Form 990 for tax year 2023

Totals

Total revenue

$958,607

Total expenses

$990,978

Contributions and grants received

$929,372

Grants paid

$0

Program service revenue

$9,184

Investment income

$136

Other revenue

$19,915

Total assets, end of year

$567,093

Total liabilities, end of year

$80,011

Net assets or fund balances, end of year

$487,082

Program services expenses (Part IX)

$882,397

Management and general expenses

$102,659

Fundraising expenses

$5,922

Program service expenses (Part III)

$882,397

Program services were 89.0% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

Line items

Every line the filer filed in Parts VIII, IX and X, as filed and in filed order. Blank columns are left out, and the lines are not forced to add up to the totals above.

Mission and programs · 2023

• LEGAL REPRESENTATION & ADVICE: THE NEIGHBORHOOD JUSTICE CENTER'S PRIMARY PROGRAM IS OUR LEGAL REPRESENTATION AND ADVICE PROGRAM WHERE WE PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE CRIMINAL DEFENSE SERVICES TO DISADVANTAGED AND UNDERSERVED PERSONS WHO FACE CRIMINAL CHARGES AND NEED EXTENDED LEGAL REPRESENTATION, BRIEF LEGAL SERVICE AND/OR ADVICE ONLY TO OBTAIN THE BEST POSSIBLE OUTCOME IN THEIR CASE. AS AN ORGANIZATION CREATED BY AND FOR COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, NJC SEEKS TO REPRESENT CLIENTS FROM THROUGHOUT OUR DIVERSE COMMUNITY, SPECIFICALLY SEEKING TO ASSIST THOSE GROUPS WHO HAVE BEEN TRADITIONALLY DISENFRANCHISED AND TARGETED FOR UNFAIR TREATMENT. NJC STAFF LOOK BEYOND THE IMMEDIATE LEGAL PROBLEMS TO SERVE THE WHOLE PERSON, HELPING TO CONNECT SUCH SERVICES AS HOUSING ASSISTANCE, CHEMICAL DEPENDENCY AND/ OR MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT. MANY OF OUR CLIENTS ALSO FACE IMMIGRATION CONSEQUENCES AND WE PARTNER WITH EXPERTS IN IMMIGRATION LAW TO PROTECT AND INFORM OUR CLIENTS ABOUT THEIR RIGHTS AND RISKS. NJC STRIVES TO PROVE STAFF THAT REFLECT THE COMMUNITY WE SERVE BY HIRING BILINGUAL, CULTURALLY AND RACIALLY DIVERSE ATTORNEYS, COMMUNITY ADVOCATES AND LAW CLERKS. THIS PROGRAM ALSO INCLUDES LEGAL DEFENSE SERVICE NJC PROVIDES THROUGH THE RAMSEY COUNTY TREATMENT COURTS, AND OUR LEGAL ADVICE SERVICES. IN THE LAST FISCAL YEAR NJC STATISTICS DEMONSTRATE THAT 87% OF NJC CLIENTS WERE PEOPLE OF COLOR, WITH OUR CLIENT-IDENTIFIED STATISTICAL BREAKDOWN BEING 40% AFRICAN AMERICAN/ BLACK, 12.5% CAUCASIAN, 13% HISPANIC, 8% AMERICAN INDIAN, 4.5% EAST ASIAN, AND 22% SELF-IDENTIFIED AS OTHER/ MIXED RACE. WE ARE PROUD TO SAY THAT THESE NUMBERS DEMONSTRATE THAT NJC IS STILL FOCUSED ON SERVING COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND ENSURING THAT ALL PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO QUALITY LEGAL REPRESENTATION NO MATTER THEIR ABILITY TO PAY. OUR LEGAL REPRESENTATION AND ADVICE PROGRAM DURING THE 2023-24 FISCAL YEAR SERVED OVER 1800 COMMUNITY MEMBERS. THIS INCLUDES 494 FORMAL CRIMINAL CASES WHERE TALENTED NJC ATTORNEYS PROVIDED FULL-SERVICE LEGAL REPRESENTATION FOR ANY LEGAL ISSUE ARISING IN CASES RANGING FROM LOW LEVEL MISDEMEANORS TO THE HIGHEST LEVEL FELONIES. AS AN ORGANIZATION THAT IS DEDICATED TO SERVING THOSE WITH THE GREATEST NEED, WE ALSO SERVED AN ADDITIONAL APPROXIMATELY 250 CLIENTS THROUGH OUR DEFENSE ROLE IN THE RAMSEY COUNTY TREATMENT COURTS, WHERE WE REPRESENT EVERY PARTICIPANT IN THE TREATMENT COURTS FOR THE DURATION OF THEIR TIME IN THIS INTENSIVE, TREATMENT-FOCUSED PROGRAM. THIS IS A VERY SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM THAT HAS KEPT HUNDREDS OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS FROM GOING TO JAIL/ PRISON, AND INSTEAD INVESTED IN THEIR TREATMENT AND MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS, RESULTING IN SOBER, HEALTHY CLIENTS REGAINING THEIR ABILITY TO BE PRODUCTIVE COMMUNITY AND FAMILY MEMBERS. KNOWING THAT THE COMMUNITY HAS FEW RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO SIMPLY ASK LEGAL QUESTIONS, NJC PROVIDES OUR FREE LEGAL ADVICE SERVICE, WHICH HELPED OVER 1100 PEOPLE LAST YEAR. THIS SERVICE ALLOWS INDIVIDUALS TO CONTACT NJC ATTORNEYS TO DISCUSS CONFIDENTIAL LEGAL QUESTIONS, FREE OF CHARGE, WITH THE GOAL OF GUIDING COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO THE BEST OUTCOME AND TO AVOID FURTHER PROBLEMS. THIS INCLUDES OVER 300 ADVICE SESSIONS THAT LASTED OVER A HALF-HOUR AND MAY HAVE REQUIRED OUTSIDE CONTACTS OR OTHER ACTIONS BY THE ATTORNEY TO GATHER THE INFORMATION NEEDED TO COMPREHENSIVELY SERVE THIS COMMUNITY MEMBER.

