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Pilnet

EIN 20-5087783 · New York, NY

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair60 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

PILNET'S MISSION IS TO PARTNER WITH LEGAL PROFESSIONALS AND CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS GLOBALLY TO PROTECT CIVIC SPACE, ADDRESS GLOBAL CHALLENGES, AND WORK TO BUILD JUST, EQUITABLE, AND SUSTAINABLE SOCIETIES. TOGETHER WITH ITS AFFILIATED NONPROFITS IN BUDAPEST AND HONG KONG, PILNET ADVANCES THIS MISSION BY MOBILIZING A GLOBAL NETWORK OF LEGAL PROFESSIONALS TO SUPPORT CIVIL SOCIETY, EQUIPPING PUBLIC INTEREST CHAMPIONS WITH INNOVATIVE TOOLS AND STRATEGIES, AND INSPIRING AND TRAINING THE NEXT GENERATION OF PUBLIC INTEREST LAWYERS.

Income
$1.4 million
Spending
$1.8 million
Spent on programs
88%
Reserves
5.3 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 94%
Employees
5
Volunteers
35
Highest pay
$123,309, co-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

Fair: 60 out of 100. Higher than 27% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 5.3 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 3% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 26% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 10% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    88% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 2 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

    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 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 (2)
  1. $1.1 million spent. PUTTING NEW TOOLS IN THE HANDS OF PUBLIC INTEREST ADVOCATES PILNET ACTIVELY PURSUED ITS MISSION TO SUPPORT CIVIL SOCIETY AND ADVANCE ACCESS TO JUSTICE ACROSS THE GLOBE THROUGH A DIVERSE RANGE OF PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES:PILNET WAS ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN A VARIETY OF INITIATIVES AIMED AT STRENGTHENING LEGAL SUPPORT FOR CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS (CSOS) AND MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES WORLDWIDE. ONE OF THEIR NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS WAS FURTHER EXTENSION OF THE LEGAL HEALTH CHECK PROGRAM, INITIALLY PILOTED IN HONG KONG, FOR USE IN ADDITIONAL COUNTRIES. THIS PROGRAM HELPED CSOS IDENTIFY AND MITIGATE LEGAL RISKS, ENSURING THEY COULD OPERATE MORE EFFECTIVELY.CONCURRENTLY, THE GLOBAL NONPROFITS GUIDE (GNG) 2.0 CONTINUED TO GROW, PROVIDING A COMPREHENSIVE RESOURCE ON NONPROFIT LAWS ACROSS DIFFERENT JURISDICTIONS. THIS EXPANSION UNDERSCORED PILNET'S COMMITMENT TO EQUIPPING CSOS WITH THE KNOWLEDGE THEY NEEDED TO NAVIGATE COMPLEX LEGAL LANDSCAPES.IN RESPONSE TO EMERGING CHALLENGES, PILNET FOCUSED ON THE RESPONSIBLE USE OF AI BY CSOS AND DEVELOPED WEBINARS AND A TEMPLATE AI USE POLICY TO GUIDE ORGANIZATIONS IN THIS RAPIDLY-EVOLVING FIELD. ADDITIONALLY, RECOGNIZING THE GROWING THREAT OF STRATEGIC LAWSUITS AGAINST PUBLIC PARTICIPATION (SLAPPS), PILNET PLAYED A PIVOTAL ROLE IN THE EFFORTS SAFEGUARDING PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND FREE SPEECH, AS PART OF THE CASE COALITION IN EUROPE SUPPORTING CREATION OF RESOURCES AND LEGAL NETWORKS SUPPORTING VICTIMS OF SLAPPS.AS PART OF THE MARIO PROJECT, PILNET WORKED TO SUPPORT MINORITY CSOS IN EUROPE THROUGH PRO BONO LEGAL ASSISTANCE, CAPACITY BUILDING, AND RESOURCES. SIMILARLY, THE PROTEUS PROJECT IN HUNGARY WORKED TO PROMOTE PRO BONO WORK AND STRENGTHEN NGO COMPLIANCE.ACCESS TO JUSTICE FOR FORCIBLY DISPLACED INDIVIDUALS REMAINED A KEY PRIORITY. A SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE IN 2024 WAS THE LEADERSHIP IN ADVANCING A GLOBAL LEGAL COMMITMENT TO SUPPORT FORCIBLY DISPLACED POPULATIONS, MOBILIZING