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Legal Services of Eastern Mo Inc

EIN 43-0816805 · Saint Louis, MO

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood84 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

PARTNERING TO IMPROVE LIVES AND PROMOTE FAIRNESS WE ACHIEVED A 97% SUCCESS RATE HELPING THOSE IN LEGAL NEED, MOSTLY WOMEN WITH CHILDREN AND ABOUT 62% PERSONS OF COLOR, OVERCOME BARRIERS TO SAFETY AND STABILITY AND OBTAIN $20.5M IN MONETARY BENEFITS.

Income
$14.0 million
Spending
$15.5 million
Spent on programs
83%
Reserves
38.6 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 55%
Employees
125
Volunteers
192
Highest pay
$212,223, 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

Good: 84 out of 100. Higher than 73% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 38.6 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 8% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    4 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 10% of income.

  • Income trend

    10 of 15

    Income fell 9% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    83% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 6 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 25

    31 of 31 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 (5)
  1. $2.3 million spent. HEALTH: ENSURING PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITIES RECEIVE THE HEALTH CARE THEY NEED, RESOURCES TO FEED THEIR FAMILIES AND OTHER PUBLIC BENEFITS, INCLUDING LEGAL NEEDS FOR PERSONS LIVING WITH MENTAL ILLNESS. IN 2024, WE PROVIDED LEGAL ASSISTANCE WHICH HELPED 2,392 CLIENTS AND THEIR HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS. THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY LEGAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS, OUTREACH, COLLABORATIONS, AND REFERRALS, PEOPLE LEARN THEIR RIGHTS AND PREVENT LOSS OF HEALTH CARE COVERAGE, WHICH HELPED ANOTHER 2,921 PEOPLE.
  2. $3.6 million spent. SAFETY: OUR FREE LEGAL REPRESENTATION ASSISTS SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ESCAPE THEIR CRUEL ABUSERS. IT NOT ONLY SAVES THE VICTIMS LIVES BUT ALSO SAVES THEIR CHILDREN, AND STOPS A FUTURE CYCLE OF VIOLENCE. WE AIDED 2,116 VICTIMS AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS IN COMPLETED CASES COVERING ALL ASPECTS OF FAMILY LAW, INCLUDING PROTECTIVE ORDERS. OUR COMMUNITY LEGAL EDUCATION, OUTREACH, COLLABORATIONS, AND REFERRALS FOR NEEDY PEOPLE AND OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS, HELPED ANOTHER 6,273 PEOPLE. BY ADDRESSING SYSTEMIC LEGAL PROBLEMS IMPACTING COMMUNITY MEMBERS' SAFETY WE HELP PREVENT FUTURE ABUSE.
  3. $4.1 million spent. BASIC NEEDS: WE REDUCE HOMELESSNESS THROUGH EVICTION DEFENSE AND HELP THE MARGINALIZED OBTAIN SERVICES TO MEET THEIR BASIC NEEDS. SERVICES PROVIDED TO VETERANS, ELDERLY, UNACCOMPANIED MINORS, AND IMMIGRANTS, AMONG OTHERS, HELPED 2,214 PEOPLE AND THEIR HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS IN COMPLETED CIVIL LEGAL CASES (NOTE: THIS INCLUDES CLIENTS, HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS UNDER 18, AND OTHER HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS 18 AND OLDER). EDUCATING THE COMMUNITY ON THEIR RIGHTS TO MEET THEIR BASIC NEEDS THROUGH LEGAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS, OUTREACH, COLLABORATION, AND REFERRALS TO OTHER RESOURCES HELPED ANOTHER 4,674 PEOPLE. WE HELP MEET BASIC NEEDS OF THE LARGER COMMUNITY THROUGH OUR SYSTEMIC LEGAL WORK.
  4. $888,829 spent. EDUCATION: CHILDREN'S FUTURE SELF-SUFFICIENCY DEPENDS ON MEETING THEIR EDUCATIONAL NEEDS. WE FOCUS ON PROVIDING LEGAL ASSISTANCE TO THOSE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS OR FACING UNFAIR DISCIPLINE. UTILIZING A RACIAL EQUITY LENS TO HELP STOP THE SCHOOL TO PRISON PIPELINE, WE HELPED 574 CHILDREN/YOUTH AND THEIR HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS IN COMPLETED CASES. OUR COMMUNITY LEGAL EDUCATION PROVIDES KNOWLEDGE OF EDUCATIONAL LAW, THE FIRST STEP TO SEEKING HELP. THESE EDUCATION PROGRAMS ALONG WITH OUTREACH, COLLABORATIONS, AND REFERRALS TO OTHER RESOURCES, HELPED ANOTHER 3,105 PEOPLE. WE EXPAND THE RESULTS OF OUR LEGAL ADVOCACY BY ADDRESSING SYSTEMIC LEGAL PROBLEMS IMPACTING COMMUNITY MEMBERS RELATED TO EDUCATION.
  5. $1.9 million spent. ECONOMIC STABILITY: ENFORCING FAIR CONSUMER PROTECTIONS AND COMBATTING CONSUMER SCAMS, HELPING SMALL BUSINESSES FORM AND GROW, AND HELPING NEIGHBORHOODS FIX AND PREVENT VACANT PROPERTY PROBLEMS ALL CREATE ECONOMIC STABILITY. THIS LEGAL WORK HELPED 886 PEOPLE AND THEIR HOUSEHOLD MEMBERS IN COMPLETED CASES FOR CLIENTS. PEOPLE LEARN ABOUT LEGAL REMEDIES THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY LEGAL EDUCATION ON THESE ECONOMIC STABILITY ISSUES, OUTREACH, COLLABORATIONS, AND REFERRALS TO OTHER RESOURCES, HELPING ANOTHER 15,969 PEOPLE. OUR SYSTEMIC LEGAL ADVOCACY HELPS REMOVE BARRIERS TO ECONOMIC STABILITY.

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 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 October 13, 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 December 2024.

    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 August 1970.

    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 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.