO DATE, MORE THAN 200,000 IMMIGRANTS HAVE USED IMMI TO FIND INFORMATION ON TOPICS LIKE FAMILY-BASED PETITIONS, ASYLUM, U VISAS AND SIJS.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 2024.

    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 February 2004.

    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.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.