NAACP LEGAL DEFENSE & EDUC FUND INC Charity Report

Public IRS 990 nonprofit record

NAACP LEGAL DEFENSE & EDUC FUND INC

EIN 13-1655255 · Civil Rights, Social Action & Advocacy (R220)

What they do

THE NAACP LEGAL DEFENSE & EDUC. FUND. INC. (LEGAL DEFENSE FUND - LDF) is AMERICAS PREMIER LEGAL ORGANIZATION FIGHTING for RACIAL JUSTICE. USING THE POWER of LAW, NARRATIVE, RESEARCH, and PEOPLE, WE DEFEND and ADVANCE THE FULL DIGNITY and CITIZENSHIP of BLACK PEOPLE IN AMERICA.

Before you give

Should I give to this charity?

Easy charity check

Look at where the money went

Of every $100 spent, about $67.30 was reported for mission work. Use the spending picture below and ask what results that work produced.

Plain answer: A tax form cannot prove that a charity is doing good. It can show how the charity says it spent its money—and point out questions you should ask.

Basic facts we verified

IRS warning checkNo IRS revocation warning appears in this data.

Money report from 2024The charity has a recent tax report to read.

They explain their jobThe charity tells us what it is trying to do.

They name their leaders38 people are listed in the latest report.

You can reach themThey list contact information, so you can ask questions.

Money made simple

62.64%of revenue went to mission work67.3% of expenses · Program services

14.56%of revenue went to fundraising15.6% of expenses

$93.13spent for every $100 of revenueRevenue covered expenses this year.

15.92%of revenue went to management and office costs17.1% of expenses

$6.80in assets for every $1 spent this yearSome assets cannot be spent right away.

65.9%of its money came from giftsOther money may come from services or investments.

Ask these three easy questions

Who did you help? Ask for a recent story or report that shows real results.
What will my money do? Ask exactly what your gift will pay for.
Is this really the charity? Give only through its official website or confirmed phone number.

Pay context: The highest compensation shown in this filing is $654,993 for JANAI NELSON (PRESIDENT AND DIRECTOR-COUNSEL). Compare pay with organizations of similar size and complexity.

Bottom line: Do not decide from a name, mission statement, or tax status alone. Look at where the money went, then ask what changed, who was helped, and what your gift will do. YouCanGiveBack does not endorse or grade organizations.

Money

Financial picture

Tax year 2024

A plain-language look at the latest Form 990 figures available. These numbers help you ask better questions; they do not, by themselves, rate whether a charity is good or bad.

$100revenue

How each $100 of revenue was used

The large number compares each expense with revenue. The smaller number shows its share of total expenses.

Total reported revenue$68,473,100

Mission workProgram services$42,892,81962.64% of revenue67.3% of expenses

ManagementOffice and general costs$10,903,74715.92% of revenue17.1% of expenses

FundraisingAsking for donations$9,970,93614.56% of revenue15.6% of expenses

Revenue left after expensesReported annual surplus$4,705,5986.87% of revenueShown in gray on the chart

Total expenses$63,767,50293.13% of revenue

Gray means reported revenue left after expenses for this filing year. It does not necessarily mean cash sitting in a bank account.

Has the pattern changed?

Colored bars = expense mix: how each year’s expenses were divided. Total expenses vs. revenue shows whether the charity spent less or more than it received. The current filing is first.

YearExpense mixDetails

2024CurrentExpense mix: 67.3% mission · 17.1% management · 15.6% fundraisingTotal expenses: 93.13% of revenue

2023Expense mix: 68.9% mission · 14.3% management · 16.9% fundraisingTotal expenses: 77.24% of revenue

2022Expense mix: 70.1% mission · 11.2% management · 18.8% fundraisingTotal expenses: 175.53% of revenue

2021Expense mix: 66.0% mission · 11.3% management · 22.7% fundraisingTotal expenses: 58.12% of revenue

2020Expense mix: 63.3% mission · 10.6% management · 26.1% fundraisingTotal expenses: 24.39% of revenue

2019Expense mix: 59.8% mission · 10.1% management · 30.1% fundraisingTotal expenses: 17.89% of revenue

2018Expense mix: 69.3% mission · 9.8% management · 20.9% fundraisingTotal expenses: 62.20% of revenue

2017Expense mix: 71.1% mission · 9.0% management · 19.9% fundraisingTotal expenses: 83.95% of revenue

Money in and money out

Revenue$68,473,100

Expenses$63,767,502

Annual surplus $4,705,598 Revenue was higher than expenses for this filing year.

Reported spending amounts

Mission work means the Form 990 category called program services. These are reported accounting categories—not an independent measurement of results.

Mission work (program services)$42,892,819 · 67.3% of expenses

Management and office costs$10,903,747 · 17.1% of expenses

Fundraising$9,970,936 · 15.6% of expenses

See all reported dollar amounts

Revenue$68,473,100

Expenses$63,767,502

Assets$433,709,975

Income$309,829,208

Contributions$45,129,800

Mission work (program services)$42,892,819

Fundraising$9,970,936

Grants given$5,071,042

Average grant$50,710

Management and general$10,903,747

Executive compensation (total)$2,000,420

Stocks and bonds$358,915,745

Accounting fees$186,441

Investing fees$1,231,105

People

Leadership and board

Tax year 2024

Names, titles, time, and compensation below are reported by the organization on its Form 990.

