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Illinois Legal Aid Online

EIN 20-2917133 · Chicago, IL

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong93 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

ILLINOIS LEGAL AID ONLINE (ILAO) OPENS OPPORTUNITIES FOR JUSTICE BY EDUCATING ILLINOISANS ABOUT THEIR RIGHTS AND CONNECTING THEM TO LAWYERS, SOLUTIONS, AND EACH OTHER, ESPECIALLY PEOPLE FOR WHOM THE LEGAL SYSTEM WAS NOT DESIGNED. THROUGH INNOVATION AND ALLYSHIP, WE MAKE THE LAW ACTIONABLE AND ACCESSIBLE. IN THE U.S., PEOPLE FACING CIVIL LEGAL CHALLENGES, SUCH AS EVICTION, DEBT, DOMESTIC ABUSE, AND CHILD SUPPORT, DO NOT HAVE A RIGHT TO A LAWYER. JUSTICE IS SCARCE FOR THOSE WHO NEED IT MOST. WE BELIEVE THAT, WITH THE RIGHT KNOWLEDGE AND GUIDANCE, PEOPLE CAN BE THEIR OWN BEST ADVOCATES. WE MOBILIZE PEOPLE WITH PLAIN-LANGUAGE, 24/7 TOOLS AND SERVICES - IN TWO LANGUAGES - SO PEOPLE CAN UNDERSTAND AND ASSERT THEIR LEGAL RIGHTS. ILAO HELPS PEOPLE WHO ARE UNABLE TO FIND OR AFFORD LAWYERS OPEN OPPORTUNITIES FOR JUSTICE. SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 2001, ILAO HAS USED TECHNOLOGY AND PARTNERSHIPS TO LOWER BARRIERS TO THE LAW SO THAT PEOPLE FACING BARRIERS TO JUSTICE CAN UNDERSTAND THEIR OPTIONS, MAKE

Income
$3.6 million
Spending
$3.1 million
Spent on programs
82%
Reserves
7.7 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 92%
Employees
28
Volunteers
127
Highest pay
$147,447, deputy direc

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 79% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 7.7 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 6% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 15% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 2% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    82% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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

