National Legal Aid and Defender Association
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE NATIONAL LEGAL AID & DEFENDER ASSOCIATION (NLADA) WORKS TO PROMOTE AND DEVELOP HIGH QUALITY, EFFECTIVE CIVIL LEGAL AID AND PUBLIC DEFENSE SERVICES. NLADA ACCOMPLISHES THIS BY SUPPORTING THE EXISTING NETWORK OF CIVIL AND DEFENDER SERVICES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY AND BY ENCOURAGING THE FORMATION OF NEW LEGAL AID AND DEFENDER ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY WHOSE PURPOSE IT IS TO PROVIDE FREE LEGAL ASSISTANCE TO LOW INCOME INDIVIDUALS.
- Income
- $8.1 million
- Spending
- $8.4 million
- Spent on programs
- 67%
- Reserves
- 0.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 44%
- Employees
- 45
- Volunteers
- 20
- Highest pay
- $390,797, 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: 47 out of 100. Higher than 13% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
4 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 0.3 months of spending.
Debt
5 of 20It owes 54% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 4% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 33% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1567% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 18 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 2517 of 18 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 (7)
- $3.5 million spent. SPECIAL PROJECTS - RESTRICTED GRANTS RECEIVED BY NLADA TO CARRY OUT SPECIFIC PROJECTS ON BEHALF OF CIVIL LEGAL AID AND PUBLIC DEFENSE. NLADA'S CIVIL AND DEFENDER DIVISIONS BOTH RECEIVED FUNDING TO SUPPORT AND PROMOTE THE DELIVERY OF HIGH QUALITY LEGAL SERVICES IN THE FIELD. THE CIVIL DIVISION RECEIVED FUNDING TO SUPPORT WORK TO ENHANCE OUTREACH, EDUCATION AND TRAINING TO CIVIL LEGAL AID PROGRAMS DURING THE NATIONWIDE PANDEMIC AND LOCK DOWN. THE DEFENDER DIVISION HAS RECEIVED FUNDING TO CARRY OUT VARIOUS INITIATIVES ON BEHALF OF AN IMPROVED PUBLIC DEFENSE SYSTEM.
- $581,212 spent. TRAINING AND CONFERENCE DIVISION - THE TRAINING AND CONFERENCE AGENDAS ARE IN ALIGNMENT WITH NLADA'S STRATEGIC GOALS AND THE WORK OF PROGRAM STAFF, PROVIDING TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES AND CONFERENCES TO BOTH THE CIVIL AND PUBLIC DEFENSE COMMUNITIES.
- $575,732 spent. CIVIL DIVISION - SUPPORTS A WIDE ARRAY OF ACTIVITIES ON BEHALF OF CIVIL LEGAL AID PROGRAM PROVIDERS, PRO BONO ATTORNEYS, LAW SCHOOLS, BAR ASSOCIATIONS AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS PLAYING A ROLE IN ENSURING THAT LOW-INCOME PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO EFFECTIVE REPRESENTATION IN CIVIL LEGAL MATTERS. THE DEFENDER DIVISION SUPPORTS AN ARRAY OF ACTIVITIES ON BEHALF OF IMPROVED PUBLIC DEFENSE SYSTEMS.
- $453,023 spent. COMMUNICATIONS
- $249,845 spent. ANNUAL CONFERENCE
- $209,707 spent. DEFENDER DIVISION
- $44,675 spent. GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
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 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 2024.
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 March 1950.
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.
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.