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Florida Rural Legal Services Inc

EIN 59-1225173 · Lakeland, FL

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak47 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE ORGANIZATION IS A NON-PROFIT LAW FIRM DEDICATED TO PROVIDING QUALITY LEGAL ADVICE, REPRESENTATION AND EDUCATION FOR LOW INCOME PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES.

Income
$12.4 million
Spending
$12.7 million
Spent on programs
80%
Reserves
0.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
government grants, 98%
Employees
131
Volunteers
95
Highest pay
$204,392, 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

Weak: 47 out of 100.

  • Reserves

    4 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 0.1 months of spending.

  • Debt

    5 of 20

    It owes 66% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    8 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 2% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 3% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    80% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 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.

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    13 of 13 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, 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 (1)
  1. $10.1 million spent. FLORIDA RURAL LEGAL SERVICES, INC. (FRLS) WAS FOUNDED IN 1966 AND IS UNIQUE IN ITS HISTORY AND PROVISION OF HOLISTIC SERVICES AS WELL AS OUR SERVICES TO FARMWORKERS; THE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY SPEARHEADED THE WAR ON POVERTY, FUNDED A TWO-YEAR DEMONSTRATION AND RESEARCH PROJECT TO PROVIDE LEGAL SERVICES TO FARMWORKERS IN SIX SOUTH FLORIDA COUNTIES. THE PROJECT, ORIGINALLY NAMED THE SOUTH FLORIDA MIGRANT SERVICES, WAS EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL, AND TO THIS DAY, FRLS CONTINUES AS THE ONLY LEGAL SERVICES ORGANIZATION IN FLORIDA PROVIDING SERVICES TO MIGRANT FARMWORKERS THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF FLORIDA, WHICH IS A HIGHLIGHT TO OUR HISTORY OF OVER 55 YEARS OF SERVICE. FRLS' MISSION IS ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH A THREE-PRONG ADVOCACY APPROACH WITH A FOCUS ON HOLISTIC SERVICES, INCLUDING FRONT LINE LEGAL ASSISTANCE THROUGH OUR PROGRAM WIDE HOTLINE AND MIGRANT FARMWORKER HELPLINE SERVICES, THROUGH OUR ADVOCACY AND THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND EDUCATION WHICH MOBILIZES OUR POVERTY PREVENTION SERVICES AND ELIMINATES BARRIERS TO ACCESSING FREE CIVIL LEGAL AID IN COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT 13 CENTRAL AND SOUTH-CENTRAL FLORIDA COUNTIES. FRLS ALSO PROVIDES STATEWIDE SERVICES TO MIGRANT FARMWORKERS, AND WE ARE PROUD OF OUR PROGRESS AND EXPANSION OF OUR CRITICAL STATEWIDE MIGRANT FARMWORKER SERVICES. FLORIDA RURAL LEGAL SERVICES, INC (FRLS) PROVIDES COMPREHENSIVE AND HOLISTIC SERVICES TO INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES WHO NEED ASSISTANCE WITH HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION (INCLUDING EVICTION AND FORECLOSURE PREVENTION, FAIR HOUSING AND LAND LOSS PREVENTION), CONSUMER PROTECTION, EMPLOYMENT RIGHTS AND PUBLIC BENEFITS, FAMILY PROTECTION AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, IMMIGRATION SERVICES (INCLUDING GREEN CARD RENEWAL, NATURALIZATION AND U VISA AND T VISA SERVICES), INDIVIDUAL/CIVIL RIGHTS AND THROUGH OUR MEDICAL-LEGAL PARTNERSHIP SERVICES GRANT. FRLS' ASSISTANCE TO LOW INCOME AND VULNERABLE INDIVIDUALS INCLUDING SENIORS, VETERANS AND THOSE FACING TAX CONTROVERSIES (INCLUDING TAX LIENS) IS A CRITICAL PART OF OUR MISSION TO EMPOWER LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES BY PROVIDING ACCESS TO JUSTICE. OUR PARTNERS, GENEROUS DONORS AND THE PRIVATE ATTORNEYS WHO DEDICATE THEIR SERVICES, TO EXPAND OUR REACH OF JUSTICE TO THE INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES WE SERVE. FRLS PROVIDED LEGAL ASSISTANCE TO OVER 5,800 CLIENTS IN 2025. FRLS ALSO PROVIDED OVER 15,000 PERSONS WITH INFORMATION REGARDING THEIR LEGAL RIGHTS. FRLS HAS SEVEN OFFICES: FOUR REGIONAL OFFICES AND THREE SATELLITE OFFICES AND APPROXIMATELY 100 STAFF, INCLUDING APPROXIMATELY 50 ADVOCATES. IN 2019 AND 2020, FLRS EXPANDED OUR MIGRANT FARMWORKER SERVICES BY ESTABLISHING A STATEWIDE TOLL-FREE HELPLINE IN AUGUST 2020 FOR FARMWORKERS ACROSS THE STATE TO ELIMINATE BARRIERS TO ACCESSING OUR SERVICES. WE ALSO EXPANDED OUR SATELLITE OFFICE IN IMMOKALEE, ESTABLISHING IT AS THE HEADQUARTERS FOR FRLS' STATEWIDE SERVICES TO MIGRANT FARMWORKERS. FRLS HAS ALSO EXPANDED OUR BELLE GLADE OFFICE AND SERVICES SIGNIFICANTLY, ADDRESSING THE SIGNIFICANT POVERTY AND NEED FOR INCREASED FREE CIVIL LEGAL AID, INCREASING ADVOCATES AND STAFF IN THE GLADES BY OVER 50%. FRLS REMAINS ONE OF THE ONLY PROGRAMS IN THE COUNTRY FOUNDED AND FOCUSED ON ENSURING ACCESS TO FREE LEGAL ASSISTANCE TO RURAL COMMUNITIES AND MIGRANT FARMWORKERS.

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

  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 November 6, 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 2025.

    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 December 1968.

    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 November 4, 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.