California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation
California Rural Legal Assistance, which identifies itself on its website as California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation (CRLAF), is a public charity based in Sacramento, California. It provides free civil legal services and policy advocacy for California’s rural poor, including farmworkers, low-wage workers, immigrants, and mixed-status families.
California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation at a glance
In short: California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation gave $1.2M across 1 grant in 2025 (avg $1.2M), mostly in California. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,238,905
- -85.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 1
- -95.8% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $1,238,905
- +254.0% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $1,238,905
- Total assets
- $11,963,841
- -19.8% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- California (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
How to apply to California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation
- Contact
Mailing address: 2210 K Street 201, Sacramento, CA 95816
Phone: (916) 446-7904
Website: https://crlaf.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top recipient in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was California Immigration Project ($1.2M).
Grant Size Distribution
67 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 27 grants of 67 (40%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
CRLAF describes its work as statewide in California, with a focus on rural communities. Its 2025 grant dollars went entirely to a recipient in California.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of the 2025 grant dollars on its one itemized grant.
States
Cities
How California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation gives
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+15%). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990 filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $721K (2021) to $8.4M (2024). In 2025 it made 1 grant totaling $1.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| California Immigration Project Sacramento, CA | Ensure continuity of affirmative immigration legal services, removal defense representation and informational and family preparedness services. | $1,238,905 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Amounts in dollars, by filing year.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $11,963,841 | $7,000,575 | $5,971,866 | $1,238,905 | 1 | $393,115 |
| 2024 | $14,921,921 | $15,375,076 | $14,465,533 | $8,398,575 | 24 | $259,804 |
| 2023 | $9,571,491 | $7,705,233 | $7,373,871 | $1,405,375 | 10 | $141,169 |
| 2022 | $11,581,961 | $9,882,317 | $5,478,699 | $1,081,150 | 11 | $13,051 |
| 2021 | $6,494,295 | $4,778,583 | $4,114,070 | $720,690 | 21 | $20,644 |
| 2020 | $5,719,656 | $4,600,630 | $3,493,394 | — | — | $42,700 |
| 2019 | $4,165,751 | $2,507,862 | $2,834,630 | — | — | $47,658 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
CRLAF’s stated mission is to achieve social justice and equity in partnership with farmworkers and underserved rural communities through community, legislative, and legal advocacy. Its stated vision is for farmworkers and their families to be treated with dignity and respect.
The organization describes work in immigration and citizenship, labor and employment, rural housing, education equity, healthcare access, civil rights, agricultural workers’ health, pesticides, worker safety, and environmental justice. It also provides technical assistance, training, and advocacy support to qualified legal service providers and other partners.
The 2025 filing lists a grant to California Immigration Project. The grantee describes its own mission as providing client-centered legal services and advocacy to immigrants facing systemic and economic barriers, and empowering individuals and families to protect their rights, live with dignity, and build communities free from fear and exclusion.
Grantmaking
The 2025 filing reports one grant totaling $1,238,905, all to a California recipient. The filing lists the grant to California Immigration Project in Sacramento for continuity of affirmative immigration legal services, removal defense representation, and informational and family preparedness services. The filing narrative also says CRLAF provided $500,000 in startup funds and subgranted additional funds to support continuity of services for clients of an immigration unit that spun off as an independent organization.
Earlier filings report 24 grants totaling $8,398,575 in 2024 and 10 grants totaling $1,405,375 in 2023. In 2025, the single reported grant was also the smallest, largest, and median grant: $1,238,905.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Virginia Villegas, Esq. as Board Chair; Christina Brigagliano, Esq. as Vice-President; Jose Olivera as Sec/Treas to Board member; and Manuel Magana, Richard Pearl, Esq., Jessica Stender, Esq., Ricardo Torrez, and Maria Zamora as board members. It lists Amagda Perez as Executive Director and Veronica Melendez as Director.
California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation is led by Amagda Perez, Executive Director on every filing since 2019; 6 of 14 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Amagda Perez
Executive Director
On filings since 2019
30 hrs/week
$61K (2019) → $128K (2025)
Virginia Villegas Esq.
Board Chair
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Juanita Ontiveros
Hr Director
On filings since 2023
37.5 hrs/week
$106K (2023) → $118K (2025)
Veronica Melendez
Director
On filings since 2023
37.5 hrs/week
$112K (2023) → $136K (2025)
Noe Paramo
Project Director
On filings since 2024
37.5 hrs/week
$106K (2024) → $115K (2025)
Mark Schacht
Deputy Director
On filings since 2019
37.5 hrs/week
$118K (2019) → $174K (2025)
Daniel Gutierrez
Accountant
New on the 2025 filing
37.5 hrs/week
$118K (2025)
Christina Brigagliano Esq.
Vice President
Board Vice President → Vice President, 2023
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jessica Stender Esq.
Board Member
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Manual Magana
Board Member
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Richard Pearl Esq.
Board Member
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jose Olivera Esq.
Secretary & Treasurer to Board Member
Board Member → Secretary & Treasurer, 2023
Secretary & Treasurer → Secretary & Treasurer to Board Member, 2025
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ricardo Torrez
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Maria Zamora
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (6)
- Former: Ruben Chavez JD (2019–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Peder J V Thoreen Esq. (2019–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Rosa Armendariz (2019–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Meredith A Johnson Esq. (2019–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Rosario Vasquez (2019–2022) — Treasurer
- Former: Joseph Jaramillo Esq. (2019–2020) — Board Member
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $174K, to Mark Schacht (Deputy Director). 6 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation
How much does California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation give each year?
California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation gave $1.2M across 1 grant in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $8.4M across 24 grants.
How large is California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation?
California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation reported $12.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $7.0M.
What does California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation fund?
CRLAF’s stated mission is to achieve social justice and equity in partnership with farmworkers and underserved rural communities through community, legislative, and legal advocacy. Its stated vision is for farmworkers and their families to be treated with dignity and respect. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation?
California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check crlaf.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
Where does California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation make grants?
CRLAF describes its work as statewide in California, with a focus on rural communities. Its 2025 grant dollars went entirely to a recipient in California.
What is California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation's EIN?
California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-2800442. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS March 23, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 11, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS August 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS July 17, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 16, 2026)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS January 21, 2020)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Figures come from California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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