Central American Legal Assistance
Central American Legal Assistance shows consistent revenue growth and strong financial health with no reported officer compensation.
EIN: 112859151 · Brooklyn, NY · NTEE: P84Z · Updated: 2026-03-28
Is Central American Legal Assistance Legit?
Some Concerns
Assessment based on IRS 990 filings, spending patterns, and AI analysis. Not a guarantee of legitimacy. Full charity check →
Central American Legal Assistance directs 85% of its spending to programs. This exceeds the industry benchmark of 65%, indicating strong mission focus.
About Central American Legal Assistance
Central American Legal Assistance (EIN: 112859151) is a nonprofit organization based in Brooklyn, NY, classified under NTEE code P84Z. The organization reported total revenue of $2.0M and total assets of $2.3M according to its most recent IRS 990 filing. This transparency report provides an AI-powered analysis of Central American Legal Assistance's financial health, spending patterns, executive compensation, and overall mission effectiveness based on publicly available IRS data.
AI Transparency Report
Mission Effectiveness Score
NonprofitSpending's AI analysis rates Central American Legal Assistance with a Mission Score of 92 out of 100 (Excellent). This score reflects the organization's overall financial transparency, program spending efficiency, and governance indicators derived from IRS 990 public filings.
Spending Breakdown
- admin: 10%
- programs: 85%
- fundraising: 5%
According to IRS 990 filings, Central American Legal Assistance allocates its expenses as follows: admin: 10%, programs: 85%, fundraising: 5%. With 85% directed toward programs, this reflects a strong commitment to its charitable mission.
Executive Compensation Analysis
Central American Legal Assistance consistently reports 0% officer compensation across all 13 filings, indicating that no salaries are paid to officers, which is highly unusual for an organization of its size (latest revenue $1,764,235) and suggests a volunteer-led or extremely lean leadership structure.
Executive compensation data is sourced from IRS 990 filings, which require nonprofits to disclose the compensation of officers, directors, trustees, and key employees. NonprofitSpending analyzes this data relative to the organization's total revenue and sector benchmarks to assess whether executive pay is reasonable.
Red Flags
The following concerns were identified during AI analysis of Central American Legal Assistance's IRS 990 filings:
- Unusually low liabilities could indicate aggressive cash management or reliance on short-term funding, though in this case, it seems to reflect strong financial health.
- 0% officer compensation is highly unusual for an organization of this size and could warrant further investigation into how leadership is compensated or structured to ensure sustainability.
Strengths
The following positive indicators were identified for Central American Legal Assistance:
- Consistent revenue growth over a decade, from $622,282 in 2014 to $1,764,235 in 2023.
- Strong asset accumulation, with assets growing from $468,582 in 2014 to $1,929,983 in 2023.
- Extremely low liabilities across all reported periods, indicating sound financial management.
- Consistent reporting of 0% officer compensation, suggesting a high dedication of funds to programmatic activities.
- Positive net income (revenue exceeding expenses) in most years, demonstrating operational efficiency and sustainability.
Frequently Asked Questions about Central American Legal Assistance
Is Central American Legal Assistance a legitimate charity?
Based on AI analysis of IRS 990 filings, Central American Legal Assistance (EIN: 112859151) some concerns. Mission Score: 92/100. 2 red flags identified, 5 strengths noted.
How does Central American Legal Assistance spend its money?
Central American Legal Assistance directs 85% of its spending to programs and services. The remaining budget covers administration and fundraising costs.
Are donations to Central American Legal Assistance tax-deductible?
Central American Legal Assistance is registered as a tax-exempt nonprofit (EIN: 112859151). Donations to most 501(c)(3) organizations are tax-deductible. Consult a tax professional for your specific situation.
Is Central American Legal Assistance a good charity?
Based on the IRS 990 data, Central American Legal Assistance appears to be a very good charity. It demonstrates strong financial health, consistent revenue growth, low liabilities, and notably, reports 0% officer compensation across all filings, indicating a high dedication of resources to its mission.
How has CALA's revenue grown over time?
CALA's revenue has shown significant and consistent growth, increasing from $622,282 in 2014 to $1,764,235 in 2023, representing an increase of approximately 183% over the decade.
What is the organization's financial stability?
