New Mexico Legal Aid Inc

What it reported doing in 2024

Advocates at New Mexico legal aid provide comprehensive services for victims of violence, helping them obtain protection, custody, and child support. These women (almost all victims of dv are women) and their children, benefit immensely from the services they receive. Protection helps stabilize lives and allows the healing process to begin. We also offer these services to lgbtq individuals, a group that had traditionally lived under the threat of abuse and discrimination throughout their lives, and who need the protections that lawyers can help them obtain through the legal system. Without a lawyer, the court system can be very difficult and daunting. Sexual assault victims with mental health/privacy issues, and students who are victims of assault and bullying by fellow classmates receive assistance and protections with the assistance of New Mexico legal aid that have long eluded them. Advocacy for low income taxpayers through the nmla's low income tax clinic has increased access to child tax credits, earned income tax credits and other tax credits, and overcome tax audits that resulted in recovery of substantial refunds for families. The native american program continued to provide services to the indian communities and clients by working with frontline community sources. New Mexico legal aid handled 6,156 cases in 2024, helping over 14,800 people, including over 5,900 children.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 84.5%; rating input score 85
• Program expense ratio: 83.5%; rating input score 84
• Fundraising efficiency: $66.28 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 80; 80th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 1 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 17
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Missing
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• 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; 66th 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: -1.2%; rating input score 26; 26th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.54; rating input score 17; 17th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.66; rating input score 19; 19th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 7.2%; rating input score 34; 34th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 7.9% per year; rating input score 100; 61st percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 8.3% per year; rating input score 100; 67th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 21.4% per year; rating input score 100; 91st percentile among comparable filings