National Crime Victim Law Institute
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO PROMOTE COMPREHENSIVE AND ENFORCEABLE LEGAL RIGHTS FOR CRIME VICTIMS, AND ACCESS TO KNOWLEDGEABLE ATTORNEYS TO HELP PROTECT THOSE RIGHTS IN EVERY CASE THROUGH VICTIM CENTERED LEGAL ADVOCACY, EDUCATION, AND RESOURCES.
- Income
- $1.2 million
- Spending
- $1.1 million
- Spent on programs
- 80%
- Reserves
- 1.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 74%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 12
- Highest pay
- $147,331, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending May 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 45 out of 100. Higher than 11% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 1.9 months of spending.
Debt
5 of 20It owes 73% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 10% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 26% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1580% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 2 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending May 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 2511 of 11 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 May 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 (3)
- $564,209 spent. VICTIM LEGAL ASSISTANCE. SINCE 2003, NCVLI HAS BEEN LEADING THE NATIONAL EFFORT TO ENFORCE VICTIMS' RIGHTS THROUGH ITS CRIME VICTIMS' RIGHTS ENFORCEMENT PROJECTS. THESE PROJECTS ENSURE THAT VICTIMS HAVE ACCESS TO TRAINED NO COST (PRO BONO, AND LOW BONO) ATTORNEYS AND ADVOCATES TO SECURE FOR THEM MEANINGFUL RIGHTS THROUGH THE EXERCISE OF THOSE RIGHTS IN STATE, FEDERAL, MILITARY AND TRIBAL TRIAL AND APPELLATE COURTS NATIONWIDE. THIS PAST YEAR, ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF NOTE WERE MANY - SOME WERE ONGOING EFFORTS AND OTHERS AS NEW INITIATIVES. THE WORK OF THREE ONGOING PROJECTS ARE NOTED HERE.(CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)FIRST, TO ENSURE NATIONAL CAPACITY NCVLI CONTINUED PROJECTS THAT PROVIDE TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE NATIONWIDE TO GROUPS CREATING AND OPERATING VICTIM LEGAL ASSISTANCE EFFORTS TO ENSURE SURVIVORS HAVE ACCESS TO LEGAL SERVICES AT NO COST WITH A FOCUS ON RIGHTS ENFORCEMENT.SECOND, NCVLI RESPONDED TO REQUESTS FOR LEGAL TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE (I.E., LEGAL RESEARCH, WRITING, AND STRATEGIC LITIGATION ADVICE) AND FILED AMICUS CURIAE (FRIEND OF THE COURT) BRIEFS IN CASES ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THIRD, NCVLI CONTINUED TO DEVELOP AND MAINTAIN ITS MEMBERSHIP ALLIANCE, THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE OF VICTIMS' RIGHTS ATTORNEYS & ADVOCATES (NAVRA), WHICH HAS A NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL MEMBERSHIP OF ATTORNEYS, ADVOCATES, AND STUDENTS. NAVRA PROMOTES THE EXCHANGE OF KNOWLEDGE AND RESOURCES TO FOSTER A NATIONAL NETWORK OF SKILLED ATTORNEYS AND ADVOCATES TO REPRESENT AND ASSIST CRIME VICTIMS IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. NAVRA HAS A DEDICATED WEBSITE (WWW.NAVRA.ORG) WITH SEARCH DATABASES OF CASES, SAMPLE PLEADINGS AND LEGAL MEMORANDA. NAVRA ALSO ROUTINELY SPONSORS ONLINE CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION (CLE) OPPORTUNITIES. THERE WERE OVER 3,000 ATIVE MEMBERS REPRESENTING ALL 50 STATES.
- $296,917 spent. EDUCATION ON VICTIMS' RIGHTS: NCVLI'S DEDICATION TO EDUCATING ON THE CURRENT STATUS AND FUTURE HORIZON OF VICTIMS' RIGHTS IS DEMONSTRATED THROUGH TRAININGS, PUBLICATIONS AND COLLABORATIONS WITH OTHER JUSTICE ENTITIES. OVER THE YEAR, NCVLI TRAINED ATTORNEYS, ADVOCATES, JUSTICE & ALLIED PROFESSIONALS ON THE MEANING AND ENFORCEABILITY OF VICTIMS' RIGHTS. THESE TRAININGS INCLUDED INTENSIVE IN-PERSON TRAININGS AND LECTURES, TECHNOLOGY-ASSISTED TRAININGS, AND VICTIMS' RIGHTS EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS. (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)CENTRAL TO NCVLI'S TRAINING EFFORT WERE (1) THE ANNUAL CRIME VICTIM LAW CONFERENCE, TRADITIONALLY HELD IN PORTLAND, OREGON BUT NOW OFFERED HYBRID TO INCREASE ACCESSIBILITY, WHICH OFFERED A WIDE RANGE OF TRAINING FOR NOVICE AND EXPERIENCED ATTORNEYS AND ADVOCATES ON CRIME VICTIM LAW PRACTICE AND POLICY; (2) THE STATE VICTIM ASSISTANCE ACADEMY, AT WHICH NCVLI PROVIDES FOUNDATIONAL AND ADVANCED LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR VICTIM ADVOCATES. EDUCATION IS ALSO ACHIEVED THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS; (3) TRAININGS AND RESOURCES FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT ON VICTIMS' RIGHTS; AND (4) TRAININGS AND RESOURCES FOR SERVICE PROVIDERS WORKING WITH MILITARY-CONNECTED VICTIMS.
- $10,000 spent. NCVLI'S WORK WITH STUDENTS CONTINUED. SPECIFICALLY NCVLI CONTINUED ITS INTERNSHIP/EXTERNSHIP PROGRAM WHICH IS OPEN TO UNDERGRADUATE, GRADUATE AND LAW STUDENTS, AND TAUGHT THE CRIME VICTIM LITIGATION CLINIC OF THE LEWIS & CLARK LAW SCHOOL, WHICH PROVIDED SECOND- AND THIRD-YEAR LAW STUDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO SUPPORT ONGOING NATIONAL VICTIM LITIGATION AND RESEARCH THROUGH THIS PROGRAM. NCVLI'S DIRECTOR ALSO TEACHES A SUBSTANTIVE CRIME VICTIM COURSE AT LEWIS & CLARK LAW SCHOOL.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending May 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 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 May 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 March 2003.
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.
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.