LEGAL AID OF EAST TENNESSEE Charity Report

Public IRS 990 nonprofit record

LEGAL AID OF EAST TENNESSEE

EIN 58-9132803 · Legal Services (I80)

What they do

LEGAL AID of EAST TENNESSEE PROVIDES LEGAL REPRESENTATION, LEGAL EDUCATION, and OTHER CIVIL LEGAL SERVICES for THE LOW-INCOME POPULATION IN OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH ADVOCACY of ALL TYPES.

Before you give

Should I give to this charity?

Easy charity check

Look at where the money went

Of every $100 spent, about $88.30 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 leaders23 people are listed in the latest report.

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

Money made simple

99.58%of revenue went to mission work88.3% of expenses · Program services

4.19%of revenue went to fundraising3.7% of expenses

$112.79spent for every $100 of revenueSpending was higher than revenue this year.

9.02%of revenue went to management and office costs8.0% of expenses

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

99.3%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.

Worth asking: Expenses exceeded revenue by $1,080,093 this year. Ask whether that was planned or caused by a one-time event.

Pay context: The highest compensation shown in this filing is $236,278 for DEBRA HOUSE (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR). 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$8,447,656

Mission workProgram services$8,411,92199.58% of revenue88.3% of expenses

ManagementOffice and general costs$762,1349.02% of revenue8.0% of expenses

FundraisingAsking for donations$353,6944.19% of revenue3.7% of expenses

Total expenses$9,527,749112.79% 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: 88.3% mission · 8.0% management · 3.7% fundraisingTotal expenses: 112.79% of revenue

2023Expense mix: 85.3% mission · 9.4% management · 5.3% fundraisingTotal expenses: 98.06% of revenue

2022Expense mix: 86.0% mission · 10.1% management · 4.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 99.41% of revenue

2021Expense mix: 87.9% mission · 10.1% management · 2.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 90.29% of revenue

2020Expense mix: 87.1% mission · 10.9% management · 2.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 99.14% of revenue

2019Expense mix: 88.4% mission · 10.0% management · 1.5% fundraisingTotal expenses: 99.69% of revenue

2018Expense mix: 80.8% mission · 18.0% management · 1.2% fundraisingTotal expenses: 98.98% of revenue

2016Expense mix: 71.0% mission · 26.2% management · 2.9% fundraisingTotal expenses: 97.98% of revenue

Money in and money out

Revenue$8,447,656

Expenses$9,527,749

Annual shortfall $1,080,093 Expenses were higher than revenue 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)$8,411,921 · 88.3% of expenses

Management and office costs$762,134 · 8.0% of expenses

Fundraising$353,694 · 3.7% of expenses

See all reported dollar amounts

Revenue$8,447,656

Expenses$9,527,749

Assets$2,708,544

Income$8,466,320

Contributions$8,387,604

Mission work (program services)$8,411,921

Fundraising$353,694

Grants given$258,068

Average grant$129,034

Management and general$762,134

Executive compensation (total)$315,472

Accounting fees$39,416

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

DEBRA HOUSEEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR · 40 hrs/week $236,278Base $207,185 · Other $29,093

RUSSELL FOWLERDIRECTOR OF LITIGATION/ATT · 40 hrs/week $206,449Base $187,436 · Other $19,013

DEBORAH YEOMANS-BARTONDEPUTY DIR/ATTORNEY · 40 hrs/week $186,222Base $159,580 · Other $26,642

JEFF ARMSTRONGATTORNEY · 40 hrs/week $178,436Base $151,888 · Other $26,548

MELISSA BRUMFIELDDIRECTOR OF FINANCE · 40 hrs/week $163,743Base $147,520 · Other $16,223

DAVID NAGLEATTORNEY · 40 hrs/week $158,573Base $150,118 · Other $8,455

CATHY ALLSHOUSEDEPUTY DIR LITIGATION/ATTO · 40 hrs/week $152,355Base $127,034 · Other $25,321

CHARLES MCDANIELDIRECTOR HR/ATTORNEY · 40 hrs/week $138,656Base $116,329 · Other $22,327

BRIAN FRYEATTORNEY · 40 hrs/week $130,507Base $114,836 · Other $15,671

HOLLY FULLERDIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS/ATTORNEY · 40 hrs/week $116,776Base $110,216 · Other $6,560

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 (23)

DEBRA HOUSEEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

RUSSELL FOWLERDIRECTOR OF LITIGATION/ATT

DEBORAH YEOMANS-BARTONDEPUTY DIR/ATTORNEY

JEFF ARMSTRONGATTORNEY

MELISSA BRUMFIELDDIRECTOR OF FINANCE

DAVID NAGLEATTORNEY

CATHY ALLSHOUSEDEPUTY DIR LITIGATION/ATTO

CHARLES MCDANIELDIRECTOR HR/ATTORNEY

BRIAN FRYEATTORNEY

HOLLY FULLERDIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS/ATTORNEY

HENRY MOLTERDIRECTOR

STEPHEN BARHAM ESQSECRETARY

NANCY LINKOUSDIRECTOR

MARSHA BRYANTDIRECTOR

KARISSA RANGEDIRECTOR

JOANIE SOMPAYRAC JD MACC CPATREASURER

JESSICA MALLOY-THORPEDIRECTOR

JARED SMITHDIRECTOR

AARON J CHAPMAN ESQBOARD PRESIDENT

GREG EASTERLING ESQDIRECTOR

G KEITH ALLEY ESQDIRECTOR

CHRISTINA MAGRANS-TILLERY ESQVICE PRESIDENT

ANNA PENLAND ESQDIRECTOR

About this charity

Recognized since: January 1982
Location: 100 W MARTIN LUTHER KING BLVD, CHATTANOOGA, TN 37402-2540
County: Knox
In care of: DEBRA HOUSE
Primary officer: DEBRA HOUSE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

How to reach them

WebsiteVisit the charity’s website Phone(865) 637-0484

Filing and classification

Latest tax year: 2024
Tax period began: January 1, 2024
Return type: 990
Tax preparer: KRAFTCPAS PLLC
NTEE classification: Legal Services (I80)
IRS tax category: Legal Services
Grant-giving organization: Yes