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Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program

EIN 20-1934881 · Washington, DC

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak44 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

TO PROVIDE FREE LEGAL ASSISTANCE TO APPELLANTS BEFORE THE U.S. COURT OF APPEALS FOR VETERANS' CLAIMS AND PROVIDE TRAINING AND MENTORING ON VETERANS LAW TO VOLUNTEER ATTORNEYS WHO PROVIDE THIS REPRESENTATION.

Income
$5.0 million
Spending
$5.2 million
Spent on programs
99%
Reserves
0.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 74%
Employees
44
Volunteers
9
Highest pay
$239,877, executive director

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

Weak: 44 out of 100. Higher than 12% of charities in its peer group (public benefit, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    4 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 0.6 months of spending.

  • Debt

    2 of 20

    It owes 90% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    8 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 4% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 3% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    99% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 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 70% of charities in its peer group (public benefit, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    9 of 9 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 (3)
  1. $4.0 million spent. CAVC PROGRAM - THIS COMPONENT SCREENS CASES OF PRO SE (UNREPRESENTED) APPELLANTS BEFORE THE U.S. COURT OF APPEALS FOR VETERANS CLAIMS (CAVC) FOR MERIT AND PLACES CASES WITH PROGRAM TRAINED VOLUNTEER ATTORNEYS. DURING THE YEAR, WE TRAINED 505 VOLUNTEER ATTORNEYS AND CONTINUED TO MENTOR THEM AFTER CASE PLACEMENT. THE CAVC SENT APPEALS PROGRAM INFORMATION TO 1905 POTENTIAL VETERANS CLIENTS AND SCREENED 620 CASES. PROGRAM OUTREACH AND EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS SUCH AS "YOUR APPEAL FOR VETERANS BENEFITS" PAMPHLET, WERE PRODUCED AND DISTRIBUTED. THIS COMPONENT INCLUDES SEVERAL SUB-FUNCTIONS (CASE SCREENING, CASE PLACEMENT, LITIGATION, A NATIONAL HOTLINE TO ASSIST UNREPRESENTED CLIENTS, OUTREACH TO VETERANS/DEPENDENTS/SURVIVORS, AND COLLABORATION WITH LAW SCHOOL CLINIC PROGRAMS). THE CAVC PROGRAM HAS A LIFETIME SUCCESS RATE OF 88%.
  2. $733,376 spent. DISCHARGE UPGRADE PROGRAM - THIS COMPONENT RECRUITS, TRAINS, MENTORS AND SUPPORTS PRO BONO VOLUNTEER ATTORNEYS REGARDING THE PRACTICE OF VETERANS LAW FOR SUBMISSION OF CASES TO THE RESPECTIVE MILITARY SERVICE DISCHARGE REVIEW BOARDS AND BOARD FOR CORRECTION OF MILITARY RECORDS. DURING THE YEAR, THE DISCHARGE UPGRADE (DU) PROGRAM RECEIVED 2733 CLIENT REQUESTS WHO WERE PROVIDED EITHER DIRECT LEGAL ASSISTANCE OR HELPFUL INFORMATION. THE DU PROGRAM CONDUCTS INTAKE CLINICS WITH OUTSIDE LAW FIRMS AND PROVIDES TRAINING TO THE VOLUNTEERS ATTORNEYS ON THE CLIENT SCREENING PROCESS. THE DU PROGRAM HAS A LIFETIME SUCCESS RATE OF 82%.
  3. $394,202 spent. LEGAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS- THIS COMPONENT LEADS AND MANAGES THE VETERANS NATURALIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (VNAP), THE WOMEN VETERANS LEGAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (WVLAP) AND TWO LEGAL ADVICE AND REFERRAL CLINICS (LARC) IN THE GREATER WASHINGTON DC REGION- ONE OF WHICH IS SPECIFIC TO WOMEN VETERANS. DURING THE YEAR, VNAP ASSISTED IN THE ATTAINMENT OF 62 U.S. CITIZENSHIPS AND WVLAP ACHIEVED OVER $1.4 MILLION IN BACK VA DISABILITY BENEFITS FOR WOMEN VETERANS. THE LARCS ASSISTED 474 VETERANS INCLUDING 155 WOMEN VETERANS.

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 October 13, 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 November 6, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 2026.

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

    Recognized by the IRS since March 2005.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 November 4, 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.