People reported as paid

Person and titleCompensation

JANAI NELSONPRESIDENT AND DIRECTOR-COUNSEL · 59 hrs/week $654,993Base $577,181 · Other $77,812

TONA BOYDASSOC. DIR. COUNSEL UNTIL DEC. 2024 · 40 hrs/week $432,674Base $388,729 · Other $43,945

CLAUDE JOHNSONCHIEF DEVEL. OFFICER UNTIL AUG. 2025 · 40 hrs/week $399,260Base $365,441 · Other $33,819

SAMUEL SPITALDIRECTOR OF LITIGATION · 40 hrs/week $367,518Base $293,713 · Other $73,805

KEVIN THOMSONCHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER · 40 hrs/week $340,792Base $276,874 · Other $63,918

JIN HEE LEEDIR. OF STRATEGIC INT. · 40 hrs/week $324,698Base $250,696 · Other $74,002

ELISABETH NORTHCHIEF OPERATING OFFICER-UNTIL MAR. 2025 · 40 hrs/week $300,555Base $271,970 · Other $28,585

NATALIE THIGPENCHIEF COMMS AND MKTG OFF · 40 hrs/week $277,713Base $251,641 · Other $26,072

KARLA MCKANDERSDIR. OF THURGOOD MARSHALL INSTITUTE · 40 hrs/week $267,645Base $238,273 · Other $29,372

RACHEL M KLEINMANDEPUTY DIRECTOR OF LITIGATION · 40 hrs/week $258,741Base $215,162 · Other $43,579

STUART NAIFEHMANAGER, REDISTRICTING PRO · 40 hrs/week $251,842Base $214,623 · Other $37,219

LAURA FINOEXE. DIR. INSTIT GIVING · 40 hrs/week $247,720Base $211,365 · Other $36,355

Compensation alone does not tell whether pay is reasonable. Consider the charity’s size, work, location, and results.

See everyone listed on the board or leadership roster (38)

JANAI NELSONPRESIDENT AND DIRECTOR-COUNSEL

TONA BOYDASSOC. DIR. COUNSEL UNTIL DEC. 2024

CLAUDE JOHNSONCHIEF DEVEL. OFFICER UNTIL AUG. 2025

SAMUEL SPITALDIRECTOR OF LITIGATION

KEVIN THOMSONCHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

JIN HEE LEEDIR. OF STRATEGIC INT.

ELISABETH NORTHCHIEF OPERATING OFFICER-UNTIL MAR. 2025

NATALIE THIGPENCHIEF COMMS AND MKTG OFF

KARLA MCKANDERSDIR. OF THURGOOD MARSHALL INSTITUTE

RACHEL M KLEINMANDEPUTY DIRECTOR OF LITIGATION

STUART NAIFEHMANAGER, REDISTRICTING PRO

LAURA FINOEXE. DIR. INSTIT GIVING

GARY WHIDBEEEXE. DIR. OF INDIVIDUAL GIVING

BRENDA WRIGHTSPECIAL LITIGATION POLICY COUNSEL

MICHAEL R KLEINBOARD MEMBER

LUIS R PENALVERBOARD MEMBER

RONALD KIRKBOARD MEMBER

ROBYN COLESBOARD MEMBER

RON WILSONBOARD MEMBER

WILLIAM J BYNUMBOARD MEMBER

STEVEN B PFEIFFERSECRETARY

TONY WESTBOARD MEMBER

WILLIAM E LIGHTENBOARD MEMBER

ANGELA VALLOTCO-CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD

LISA GILFORDBOARD MEMBER

LESLIE CORNFIELDBOARD MEMBER

KIM KOOPERSMITHCO-CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD

KENJI YOSHINOBOARD MEMBER

JONATHAN SOROSBOARD MEMBER

JOHN R STEPHENSBOARD MEMBER

JAMES E CASTILLOTREASURER

GREGORY H EVANSBOARD MEMBER

DAVID E KENDALLBOARD MEMBER

CYNTHIA PATTONBOARD MEMBER

COLLEEN FOSTERBOARD MEMBER

CECILIA L MARSHALLBOARD MEMBER

ANNE K SMALLBOARD MEMBER

ANN CLAIRE WILLIAMSBOARD MEMBER

About this charity

Recognized since: January 1940
Location: 40 RECTOR STREET 5TH FLOOR, NEW YORK, NY 10006-1738
County: New York
In care of: JANAI S NELSON
Primary officer: JANAI S NELSON, PRESIDENT & DIRECTOR-COUNSEL

How to reach them

WebsiteVisit the charity’s website Phone(212) 965-2200

Filing and classification

Latest tax year: 2024
Tax period began: July 1, 2024
Return type: 990
Tax preparer: MITCHELL & TITUS LLP
NTEE classification: Civil Rights, Social Action & Advocacy (R220)
IRS tax category: Human Rights Organizations
Grant-giving organization: Yes