DAKOTA PLAINS LEGAL SERVICES Charity Report

Public IRS 990 nonprofit record

DAKOTA PLAINS LEGAL SERVICES

EIN 46-0310828 · Legal Services (I80)

What they do

to PROMOTE EQUAL ACCESS to JUSTICE and IMPROVE THE LIVES of LOW-INCOME CLIENTS THROUGH QUALITY LEGAL ASSISTANCE

Before you give

Should I give to this charity?

Easy charity check

Look at where the money went

Of every $100 spent, about $71.50 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 leaders26 people are listed in the latest report.

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

Money made simple

72.04%of revenue went to mission work71.5% of expenses · Program services

$85.19spent for every $100 of revenueRevenue covered expenses this year.

28.71%of revenue went to management and office costs28.5% of expenses

$0.28in assets for every $1 spent this yearSome assets cannot be spent right away.

83.8%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 $116,850 for THOMAS S MORTLAND (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/SEC-TREAS). 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$3,001,060

Mission workProgram services$2,161,84972.04% of revenue71.5% of expenses

ManagementOffice and general costs$861,48528.71% of revenue28.5% of expenses

FundraisingAsking for donations0.00% of revenue0.0% of expenses

Total expenses$3,023,334100.74% of revenue

Expenses were greater than revenue, so the colored ring fills the available $100 and the total above 100% is shown below.

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: 71.5% mission · 28.5% management · 0.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 100.74% of revenue

2023Expense mix: 78.2% mission · 21.8% management · 0.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 96.51% of revenue

2022Expense mix: 81.3% mission · 18.7% management · 0.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 108.43% of revenue

2021Expense mix: 83.3% mission · 16.7% management · 0.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 110.78% of revenue

2020Expense mix: 83.9% mission · 16.1% management · 0.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 90.80% of revenue

2019Expense mix: 84.5% mission · 15.5% management · 0.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 106.82% of revenue

2018Expense mix: 81.1% mission · 18.9% management · 0.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 107.39% of revenue

2017Expense mix: 84.4% mission · 15.6% management · 0.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 96.81% of revenue

Money in and money out

Revenue$3,548,774

Expenses$3,023,334

Annual surplus $525,440 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)$2,161,849 · 71.5% of expenses

Management and office costs$861,485 · 28.5% of expenses

See all reported dollar amounts

Revenue$3,548,774

Expenses$3,023,334

Assets$854,739

Income$3,553,404

Contributions$2,974,080

Mission work (program services)$2,161,849

Management and general$861,485

Executive compensation (total)$257,611

Accounting fees$83,178

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

THOMAS S MORTLANDEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/SEC-TREAS · 34 hrs/week $116,850Base $97,722 · Other $19,128

MICHELLE LOVEJOYADMINISTRATOR · 34 hrs/week $91,696Base $75,897 · Other $15,799

LORI STANFORDDEPUTY DIRECTOR - JOINED 2/2024 · 34 hrs/week $83,611Base $73,161 · Other $10,450

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 (26)

THOMAS S MORTLANDEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/SEC-TREAS

MICHELLE LOVEJOYADMINISTRATOR

LORI STANFORDDEPUTY DIRECTOR - JOINED 2/2024

MELISSA NEVILLEDIRECTOR - UNTIL 7/2024

WILLIAM CRAIG LAFFERTYVICE-CHAIR

WILLIAM PALMIERDIRECTOR

TRACYE SHERRILLDIRECTOR

TERRY PECHOTADIRECTOR

SHAUN EASTMANDIRECTOR

SHANE PULLMANCHAIR

ROSE ANN WENDELLDIRECTOR - UNTIL 4/2024

RICHARD BRIGGSDIRECTOR - JOINED 10/2024

REGINALD ROWLANDDIRECTOR - UNTIL 3/2024

RACHEL HALEDIRECTOR

ALVIN PAHLKEDIRECTOR

MARLYS MARSHALLDIRECTOR - UNTIL 9/2024

MARIAH BLOOM-MCNEECEDIRECTOR - JOINED 11/2024

LORETTA STONEDIRECTOR

LEROY GREAVESDIRECTOR - UNTIL 8/2024

KATIE THOMPSONDIRECTOR - UNTIL 10/2024

JOSEPH WHITE BEAR CLAWSDIRECTOR

JOSEPH ASHLEY PARRDIRECTOR

JENNIFER WOUNDED KNEEDIRECTOR

GAVIN POCHOPDIRECTOR

ELLARAE STONEDIRECTOR

BJ JONESDIRECTOR - UNTIL 8/2024

About this charity

Recognized since: January 1976
Location: PO BOX 489, MISSION, SD 57555-0489
County: Todd
In care of: WILLIAM SULIK
Primary officer: WILLIAM SULIK, INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

How to reach them

WebsiteVisit the charity’s website Phone(605) 856-4444

Filing and classification

Latest tax year: 2024
Tax period began: January 1, 2024
Return type: 990
Tax preparer: EIDE BAILLY LLP
NTEE classification: Legal Services (I80)
IRS tax category: Legal Services