SOUTHERN MN REGIONAL LEGAL SERVICES INC Charity Report

Public IRS 990 nonprofit record

SOUTHERN MN REGIONAL LEGAL SERVICES INC

EIN 41-1316151 · International, Foreign Affairs & National Security (I800)

What they do

to PROVIDE A FULL RANGE of HIGH QUALITY LEGAL SERVICES to LOW INCOME PERSONS and ELIGIBLE CLIENT GROUPS IN CIVIL MATTERS, IN A RESPECTFUL MANNER WHICH ENABLES CLIENTS TO: 1.) ENFORCE THEIR LEGAL RIGHTS, 2.) OBTAIN EFFECTIVE ACCESS to THE COURTS, ADMINISTRATIVE AGENCIES and FORUMS WHICH CONSTITUTE OUR SYSTEM of JUSTICE, 3.) MAINTAIN FREEDOM FROM HUNGER, HOMELESSNESS, SICKNESS and ABUSE, and 4.) EMPOWER PERSONS and ASSURE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY, THUS HELPING PEOPLE to HELP THEMSELVES and BECOME ECONOMICALLY SELF-RELIANT, to THE EXTENT THEIR INDIVIDUAL ABILITIES and CIRCUMSTANCES PERMIT.

Before you give

Should I give to this charity?

Easy charity check

Look at where the money went

Of every $100 spent, about $81.50 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 leaders22 people are listed in the latest report.

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

Money made simple

75.20%of revenue went to mission work81.5% of expenses · Program services

2.87%of revenue went to fundraising3.1% of expenses

$92.33spent for every $100 of revenueRevenue covered expenses this year.

14.26%of revenue went to management and office costs15.4% of expenses

$0.58in assets for every $1 spent this yearSome assets cannot be spent right away.

98.1%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 $211,571 for JESSIE R NICHOLSON (CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER). 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$19,792,136

Mission workProgram services$14,884,34675.20% of revenue81.5% of expenses

ManagementOffice and general costs$2,821,45114.26% of revenue15.4% of expenses

FundraisingAsking for donations$567,5242.87% of revenue3.1% of expenses

Revenue left after expensesReported annual surplus$1,518,8157.67% of revenueShown in gray on the chart

Total expenses$18,273,32192.33% 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: 81.5% mission · 15.4% management · 3.1% fundraisingTotal expenses: 92.33% of revenue

2023Expense mix: 81.4% mission · 16.6% management · 2.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 99.72% of revenue

2022Expense mix: 83.3% mission · 14.5% management · 2.2% fundraisingTotal expenses: 106.37% of revenue

2021Expense mix: 84.9% mission · 12.6% management · 2.5% fundraisingTotal expenses: 112.83% of revenue

2020Expense mix: 82.9% mission · 14.6% management · 2.5% fundraisingTotal expenses: 110.65% of revenue

2019Expense mix: 87.7% mission · 9.9% management · 2.4% fundraisingTotal expenses: 95.85% of revenue

2018Expense mix: 87.7% mission · 9.4% management · 2.8% fundraisingTotal expenses: 96.05% of revenue

2017Expense mix: 87.8% mission · 9.5% management · 2.7% fundraisingTotal expenses: 96.64% of revenue

Money in and money out

Revenue$19,792,136

Expenses$18,273,321

Annual surplus $1,518,815 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)$14,884,346 · 81.5% of expenses

Management and office costs$2,821,451 · 15.4% of expenses

Fundraising$567,524 · 3.1% of expenses

See all reported dollar amounts

Revenue$19,792,136

Expenses$18,273,321

Assets$10,632,099

Income$19,836,814

Contributions$19,412,345

Mission work (program services)$14,884,346

Fundraising$567,524

Management and general$2,821,451

Stocks and bonds$3,408,093

Accounting fees$131,517

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

JESSIE R NICHOLSONCHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER · 50 hrs/week $211,571Base $205,052 · Other $6,519

LAURA S MELNICKLEAD ATTORNEY · 45 hrs/week $191,993Base $176,677 · Other $15,316

VALERIE K SNYDERLEAD ATTORNEY · 45 hrs/week $188,548Base $172,523 · Other $16,025

LAURA K JELINEKSENIOR LEADERSHIP ATTORNEY · 45 hrs/week $187,272Base $167,065 · Other $20,207

MARGARET ERICKSONSUPERVISING ATTORNEY · 45 hrs/week $181,716Base $170,808 · Other $10,908

LISA R HOLLINGSWORTHDIRECTOR OF LITIGATION & ADVOCACY · 45 hrs/week $168,179Base $153,573 · Other $14,606

VANNAM KHENDIRECTOR OF FINANCE · 45 hrs/week $135,377Base $124,871 · Other $10,506

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 (22)

JESSIE R NICHOLSONCHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

LAURA S MELNICKLEAD ATTORNEY

VALERIE K SNYDERLEAD ATTORNEY

LAURA K JELINEKSENIOR LEADERSHIP ATTORNEY

MARGARET ERICKSONSUPERVISING ATTORNEY

LISA R HOLLINGSWORTHDIRECTOR OF LITIGATION & ADVOCACY

VANNAM KHENDIRECTOR OF FINANCE

JAN MARIE LUNGRENDIRECTOR

GRETCHEN CEPEKDIRECTOR

JIM SUKDIRECTOR (RESIGNED 12/24)

JOSH MURPHYDIRECTOR (RESIGNED 12/24)

ELIZABETH WEBSTERDIRECTOR

DAN IDENDIRECTOR

BRETT W OLANDERPRESIDENT

BRENDA DEVLIN1ST VICE PRESIDENT

PAM JAMESDIRECTOR

SAMANTHA SUTTONDIRECTOR

TASHONDA WILLIAMSONDIRECTOR

TERRANCE CS NEWBY2ND VICE PRESIDENT

THOMAS B HATCHTREASURER

ANDREW M BAESESECRETARY

ABDI SABRIEDIRECTOR

About this charity

Recognized since: January 1978
Location: 450 SYNDICATE ST N STE 260, SAINT PAUL, MN 55104-4199
County: Ramsey
In care of: BRETT W OLANDER
Primary officer: BRETT W OLANDER, PRESIDENT

How to reach them

WebsiteVisit the charity’s website Phone(651) 228-9823

Filing and classification

Latest tax year: 2024
Tax period began: January 1, 2024
Return type: 990
Tax preparer: BAKER TILLY ADVISORY GROUP LP
NTEE classification: International, Foreign Affairs & National Security (I800)