CHARLESTON LEGAL ACCESS

As filed

Subsection

03

NTEE code

I80

Classification

1000

Street

1816 SUCCESS STREET BLDG A 102

These codes are the IRS's own and are shown exactly as filed. What each one means is in the Business Master File documentation (opens in a new tab).

Mission and programs · 2024

• Charleston Legal Access was created to fill a void in the legal community and offer services not provided by any other organization in the state. Our goal is simple: to provide low-cost legal representation and assistance to the working poor and others of modest means who do not qualify for free legal services but who cannot afford a private attorney. Specifically, we serve those between 125% (the cut-off for free legal services absent a waiver) and 400% of the federal poverty line. We also provide services to those below 125% of the federal poverty line if there is some reason that they cannot obtain free legal services elsewhere, can pay our minimum retainer (or consultation fee), and otherwise meet our case selection criteria rate determined by the individual's income and family size. (Cont. on Schedule O) This hybrid funding model where low-rate fees are supplemented by philanthropic support: allows donor dollars to go farther and enables our attorneys to access more clients and increase our impact in South Carolina; ensures that clients are invested and engaged in their cases, and that we are pursuing only claims that both we and our clients think are worth the resources; and gives clients a sense of agency in their cases that we encourage and support. They are paying for our services, have control over their case, and are entitled to high quality representation. CLA took its first client in February 2016 and since then, we have been steadily growing to meet the demand for our services. We have increased our staff to eight, including three attorneys, an Equal Justice Works Attorney Fellow. In addition, we have expanded our practice areas to include a wide range of civil matters including, housing, landlord tenant, property, elder law, guardianships, victims' rights and family law. Every year we set a goal to increase the number of families served and our impact. In 2024, CLA assisted 202 households through direct legal representation, consultations, and advice and counsel, bringing our total to 1,565 families served since our founding. We responded to 1,668 intake calls, and referred an additional 888 individuals to trusted partners, ensuring no one faced legal challenges alone.- 39 survivors of domestic violence received critical legal guidance and representation to seek safety and protection.- 22 kinship caregivers, in partnership with HALOS, received counsel or gained custody of children in their careoffering stability and security to the next generation.- 15 Spanish-speaking clients accessed help with family law, housing, and immigration issues, thanks to the support of our bilingual paralegal and commitment to language access.- 487 tenants were helped through the Eviction Protection Project bringing the total number of households assisted to 979.

  Expenses $557,875 · Revenue $77,697

As filed on the 2024 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Officers and directors · 2024

As listed in Part VII of the 2024 return, in the order the filer printed them. Each return names its own; this is not a roster the organization keeps with us.

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. Earlier years are each on their own filing page.

Filings

• 2024

  Revenue

  $809,381

  Expenses

  $708,360

  Contributions

  $729,790

  Grants paid

  $0

• 2023

  Revenue

  $839,308

  Expenses

  $679,240

  Contributions

  $767,967

  Grants paid

  $0

• 2022

  Revenue

  $612,881

  Expenses

  $449,648

  Contributions

  $534,550

  Grants paid

  $160

The four totals the IRS asks for on Part I of the Form 990, as filed. A dash means the figure was not present on the return — not that it was zero.

Other returns filed

• 2021 · 990

  Revenue

  $450,912

  Expenses

  $321,342

  Assets (EOY)

  $415,787

• 2020 · 990

  Revenue

  $312,170

  Expenses

  $215,750

  Assets (EOY)

  $301,394

• 2019 · 990

  Revenue

  $255,291

  Expenses

  $165,970

  Assets (EOY)

  $172,367

• 2018 · 990-EZ

  Revenue

  $184,254

  Expenses

  $149,027

  Assets (EOY)

  $82,577

• 2018 · 990-EZ

  Revenue

  $184,254

  Expenses

  $149,027

  Assets (EOY)

  $82,577

• 2017 · 990-EZ

  Revenue

  $156,796

  Expenses

  $133,979

  Assets (EOY)

  $54,110

• 2016 · 990-EZ

  Revenue

  $72,075

  Expenses

  $55,244

  Assets (EOY)

  $22,627

Nonprofiteer parses Forms 990, 990-EZ and 990-PF, in a window of recent tax years. These returns are recorded from the IRS e-file index, so their figures were extracted by that index rather than read from the return here — treat them as a different source from the filings above, not as more of the same record. A dash means the index carries no figure; Form 990-T listings carry none at all.

Grants made

No itemized grants to organizations. Schedule I is filed only by organizations that granted more than $5,000 to a recipient, so most filers have none.

Grants received

• FORGOOD INC

  $67,437

  2024 · UNRESTRICTED

• FORGOOD INC

  $66,499

  2022 · UNRESTRICTED

• EQUAL JUSTICE WORKS

  $50,000

  2022 · FELLOWSHIP SUPPORT

• EQUAL JUSTICE WORKS

  $49,812

  2024 · FELLOWSHIP SUPPORT

• FORGOOD INC

  $44,848

  2023 · UNRESTRICTED

• NATIONAL PHILANTHROPIC TR

  $43,750

  2024 · HUMAN SERVICES

• NATIONAL PHILANTHROPIC TR

  $37,000

  2023 · RELIGION

• UNITED STATES CATHOLIC CONFERENCE

  $25,000

  2024 · Social Services

• COASTAL COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF SOUTH CAROLINA INC

  $25,000

  2024 · SOCIAL JUSTICE

• FIDELITY INVESTMENTS CHARITABLE GIFT FUND

  $22,500

  2023 · For grant recipient's exempt purposes

The 10 largest by cash amount. The API serves every itemized grant.

Related organizations

From Schedule R Part II, where a filer lists the tax-exempt organizations it is related to by control. It does not record shared board members or money.

Other IRS files