National Center for Law and Economic Justice Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
NCLEJ ADVANCES ECONOMIC, RACIAL, AND DISABILITY JUSTICE FOR LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
- Income
- $5.7 million
- Spending
- $3.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 74%
- Reserves
- 5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 54%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 30
- Highest pay
- $205,055, former 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: 75 out of 100. Higher than 49% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 5.0 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 50% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 42% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 121% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1574% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 14 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 2519 of 19 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports 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 (4)
- $1.2 million spent. CIVIL RIGHTS/RACIAL JUSTICE: ECONOMIC INEQUALITY REMAINS ONE OF THE MOST PERSISTENT AND HARMFUL CONSEQUENCES OF DISCRIMINATION AND WHITE SUPREMACY. OUR COLLECTIVE FAILURE TO PROVIDE A SOCIAL SAFETY NET HAS ROBBED LOW-INCOME PEOPLEDISPROPORTIONATELY PEOPLE OF COLOR AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIESOF THE MOST BASIC OPPORTUNITY TO SURVIVE AND THRIVE. EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION RELEGATES PEOPLE OF COLOR DISPROPORTIONATELY TO LOW-WAGE JOBS THAT PROVIDE NEITHER A LIVING WAGE, HEALTH BENEFITS OR A SAFE WORK ENVIRONMENT. PREDATORY LENDING AND LIMITED ACCESS TO FAIR CREDIT LIMITS OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADVANCEMENT BY MAKING IT DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR TO OBTAIN LOANS FOR ACQUIRING HOUSING AND CREATING WEALTH. TARGETED AND DISCRIMINATORY LAW ENFORCEMENT AND UNFAIR ASSESSMENT AND COLLECTION OF CIVIL FINES AND FEES PERPETUATES DEBT, CRIMINALIZES POVERTY AND DEPRIVES INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES OF PUBLIC SAFETY. USING LITIGATION, PUBLIC EDUCATION, LEGISLATIVE REFORM AND SUPPORT OF GRASSROOTS ORGANIZING, NCLEJ AIMS TO END POLICIES AND PRACTICES THAT PERPETUATE INEQUALITY AND TO MAKE REAL THE DREAM OF OPPORTUNITY THAT HAS BEEN DENIED TO TOO MANY FOR FAR TOO LONG.
- $616,750 spent. PUBLIC BENEFITS ADVOCACY: NCLEJ WORKS TO ENSURE THAT GOVERNMENT POLICIES AND PRACTICES ARE ACCESSIBLE TO HOUSEHOLDS WHO RECEIVE CRITICAL CASH ASSISTANCE, FOOD STAMPS, AND MEDICAID FOR WHICH THEY ARE ELIGIBLE. WHEN GOVERNMENT AGENCIES FALL SHORT OF THEIR LEGAL OBLIGATIONS FOR EXAMPLE, BY MAKING IT DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE TO APPLY OR ACCESS BENEFITS, OBSTRUCT TIMELY ASSISTANCE OR ACCOMMODATION, OR PREMATURELY ROLL OUT A FAULTY COMPUTER SYSTEM THAT DENIES SUBSISTENCE BENEFITS TO THOUSANDS OF ELIGIBLE FAMILIES, NCLEJ USES COURT CHALLENGES TO REDRESS THE HARM AND HOLD PUBLIC OFFICIALS ACCOUNTABLE.
- $615,304 spent. SUPPORT FOR LOW-WAGE WORKERS: ABUSIVE EMPLOYER PRACTICES AND STAGNANT WAGES PREVENT MANY WORKERS, EVEN THOSE ABLE TO FIND FULL-TIME EMPLOYMENT, FROM EARNING A LIVING WAGE. WAGE THEFT IS RAMPANT: ALL TOO OFTEN, EMPLOYERS VIOLATE LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT LAWS BY FAILING TO PAY THE MINIMUM WAGE FOR ALL HOURS WORKED, REFUSING TO PAY OVERTIME, OR CLASSIFYING EMPLOYEES AS INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS TO AVOID LAWS THAT PROTECT WORKERS. THESE VIOLATIONS DISPROPORTIONALLY AFFECT WOMEN, PEOPLE OF COLOR, AND IMMIGRANTS. WOMEN MAKE UP THE MAJORITY OF THE LOW-WAGE WORKFORCE, WHILE PEOPLE OF COLOR AND IMMIGRANTS ARE SIMILARLY OVERREPRESENTED IN LOW-PAYING JOBS AND INDUSTRIES. FURTHER, MANY WORKERS ARE EXCLUDED FROM THE PROTECTIONS AFFORDED BY LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT LAW, INCLUDING HEALTH AND SAFETY STANDARDS AND FREEDOM FROM DISCRIMINATION. NCLEJ PROVIDES LITIGATION SUPPORT AND ADVOCACY TO IMPROVE CONDITIONS AND FIGHT FOR MORE JUST POLICIES. NCLEJ ALSO WORKS IN SUPPORT OF GRASSROOTS WORKER CENTERS AND OTHER ORGANIZERS AND HAS BEEN IN THE VANGUARD OF THE WORKER-DRIVEN SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (WSR) MOVEMENT.
- $234 spent. COMBATTING UNFAIR DEBT COLLECTION: NCLEJ PROTECTS LOW-INCOME DEBTORS AND LEADS THE FIGHT AGAINST ABUSIVE DEBT COLLECTION PRACTICES THAT UNDERMINE FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES' ECONOMIC STABILITY. ALTHOUGH THOSE PRACTICES MAY BE IMPOSED BY PRIVATE OR PUBLIC ACTORS, INCREASINGLY, THAT WORK FOCUSES ON ABUSIVE DEBT COLLECTION POLICIES AND PRACTICES BY GOVERNMENTAL ACTORS. WE CHALLENGE ATTEMPTS TO COLLECT FINES AND FEES FROM PERSONS TOO POOR TO PAY AND AGAINST WHOM THE GOVERNMENT MAY, FOR EXAMPLE, TAKE AWAY A DRIVER'S LICENSE OR INTERCEPT A STATE TAX REFUND.
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
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.
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 October 13, 2026.
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.
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 October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since September 1973.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
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 21, 2026.
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