  Expenses $703,770 · Revenue $9,184

• COMMUNITY OUTREACH: NJC'S COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND EDUCATION PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO MEET THE EVER-CHANGING NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY, WITH THE GOAL OF GETTING INFORMATION TO THOSE WHO NEED IT MOST. WE FOCUS ON SERVING LOW INCOME PERSONS, JUVENILES, REFUGEES AND IMMIGRANTS FROM VARIOUS CULTURES, AND ALSO SEEKS TO EDUCATE THE BROADER COMMUNITY ABOUT THE REALITIES AND NEEDS OF PEOPLE LIKE OUR CLIENTS. THIS PROGRAM INTENDS TO EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THE LAW BY CLARIFYING WHAT CONSTITUTES ILLEGAL BEHAVIOR, HOW TO AVOID CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR, AND HOW TO EFFECTIVELY AND SAFELY INTERACT WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT, WHILE STILL RETAINING AND ENFORCING YOUR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS. THIS PROGRAM CAN TAKE MANY FORMS FROM LARGE PRESENTATIONS, SMALL GROUP DISCUSSIONS, DIGITAL MEETINGS, TABLING EVENTS, AS WELL AS ACCESS TO OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH RESOURCES ON OUR WEBSITE. TO ENSURE BROAD AWARENESS OF OUR SERVICES, WE PARTNER WITH NON-PROFITS, SCHOOLS, SHELTERS, PRO BONO PARTNERS AND OTHER SIMILAR PROGRAMS TO HELP COMMUNITY MEMBERS GAIN ACCESS TO VITAL LEGAL SERVICES.IN THE LAST YEAR NJC REACHED OVER 350 PEOPLE THROUGH OUR IN-PERSON COMMUNITY OUTREACH EFFORTS. ADDITIONALLY, IN AN ONGOING EFFORT TO MEET THE NEEDS OF A MODERN COMMUNITY, NJC PROVIDES EXTENSIVE DIGITAL INFORMATION SO INDIVIDUALS CAN FIND AND CONTACT NJC ONLINE TO BOTH LEARN ABOUT THEIR RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES UNDER THE LAW, BUT ALSO WHERE TO SEEK HELP SHOULD THE NEED ARISE. IN THE LAST YEAR OUR DIGITAL OUTREACH CONNECTED WITH OVER 4,500 INDIVIDUALS THROUGH OUR WEBSITE, WHERE MOST VISITORS UTILIZED OUR BLOG POSTS, WHICH FOCUS ARE PRACTICAL DISCUSSIONS ABOUT MODERN LEGAL ISSUES THAT IMPACT OUR COMMUNITIES. FURTHER, WE REACHED AN ADDITION APPROXIMATELY 5000 INDIVIDUALS THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS, WHICH ALSO EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY ON PERTINENT LEGAL ISSUES. NJC IS A SMALL ORGANIZATION, BUT THROUGH CREATIVE AND MODERN APPROACHES WE ARE ABLE TO REACH PEOPLE IN NEED IN EVERY CORNER OF OUR COMMUNITY.

