603 Legal Aid

What it reported doing in 2025

603 legal aid (603la) serves as New Hampshire's (nh) entry point for civil legal services, providing critical legal assistance to low-income residents across the state. Funding comes from a combination of federal, state, foundation, cy pres, and individual sources. 603la serves diverse populations including survivors of domestic violence, tenants facing eviction, individuals navigating family law matters, low-income taxpayers in disputes with the IRS, people seeking consumer debt relief, individuals needing name changes or criminal record annulments, and veterans with civil and va-specific legal needs. Key funders include the legal services corporation (lsc), the u.s. Department of veterans affairs (va), and the IRS low-income taxpayer clinic (litc) program. (cont'd sch. O)additionally, the nh department of justice funds services for domestic violence victims through victims of crime act (voca) and violence against women act (vawa) awards. This includes 603la's renowned domestic violence emergency (dove) pro bono project which for 30 years has connected survivors to attorney volunteers for legal representation at final domestic violence and stalking protective order hearings. Additional support comes from the nh bar foundation (iolta and justice grants), nh charitable foundation, granite united way, swim with a mission, and the nh women's foundation. Individual giving is coordinated through the campaign for legal services, in partnership with New Hampshire legal assistance (nhla).lsc funding supports 603la's centralized intake system, which screens roughly 20,000 civil legal aid requests statewide each year. Eligible clients are connected to legal assistance through in-house staff, pro bono volunteers, or partner program referrals; those who do not qualify receive referrals to appropriate alternative resources. Lsc funding also enables 603la to provide direct legal services to hundreds of tenants facing eviction and families experiencing destabilizing family law challenges. Additionally, a lsc technology initiative grant, along with interest on lawyers trust account (iolta) supplemental funding, supports a comprehensive website redevelopment project designed to improve public accessibility and expand free legal self-help resources.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 76%; rating input score 76
• Program expense ratio: 88%; rating input score 88
• Fundraising efficiency: $103.54 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 88; 88th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: Limited
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: Limited
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 9 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 100
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 13.9%; rating input score 63; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.85; rating input score 29; 29th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.27; rating input score 29; 29th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 8.4%; rating input score 39; 39th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 7.4% per year; rating input score 100; 49th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 6.7% per year; rating input score 100; 50th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 9.3% per year; rating input score 100; 55th percentile among comparable filings