Legal Aid of North Carolina Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
LEGAL AID OF NORTH CAROLINA IS A STATEWIDE, NONPROFIT LAW FIRM THAT PROVIDES FREE LEGAL SERVICES IN CIVIL MATTERS TO LOW-INCOME PEOPLE IN ORDER TO ENSURE EQUAL ACCESS TO JUSTICE AND TO REMOVE LEGAL BARRIERS TO ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY.
- Income
- $49.3 million
- Spending
- $50.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 88%
- Reserves
- 1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 77%
- Employees
- 573
- Volunteers
- 441
- Highest pay
- $241,167, executive di
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: 48 out of 100. Higher than 14% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 1.0 months of spending.
Debt
5 of 20It owes 68% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 2% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 5% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1588% 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 31% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2527 of 27 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, 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)
- $44.2 million spent. LEGAL AID OF NORTH CAROLINA IS A STATEWIDE, NONPROFIT LAW FIRM THAT PROVIDES FREE LEGAL SERVICES IN CIVIL MATTERS TO LOW-INCOME PEOPLE IN ORDER TO ENSURE EQUAL ACCESS TO JUSTICE AND TO REMOVE LEGAL BARRIERS TO ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY. LANC FOCUSES ITS ADVOCACY ON CASES THAT AFFECT ITS CLIENTS' BASIC HUMAN NEEDS - SAFETY FROM VIOLENCE, SHELTER AND INCOME - AND CASES INVOLVING SYSTEMIC AND STRUCTURAL INJUSTICES AND INEQUALITIES THAT BROADLY AFFECT LOW-INCOME NORTH CAROLINIANS. LANC'S CORE CASES INVOLVE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, HOUSING, PUBLIC BENEFITS, CONSUMER RIGHTS, EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION, HEALTH CARE, AND DISASTER RELIEF AND RECOVERY. CLIENTS ARE GENERALLY PEOPLE WITH INCOMES BELOW 125% OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL. THREE-QUARTERS OF OUR CLIENTS ARE WOMEN, MANY OF WHOM HAVE MINOR CHILDREN. IN 2023, LANC HANDLED OVER 27,000 CASES IN 100 COUNTIES OF NORTH CAROLINA. LANC HAS 23 OFFICE LOCATIONS AND OPERATES 13 STATEWIDE OR REGIONAL PROJECTS THAT FOCUS ON DISCRETE AREAS OF LAW OR SERVE SPECIAL CLIENT POPULATIONS. LANC IS A FULL-SERVICE LAW FIRM THAT PROVIDES A COMPREHENSIVE ARRAY OF SERVICES TO CLIENTS, FROM ADVICE AND BRIEF SERVICE TO FULL REPRESENTATION IN COURT. LANC ALSO CONDUCTS SELF-HELP LEGAL WORKSHOPS THAT EDUCATE AND EMPOWER CLIENTS TO HANDLE CERTAIN BASIC LEGAL ISSUES THEMSELVES. LANC ALSO PRODUCES AND DISTRIBUTES SELF-HELP AND EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES LIKE HANDBOOKS, BROCHURES AND VIDEOS. IN ADDITION TO PROVING HIGH-QUALITY LEGAL REPRESENTATION AND COUNSEL ACROSS THE STATE TO TENS OF THOUSANDS OF LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS, LANC ADMINISTERS VARIOUS PUBLIC BENEFITS PROGRAMS FOR QUALIFIED NORTH CAROLINA CITIZENS. FOR EXAMPLE, LANC IS THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE FEDERAL ACA ENROLLMENT PROCESS IN NORTH CAROLINA. IN THIS PROJECT, LANC STAFF SERVE AS CERTIFIED NAVIGATORS TO PROVIDE OUTREACH AND ENROLLMENT SERVICES TO LOW-INCOME NORTH CAROLINA CONSUMERS ABOUT THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT AND ASSIST THEM IN ENROLIING IN HEALTH INSURANCE PLANS. LANC IS CURRENTLY OPERATING A CALL CENTER AND ASSISTANCE PROJECT, CALLED OMBUDSMAN, ON BEHALF OF THE STATE DHHS. THIS PROJECT ASSISTS PATIENTS FROM MEDICAID-ELIGIBLE RECIPIENTS IN NORTH CAROLINA WHO ARE EXPERIENCING MEDICAID ACCESS ISSUES WITH PROVIDERS. THE OMBUDSMEN HELP PATIENTS OVERCOME OBSTACLES TO MEDICAID ELIGIBILITY AND REIMBURSEMENT, INCLUDING RESOLVING MISUNDERSTANDINGS OR MISCOMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN PATIENTS AND PROVIDERS. LANC IS A 501(C)(3) NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT IS FUNDED BY A WIDE VARIETY OF SOURCES, INCLUDING FEDERAL GRANTS, STATE