  Expenses $44,680

• EXPUNGEMENTS: IN MINNESOTA, A CRIMINAL CONVICTION USUALLY STAYS ON YOUR RECORD FOR LIFE, UNLESS YOU SEEK AN EXPUNGEMENT. SADLY, TODAY EVEN THE LOWEST LEVEL CONVICTION CAN PREVENT AN INDIVIDUAL FROM GETTING ACCESS TO BASIC EMPLOYMENT OR HOUSING. AT NJC WE BELIEVE THAT GOOD PEOPLE CAN MAKE MISTAKES AND PEOPLE HAVE THE AMAZING ABILITY TO GROW AND CHANGE, AND AS A RESULT EXPUNGEMENTS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR INDIVIDUAL AND COMMUNITY GROWTH. EXPUNGEMENTS BENEFIT EVERYONE. THESE SECOND CHANCES ALLOW REFORMED PEOPLE BACK IN THE WORK FORCE, USING THEIR TALENTS TO THE BEST OF THEIR ABILITY, WHICH IN TURN LEADS TO MORE STABLE FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES. MINNESOTA LAW NOW SUPPORTS EXPUNGEMENT FOR REFORMED PEOPLE IN MANY CASES, BUT THIS LEGAL PROCESS IS LONG AND UNFORTUNATELY COMPLICATED. NJC SPECIALIZES IN HELPING THOSE WITH THE GREATEST NEEDS, INCLUDING THOSE WHO HAVE COMPLICATED EXPUNGEMENT CASES AND ALSO INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE PERSONAL LIMITATIONS THAT MAY PREVENT THEM FROM BEING ABLE TO FILE AN EXPUNGEMENT ON THEIR OWN. NJC PROVIDES FULL SERVICE EXPUNGEMENT REPRESENTATION, FROM THE INITIAL CONSULTATION THROUGH ALL STAGES OF LITIGATION. IN THE 2023-24 FISCAL YEAR NJC SERVED CLIENTS ON 238 EXPUNGEMENT PETITIONS IN COUNTIES THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF MN. OF THE PETITIONS THAT CAME TO FINAL DECISION, OVER 98% WERE GRANTED IN FULL, GIVING THESE COMMUNITY MEMBERS BETTER FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES. THIS PROGRAM IS IN GREAT DEMAND, AND AS A RESULT NJC REPRESENTED 90% MORE CLIENTS IN THIS PROGRAM THIS YEAR THAN IN THE LAST FISCAL YEAR.

  Expenses $133,947

As filed on the 2023 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Listed in Part VII

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those.

Grants on this return

No itemized grants to organizations on this return.

Provenance

Return type

form_990

Tax year

2023

Filed

18 December 2024

IRS schema version

2023v5.1

Source object

202403589349300610

Check it against the return as filed: the GivingTuesday Data Lake hosts a public copy of the original XML.

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