STAKEHOLDERS TO PROVIDE ESSENTIAL LEGAL ASSISTANCE. THIS EFFORT WAS REINFORCED THROUGH COMMUNITY MEETINGS AND RESOURCE SHARING.A SUCCESSFUL PRO BONO LEGAL SUPPORT MODEL, PREVIOUSLY IMPLEMENTED IN ASIA, WAS INTRODUCED IN THE UK AND EUROPE. ADDITIONALLY, TAILORED LEGAL HEALTH CHECKS WERE DEVELOPED IN COLLABORATION WITH REFUGEE-LED ORGANIZATIONS TO STRENGTHEN THEIR LEGAL CAPACITY. SUPPORT FOR REFUGEES IN THAILAND REMAINED ONGOING, AND THE REFUGEE CLEARINGHOUSE CONTINUED TO CONNECT CASES WITH LEGAL ASSISTANCE WHILE EXPANDING ITS OUTREACH TO REFUGEE-LED ORGANIZATIONS.PILNET CONTINUED SUPPORTING CSOS WORKING ON THE CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENT. THIS INCLUDED MAPPING CLIMATE JUSTICE ACTORS, DEVELOPING COLLABORATIONS WITH ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS AND LEGAL CLINICS, AND CREATING EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES SUCH AS AN ENVIRONMENTAL LAW COURSE. PILNET CONTINUED PROVIDING PRO BONO SUPPORT TO CSOS WORKING ON CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL TOPICS AND EXPANDING THE NETWORK OF LAW FIRMS. AN ASIA PRO BONO MARKETPLACE WAS DEVELOPED TO CONNECT ENVIRONMENTAL NGOS WITH PRO BONO LEGAL ADVICE.
  2. $418,485 spent. ENGAGING THE ENTIRE LEGAL PROFESSION AS A GLOBAL NETWORK WITH OFFICES IN NEW YORK, HONG KONG, AND BUDAPEST, PILNET ENGAGES PRIVATE SECTOR AND PUBLIC INTEREST LEGAL PROFESSIONALS WORLDWIDE BOTH TO MEET THE SPECIFIC NEEDS OF CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITIES AND TO COLLABORATE WITH CIVIL SOCIETY IN BROADER EFFORTS TO BUILD MORE JUST, EQUITABLE, AND SUSTAINABLE SOCIETIES. ACTING AS A STRATEGIC INTERMEDIARY, PILNET WORKS WITH CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS AROUND THE WORLD TO DEFINE THEIR LEGAL NEEDS AND OBTAIN FREE, TAILORED LEGAL ASSISTANCE FROM HIGHLY QUALIFIED LAWYERS IN ITS NETWORK. PILNET'S CLEARINGHOUSE IS A GLOBAL PRO BONO LEGAL SERVICE MATCHMAKING PLATFORM THAT CONNECTS CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS (CSOS) WITH LAW FIRMS WILLING TO PROVIDE FREE LEGAL ASSISTANCE. IN 2024, PILNET ASSISTED MORE THAN 210 ORGANIZATIONS BY ENGAGING OVER 125 LAW FIRMS AND SOLO PRACTITIONERS TO PROVIDE DIRECT LEGAL SERVICES VALUED AT APPROXIMATELY $8.3 MILLION. PILNET ALSO HOLDS STRATEGIC CONVENINGS TO ENGAGE AND MOBILIZE ITS NETWORKS IN SUPPORT OF CIVIL SOCIETY. AT ITS ANNUAL GLOBAL FORUM IN 2024, WHICH WAS HELD IN BANGKOK, PILNET CONVENED MORE THAN 440 CIVIL SOCIETY AND PRO BONO PROFESSIONALS FROM 70 COUNTRIES TO FORGE ALLIANCES AND DEVELOP STRATEGIES FOR USING THE LAW TO PROTECT CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS AND THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE.- PILNET ALSO BROUGHT LAW STUDENTS TO THE GLOBAL FORUM, TO EXPOSE THEM TO PUBLIC INTEREST LAW ON A GLOBAL SCALE. THE PUBLIC INTEREST LAWYERING COURSE, OFFERED ONLINE, PROVIDED TRAINING AND FOSTERED COLLABORATION AMONG PARTICIPANTS INTERESTED IN HUMAN RIGHTS AND PUBLIC INTEREST LAW.- REGIONAL CONVENINGS, SUCH AS THE EUROPEAN CONVENING AND PRO BONO ROUNDTABLES IN HONG KONG AND SINGAPORE, ADDRESSED SPECIFIC REGIONAL CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES.- PILNET ALSO CO-ORGANIZED EVENTS LIKE THE ARGENTINIAN PRO BONO WEEK, FURTHER AMPLIFYING ITS IMPACT.- PILNET WAS DEEPLY INVESTED IN NURTURING AND INSPIRING THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEGAL PROFESSIONALS THROUGH VARIOUS INITIATIVES. THE PUBLIC INTEREST LAW MENTORSHIP PROGRAM IN HONG KONG SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED ITS THIRD ROUND, CONNECTING STUDENTS WITH EXPERIENCED PUBLIC INTEREST LAWYERS.

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 November 2006.

    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.