COURT FEES, CHARITABLE FOUNDATIONS, STATE AND LOCAL BAR ASSOCIATIONS, LAW FIRMS AND INDIVIDUALS. NEARLY HALF OF LANC'S FUNDING COMES FROM THE FEDERAL LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION, WHICH IS FUNDED BY A CONGRESSIONAL APPROPRIATION FOR GRANTS TO CIVIL LEGAL AID ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. LEGAL AID OF NORTH CAROLINA IS A STATEWIDE, NONPROFIT LAW FIRM THAT PROVIDES FREE LEGAL SERVICES IN CIVIL MATTERS TO LOW-INCOME PEOPLE IN ORDER TO ENSURE EQUAL ACCESS TO JUSTICE AND TO REMOVE LEGAL BARRIERS TO ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY. LANC FOCUSES ITS ADVOCACY ON CASES THAT AFFECT ITS CLIENTS' BASIC HUMAN NEEDS - SAFETY FROM VIOLENCE, SHELTER AND INCOME - AND CASES INVOLVING SYSTEMIC AND STRUCTURAL INJUSTICES AND INEQUALITIES THAT BROADLY AFFECT LOW-INCOME NORTH CAROLINIANS. LANC'S CORE CASES INVOLVE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, HOUSING, PUBLIC BENEFITS, CONSUMER RIGHTS, EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION, HEALTH CARE, AND DISASTER RELIEF AND RECOVERY. CLIENTS ARE GENERALLY PEOPLE WITH INCOMES BELOW 125% OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL. THREE-QUARTERS OF OUR CLIENTS ARE WOMEN, MANY OF WHOM HAVE MINOR CHILDREN. IN 2023, LANC HANDLED OVER 27,000 CASES IN 100 COUNTIES OF NORTH CAROLINA. LANC HAS 23 OFFICE LOCATIONS AND OPERATES 13 STATEWIDE OR REGIONAL PROJECTS THAT FOCUS ON DISCRETE AREAS OF LAW OR SERVE SPECIAL CLIENT POPULATIONS. LANC IS A FULL-SERVICE LAW FIRM THAT PROVIDES A COMPREHENSIVE ARRAY OF SERVICES TO CLIENTS, FROM ADVICE AND BRIEF SERVICE TO FULL REPRESENTATION IN COURT. LANC ALSO CONDUCTS SELF-HELP LEGAL WORKSHOPS THAT EDUCATE AND EMPOWER CLIENTS TO HANDLE CERTAIN BASIC LEGAL ISSUES THEMSELVES. LANC ALSO PRODUCES AND DISTRIBUTES SELF-HELP AND EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES LIKE HANDBOOKS, BROCHURES AND VIDEOS. IN ADDITION TO PROVING HIGH-QUALITY LEGAL REPRESENTATION AND COUNSEL ACROSS THE STATE TO TENS OF THOUSANDS OF LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS, LANC ADMINISTERS VARIOUS PUBLIC BENEFITS PROGRAMS FOR QUALIFIED NORTH CAROLINA CITIZENS. FOR EXAMPLE, LANC IS THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE FEDERAL ACA ENROLLMENT PROCESS IN NORTH CAROLINA. IN THIS PROJECT, LANC STAFF SERVE AS CERTIFIED NAVIGATORS TO PROVIDE OUTREACH AND ENROLLMENT SERVICES TO LOW-INCOME NORTH CAROLINA CONSUMERS ABOUT THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT AND ASSIST THEM IN ENROLIING IN HEALTH INSURANCE PLANS. LANC IS CURRENTLY OPERATING A CALL CENTER AND ASSISTANCE PROJECT, CALLED OMBUDSMAN, ON BEHALF OF THE STATE DHHS. THIS PROJECT ASSISTS PATIENTS FROM MEDICAID-ELIGIBLE RECIPIENTS IN NORTH CAROLINA WHO ARE EXPERIENCING MEDICAID ACCESS ISSUES WITH PROVIDERS. THE OMBUDSMEN HELP PATIENTS OVERCOME OBSTACLES TO MEDICAID ELIGIBILITY AND REIMBURSEMENT, INCLUDING RESOLVING MISUNDERSTANDINGS OR MISCOMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN PATIENTS AND PROVIDERS. LANC IS A 501(C)(3) NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT IS FUNDED BY A WIDE VARIETY OF SOURCES, INCLUDING FEDERAL GRANTS, STATE COURT FEES, CHARITABLE FOUNDATIONS, STATE AND LOCAL BAR ASSOCIATIONS, LAW FIRMS AND INDIVIDUALS. NEARLY HALF OF LANC'S FUNDING COMES FROM THE FEDERAL LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION, WHICH IS FUNDED BY A CONGRESSIONAL APPROPRIATION FOR GRANTS TO CIVIL LEGAL AID ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
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
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.
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.
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.
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 September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since July 2001.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 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 7, 2026.
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