The organization exhibits strong financial stability, consistently maintaining positive net assets (assets exceeding liabilities) and growing its asset base from $468,582 in 2014 to $1,929,983 in 2023, while keeping liabilities very low (e.g., $22,913 in 2023).
Filing History
IRS 990 filing history for Central American Legal Assistance showing financial trends over 13 years of public records:
Over 13 years of IRS 990 filings (2011–2023), Central American Legal Assistance's revenue has grown by 374.5%, moving from $372K to $1.8M. Total assets increased by 553.6% over the same period, from $295K to $1.9M. Total functional expenses rose by 348.3%, from $354K to $1.6M. In its most recent filing year (2023), Central American Legal Assistance reported a surplus of $177K, with revenue exceeding expenses. The organization holds $23K in liabilities against $1.9M in assets (debt-to-asset ratio: 1.2%), resulting in net assets of $1.9M.
| Year | Revenue | Expenses | Assets | Liabilities | Officer Comp. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $1.8M | $1.6M | $1.9M | $23K | — | — |
| 2022 | $1.2M | $1.2M | $1.6M | $4K | — | — |
| 2021 | $1.2M | $1.1M | $1.8M | $4K | — | View 990 |
| 2020 | $1.1M | $1.0M | $1.8M | $188K | — | View 990 |
| 2019 | $1.2M | $983K | $1.5M | $3K | — | View 990 |
| 2018 | $1.1M | $850K | $1.2M | $3K | — | View 990 |
| 2017 | $980K | $850K | $953K | $1K | — | View 990 |
| 2016 | $883K | $787K | $783K | $2K | — | View 990 |
| 2015 | $913K | $669K | $694K | $2K | — | View 990 |
| 2014 | $622K | $542K | $469K | $2K | — | View 990 |
| 2013 | $471K | $456K | $389K | $1K | — | View 990 |
| 2012 | $462K | $384K | $375K | $2K | — | View 990 |
| 2011 | $372K | $354K | $295K | $3K | — | View 990 |
Year-by-Year Financial Summary
- 2023: Revenue of $1.8M, expenses of $1.6M, and assets of $1.9M (revenue +43.9% year-over-year).
- 2022: Revenue of $1.2M, expenses of $1.2M, and assets of $1.6M (revenue -0.6% year-over-year).
- 2021: Revenue of $1.2M, expenses of $1.1M, and assets of $1.8M (revenue +10.9% year-over-year).
- 2020: Revenue of $1.1M, expenses of $1.0M, and assets of $1.8M (revenue -9.6% year-over-year).
- 2019: Revenue of $1.2M, expenses of $983K, and assets of $1.5M (revenue +13.9% year-over-year).
- 2018: Revenue of $1.1M, expenses of $850K, and assets of $1.2M (revenue +10.2% year-over-year).
- 2017: Revenue of $980K, expenses of $850K, and assets of $953K (revenue +11.0% year-over-year).
- 2016: Revenue of $883K, expenses of $787K, and assets of $783K (revenue -3.3% year-over-year).
- 2015: Revenue of $913K, expenses of $669K, and assets of $694K (revenue +46.7% year-over-year).
- 2014: Revenue of $622K, expenses of $542K, and assets of $469K (revenue +32.2% year-over-year).
- 2013: Revenue of $471K, expenses of $456K, and assets of $389K (revenue +1.8% year-over-year).
- 2012: Revenue of $462K, expenses of $384K, and assets of $375K (revenue +24.3% year-over-year).
- 2011: Revenue of $372K, expenses of $354K, and assets of $295K.
Data Sources and Methodology
This transparency report for Central American Legal Assistance is generated by NonprofitSpending's AI analysis engine. The data is sourced from publicly available IRS 990 filings accessed through the ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer API and IRS electronic filing records. The Mission Score, spending breakdown, and other analytical insights are produced by artificial intelligence and should be used as one of multiple factors when evaluating a nonprofit organization.
IRS 990 forms are annual information returns that most tax-exempt organizations must file with the IRS. These forms provide detailed financial information including revenue, expenses, assets, liabilities, and compensation of officers. NonprofitSpending processes this data to provide accessible transparency reports for donors, researchers, and the general public.
Disclaimer
AI-generated analysis based on IRS public records. Not financial or legal advice. Verify information directly with the organization.