The Fund for Legal Aid

Overview

Mission

The fund for legal aid was incorporated as a non-profit corporation whose primary purpose is to raise funds for mid-minnesota legal assistance. Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid and Central Minnesota Legal Services are two separate nonprofit law offices. Both provide free legal help to low-income people throughout Central Minnesota and coordinate to meet the needs of eligible clients. Each have different funding sources which allow them to represent different people. However, prospective clients do not need to worry about which office to call. If you call Legal Aid’s intake number and qualify for services, our intake specialists will route you to the appropriate organization. Go to Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid homepage Online Intake: Submit Form Phone Intake:.

What it reported doing in 2025

Grant awarded to mid-Minnesota legal assistance, which provides legal aid to low income individuals.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 75% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 100% of its reported program spending out as grants.

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
411413955
IRS 990 coverage
2010–2025
Official website data refreshed
Sep 2026
Forms available
Form 990 2025
Headquarters
Minneapolis, MN, USA
Phone
6123345970
Rating
90
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Legal Services

Official website

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Expenses are high relative to revenue and total assets are small relative to annual expenses; liquid coverage is unknown.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 92
  • Transparency & Controls: 94
  • Accountability: 95
  • Sustainability: 31
  • Growth: 80

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 92.7%; rating input score 93
  • Program expense ratio: 97%; rating input score 97
  • Fundraising efficiency: $51.82 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 75; 75th 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: 100%; rating input score 100; 78th percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 65th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 7 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 88
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 4.5%; rating input score 43; 43rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.72; rating input score 35; 35th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.81; rating input score 7; 7th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: Limited

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 3.6% per year; rating input score 100; 29th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 3.2% per year; rating input score 100; 25th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: -1.6% per year; rating input score 0; 11th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • What they do: 2 programs and campaigns described on the official site
  • Where the money goes: 92.7% of revenue deployed · 97% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 54 of 54 board members independent · 7 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $1.9M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $55K · 67 people listed
  • Consistency: 20 of 20 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 7 filed schedules · includes major donors and grants
  • Filing history: 15 annual filings from 2010 to 2025
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 1 filed money-flow record
  • Related organizations: 2 filed related-organization links
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Leadership & pay

67 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • HEATHER CHRISTOPHERSON (FUND DIRECTO): $55,015 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: FY2025.