First Defense Legal Aid

First Defense Legal Aid shows strong program focus with no reported officer compensation and significant revenue growth.

EIN: 10729555 · Chicago, IL · NTEE: I80 · Updated: 2026-03-28

$853KRevenue

$328KAssets

92/100Mission Score (Excellent)

I80

About First Defense Legal Aid

First Defense Legal Aid (EIN: 10729555) is a nonprofit organization based in Chicago, IL, classified under NTEE code I80. The organization reported total revenue of $853K and total assets of $328K according to its most recent IRS 990 filing. This transparency report provides an AI-powered analysis of First Defense Legal Aid's financial health, spending patterns, executive compensation, and overall mission effectiveness based on publicly available IRS data.

AI Transparency Report

First Defense Legal Aid demonstrates a consistent commitment to its mission of providing legal aid, as evidenced by its program spending. Over the past several years, the organization has shown significant growth in revenue, from $166,275 in 2011 to $853,378 most recently, indicating increasing support for its services. The organization's assets have also grown substantially, from $45,933 in 2011 to $328,291 currently, suggesting improved financial stability.

Spending efficiency appears to be a strong point, with a high percentage of expenses typically directed towards program services. For instance, in the 202006 period, expenses were $637,267 against revenues of $631,126, with no officer compensation reported, which often indicates a lean operational structure. The consistent reporting of 0% officer compensation across all available filings suggests a strong focus on directing funds to direct services rather than executive salaries.

Transparency is high given the consistent filing of IRS Form 990s and the clear reporting of financial metrics. The absence of reported officer compensation across all filings is a notable aspect of their financial transparency, indicating that executive leadership may be volunteer-based or compensated through other means not categorized as officer compensation on the 990, or that the organization operates with a very flat compensation structure. This practice, while potentially beneficial for program spending, warrants further inquiry to fully understand the compensation model.

Mission Effectiveness Score

NonprofitSpending's AI analysis rates First Defense Legal Aid 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: 7%
programs: 90%
fundraising: 3%

According to IRS 990 filings, First Defense Legal Aid allocates its expenses as follows: admin: 7%, programs: 90%, fundraising: 3%. With 90% directed toward programs, this reflects a strong commitment to its charitable mission.

Executive Compensation Analysis

Executive compensation is consistently reported as 0% across all available IRS 990 filings, which is highly unusual for an organization of its size with recent revenues of $853,378. This suggests either a volunteer-led executive team or compensation structures that are not categorized as officer compensation on the 990.

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 First Defense Legal Aid's IRS 990 filings:

Consistent 0% officer compensation may obscure actual leadership compensation if it's categorized differently, warranting further investigation.

Strengths

The following positive indicators were identified for First Defense Legal Aid:

Strong program spending ratio, indicated by 0% officer compensation across all filings.
Significant and consistent revenue growth over the past decade, from $166,275 in 2011 to $853,378 currently.
Healthy asset growth, from $45,933 in 2011 to $328,291 currently, indicating improved financial stability.
Consistent filing of IRS Form 990s demonstrates good transparency.
Low liabilities relative to assets, suggesting sound financial management.

Frequently Asked Questions about First Defense Legal Aid

How does First Defense Legal Aid manage executive leadership without reporting officer compensation?

The consistent 0% officer compensation across all filings suggests that executive leadership may be volunteer-based, compensated through a different category not reported as 'officer compensation' on the 990, or that the organization operates with a very lean, non-salaried executive structure. Further investigation into their operational model would be needed to understand this fully.

What is the primary source of First Defense Legal Aid's significant revenue growth?

While the filings show substantial revenue growth from $166,275 in 2011 to $853,378 most recently, the specific sources (e.g., grants, individual donations, government contracts) are not detailed in the provided summary. A deeper dive into the full 990 forms would be necessary to identify these sources.

Are the liabilities of First Defense Legal Aid manageable given its assets?

In the 202006 period, liabilities were $12,642 against assets of $72,872, and currently, assets are $328,291. This indicates a healthy asset-to-liability ratio, suggesting that the organization's liabilities are well within its capacity to manage.

Filing History

IRS 990 filing history for First Defense Legal Aid showing financial trends over 9 years of public records:

Over 9 years of IRS 990 filings (2011–2020), First Defense Legal Aid's revenue has grown by 279.6%, moving from $166K to $631K. Total assets increased by 58.6% over the same period, from $46K to $73K. Total functional expenses rose by 275.8%, from $170K to $637K. In its most recent filing year (2020), First Defense Legal Aid reported a deficit of $6K, with expenses exceeding revenue. The organization holds $13K in liabilities against $73K in assets (debt-to-asset ratio: 17.3%), resulting in net assets of $60K.

Year	Revenue	Expenses	Assets	Liabilities	Officer Comp.	PDF
2020	$631K	$637K	$73K	$13K	—	—
2019	$717K	$720K	$70K	$3K	—	—
2017	$407K	$395K	$86K	$25K	—	View 990
2016	$206K	$267K	$48K	$0	—	View 990
2015	$218K	$218K	$141K	$20K	—	View 990
2014	$200K	$177K	$106K	$0	—	—
2013	$172K	$128K	$83K	$0	—	View 990
2012	$148K	$155K	$39K	$0	—	View 990
2011	$166K	$170K	$46K	$0	—	View 990

Year-by-Year Financial Summary

2020: Revenue of $631K, expenses of $637K, and assets of $73K (revenue -12.0% year-over-year).
2019: Revenue of $717K, expenses of $720K, and assets of $70K (revenue +76.4% year-over-year).
2017: Revenue of $407K, expenses of $395K, and assets of $86K (revenue +97.3% year-over-year).
2016: Revenue of $206K, expenses of $267K, and assets of $48K (revenue -5.7% year-over-year).
2015: Revenue of $218K, expenses of $218K, and assets of $141K (revenue +9.0% year-over-year).
2014: Revenue of $200K, expenses of $177K, and assets of $106K (revenue +16.8% year-over-year).
2013: Revenue of $172K, expenses of $128K, and assets of $83K (revenue +16.1% year-over-year).
2012: Revenue of $148K, expenses of $155K, and assets of $39K (revenue -11.0% year-over-year).
2011: Revenue of $166K, expenses of $170K, and assets of $46K.

Data Sources and Methodology

This transparency report for First Defense Legal Aid 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.