    18 of 18 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 June 30, 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. $1.7 million spent. TO PEOPLE LYING AWAKE AT NIGHT, WITH NOWHERE TO TURN EXCEPT THEIR MOBILE, ILAO OFFERS A LIGHT IN THE NIGHT. OVER HALF OF THOSE WE SERVE COME FROM THEIR MOBILE PHONES, AND BETWEEN 5PM-9AM OR ON WEEKENDS, WHEN TRADITIONAL LEGAL OFFICES ARE CLOSED. ILAO PARTNERS WITH ILLINOISANS FACING INJUSTICES BY PROVIDING 24/7 FREE, ACCESSIBLE, PLAIN-LANGUAGE LEGAL TOOLS AND DIRECTION, INCLUDING PLAIN-LANGUAGE SELF-HELP GUIDES, INTERACTIVE LEGAL FORMS, TRIAGE AND ELIGIBILITY SCREENING FOR FREE LEGAL AID SERVICES, AND KNOW-YOUR-RIGHTS EDUCATION. IN FY25, 2 MILLION ILLINOISANSAPPROXIMATELY 15% OF THE STATES POPULATION SOUGHT ILLINOISLEGALAID.ORG FOR GUIDANCE AND HELP WITH OVER 600 LEGAL ISSUES, SUCH AS EVICTION, FOOD INSECURITY, DOMESTIC ABUSE, CRIMINAL RECORDS, DIVORCE, CHILD SUPPORT, DEPORTATION, DISCRIMINATION, AND DEBT. OUR HIGHEST VOLUME OF SERVICES RELATES TO FAMILY LAW, WHERE PEOPLE WITHOUT LAWYERS MOST COMMONLY ENCOUNTER OUR COMPLEX LEGAL SYSTEM, AND WHERE THEY ARE LEAST LIKELY TO FIND A LEGAL AID LAWYER TO ASSIST THEM. IN ADDITION TO ITS LIBRARY OF CIVIL LEGAL EDUCATION AND SOLUTIONS, ILAO PROVIDES OTHER IMPORTANT SERVICES. FIRST, INTERACTIVE APPS CALLED EASY FORMS, SIMILAR TO TURBOTAX, HELP PEOPLE WITHOUT LAWYERS CREATE FREE, PERSONALIZED, ACCURATE COURT FORMS AND LEGAL PAPERS, USING A SIMPLE QUESTION-AND-ANSWER FORMAT. IN FY25, 88,636 PEOPLE CUSTOMIZED MORE THAN 160,000 LEGAL DOCUMENTS (A 54% INCREASE OVER FY24). SECOND, A TRIAGE, INTAKE, AND REFERRAL SYSTEM (GET LEGAL HELP) DIRECTS PEOPLEVIA INTERNET OR SMSTO THE BEST AVAILABLE RESOURCES: FORMS, SELF- HELP GUIDES, LAWYERS, AND HUMAN SERVICE PROVIDERS. FOR PEOPLE SEEKING A LAWYERS HELP, ILAO MATCHES THEM WITH LOCAL SERVICES BASED ON AN INDIVIDUALS LEGAL ISSUE, ZIP CODE, AND GENERAL INCOME. IN FY25, ILAO MATCHED ALMOST 12,000 ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS TO 12 LEGAL PROVIDERS. TO PEOPLE LYING AWAKE AT NIGHT, WITH NOWHERE TO TURN EXCEPT THEIR MOBILE, ILAO OFFERS A LIGHT IN THE NIGHT. OVER HALF OF THOSE WE SERVE COME FROM THEIR MOBILE PHONES, AND BETWEEN 5PM-9AM OR ON WEEKENDS, WHEN TRADITIONAL LEGAL OFFICES ARE CLOSED. ILAO PARTNERS WITH ILLINOISANS FACING INJUSTICES BY PROVIDING 24/7 FREE, ACCESSIBLE, PLAIN-LANGUAGE LEGAL TOOLS AND DIRECTION, INCLUDING PLAIN-LANGUAGE SELF-HELP GUIDES, INTERACTIVE LEGAL FORMS, TRIAGE AND ELIGIBILITY SCREENING FOR FREE LEGAL AID SERVICES, AND KNOW-YOUR-RIGHTS EDUCATION. IN FY25, 2 MILLION ILLINOISANSAPPROXIMATELY 15% OF THE STATES POPULATION SOUGHT ILLINOISLEGALAID.ORG FOR GUIDANCE AND HELP WITH OVER 600 LEGAL ISSUES, SUCH AS EVICTION, FOOD INSECURITY, DOMESTIC ABUSE, CRIMINAL RECORDS, DIVORCE, CHILD SUPPORT, DEPORTATION, DISCRIMINATION, AND DEBT. OUR HIGHEST VOLUME OF SERVICES RELATES TO FAMILY LAW, WHERE PEOPLE WITHOUT LAWYERS MOST COMMONLY ENCOUNTER OUR COMPLEX LEGAL SYSTEM, AND WHERE THEY ARE LEAST LIKELY TO FIND A LEGAL AID LAWYER TO ASSIST THEM. IN ADDITION TO ITS LIBRARY OF CIVIL LEGAL EDUCATION AND SOLUTIONS, ILAO PROVIDES OTHER IMPORTANT SERVICES. FIRST, INTERACTIVE APPS CALLED EASY FORMS, SIMILAR TO TURBOTAX, HELP PEOPLE WITHOUT LAWYERS CREATE FREE, PERSONALIZED, ACCURATE COURT FORMS AND LEGAL PAPERS, USING A SIMPLE QUESTION-AND-ANSWER FORMAT. IN FY25, 88,636 PEOPLE CUSTOMIZED MORE THAN 160,000 LEGAL DOCUMENTS (A 54% INCREASE OVER FY24). SECOND, A TRIAGE, INTAKE, AND REFERRAL SYSTEM (GET LEGAL HELP) DIRECTS PEOPLEVIA INTERNET OR SMSTO THE BEST AVAILABLE RESOURCES: FORMS, SELF- HELP GUIDES, LAWYERS, AND HUMAN SERVICE PROVIDERS. FOR PEOPLE SEEKING A LAWYERS HELP, ILAO MATCHES THEM WITH LOCAL SERVICES BASED ON AN INDIVIDUALS LEGAL ISSUE, ZIP CODE, AND GENERAL INCOME. IN FY25, ILAO MATCHED ALMOST 12,000 ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS TO 12 LEGAL PROVIDERS.
  2. $524,474 spent. SECOND, ILAOS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EXTENDS AND DEEPENS THE REACH OF ITS DIGITAL TOOLS THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS WITH PUBLIC LIBRARIES, WORKFORCE AGENCIES, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIM ADVOCATES, LEGAL AID, AND HUMAN SERVICES. ILAO OPERATES COMMUNITY-BASED NAVIGATOR PROGRAMS IN SPANISH- SPEAKING AND INCARCERATION-IMPACTED NEIGHBORHOODS IN ELGIN, AURORA, WEST CHICAGO, EAST ST. LOUIS, DECATUR, AND CHAMPAIGN-URBANA. NAVIGATORS ARE LOCAL GRASSROOTS LEADERS WHO ARE TRAINED TO EDUCATE THEIR COMMUNITIES ABOUT THEIR LEGAL RIGHTS. IN FY25, ILAO TRAINED 45 NAVIGATORS AND EDUCATED 5,071 ILLINOISANS (AN 18% INCREASE OVER FY24).
  3. $306,904 spent. DEBT HELP ILLINOIS IS A NEWLY RELEASED, FREE, INTERACTIVE SERVICE THAT DIAGNOSES A PERSONS DEBT PROBLEMS, TAILORS A PLAN TO THEIR SPECIFIC FACTS AND LOCATION, AND CONNECTS THEM TO HUMAN ASSISTANCE WHEN NEEDED. CONSUMERS FACING DEBT CHALLENGES START BY ANSWERING QUESTIONS THAT GUIDE THEM TO PERSONALIZED OPTIONS FOR THEIR DEBT PROBLEM. A STRUCTURED KNOWLEDGE BASE (GLOSSARY, COURT LOCATIONS, AND CREDITOR LIST), COMBINED WITH AN AI- AUTHORING TOOL, GENERATES PLAIN-LANGUAGE INFORMATION AND ACTION STEPS TAILORED TO THE USERS DEBT PROFILE AND LOCATION. DEBT HELP ILLINOIS GOES BEYOND A STATIC WEBSITE BY GUIDING CONSUMERS THROUGH THE NEXT STEPS, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THEIR SPECIFIC SITUATION, TRACKING THEIR PROGRESS, AND CONNECTING THEM TO HELPFUL RESOURCESSO THEY MOVE FROM CONFUSION TO CONCRETE ACTION. DEBT HELP ILLINOIS IS A NEWLY RELEASED, FREE, INTERACTIVE SERVICE THAT DIAGNOSES A PERSONS DEBT PROBLEMS, TAILORS A PLAN TO THEIR SPECIFIC FACTS AND LOCATION, AND CONNECTS THEM TO HUMAN ASSISTANCE WHEN NEEDED. CONSUMERS FACING DEBT CHALLENGES START BY ANSWERING QUESTIONS THAT GUIDE THEM TO PERSONALIZED OPTIONS FOR THEIR DEBT PROBLEM. A STRUCTURED KNOWLEDGE BASE (GLOSSARY, COURT LOCATIONS, AND CREDITOR LIST), COMBINED WITH AN AI- AUTHORING TOOL, GENERATES PLAIN-LANGUAGE INFORMATION AND ACTION STEPS TAILORED TO THE USERS DEBT PROFILE AND LOCATION. DEBT HELP ILLINOIS GOES BEYOND A STATIC WEBSITE BY GUIDING CONSUMERS THROUGH THE NEXT STEPS, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THEIR SPECIFIC SITUATION, TRACKING THEIR PROGRESS, AND CONNECTING THEM TO HELPFUL RESOURCESSO THEY MOVE FROM CONFUSION TO CONCRETE ACTION.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 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 June 2025.

    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 September 2006.

    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.