Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County
Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County (LASSMC) is a public charity based in Redwood City, California, providing free civil legal services to low-income residents of San Mateo County. Founded in 1959, it represents clients, helps people advocate for themselves, and pursues policy changes to address gaps in the social safety net.
Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County at a glance
In short: Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County gave $1.2M across 10 grants in 2025 (avg $116K), mostly in California. 10% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,157,333
- Grants made (2025)
- 10
- Average grant
- $115,733
- Median grant
- $104,474
- Total assets
- $7,288,214
- New grantees (estimate)
- 10% first-time grantees (1 of 10, 2025; small sample)
- 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. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County
- How to Apply
-
For post-graduate fellowship sponsorship, submit a cover letter summarizing the proposed project or area of interest, a résumé, and three references. The summer fellowship is for eligible law students and is not a grant program for outside applicants.
- Contact
Mailing address: 330 Twin Dolphin Drive 123, Redwood City, CA 94065
Phone: (650) 558-0915
Website: https://legalaidsmc.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County
Who Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Immigration Institute of the Bay Area ($261K). Together the top 10 received $1.2M.
Grant Size Distribution
58 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $100–250K range: 24 grants of 58 (41%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
LASSMC describes its legal services and fellowship work as serving San Mateo County, California. In its 2025 filing, all reported grant dollars went to California recipients.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 10 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County open to new grantees?
10%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 1 of 10 grantees (10%) were first-time recipients. With only 10 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 10 points. First grants averaged $12K; repeat grants $127K. How we count
Medians: $12K first-time, $125K repeat.
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−9%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $1.0M (2020) to $2.0M (2021). In 2025 it made 10 grants totaling $1.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Immigration Institute of the Bay Area San Francisco, CA | Legal Services | $260,710 |
| Catholic Charities San Mateo, CA | Legal Services | $222,554 |
| Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto East Palo Alto, CA | Legal Services | $172,958 |
| Pangea Legal Services San Francisco, CA | Legal Services | $124,539 |
| University of San Francisco School of Law San Francisco, CA | Legal Services | $124,539 |
| Faith in Action Bay Area San Carlos, CA | Outreach | $84,409 |
| Immigrant Legal Resource Center San Francisco, CA | Technical Assistance | $74,861 |
| Nuestra Casa de East Palo Alto East Palo Alto, CA | Outreach | $62,455 |
| Coastside Hope El Granada, CA | Outreach | $18,580 |
| El Concilio of San Mateo County Redwood City, CA | Outreach | $11,728 |
Ready to take the next step with Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $7,288,214 | $4,962,379 | $5,756,288 | $1,157,333 | 10 | $52,503 |
| 2023 | $5,853,401 | $4,792,599 | $5,266,249 | $1,096,092 | 10 | $-9,045 |
| 2022 | $6,276,421 | $6,068,758 | $5,147,205 | $1,276,266 | 13 | $484,899 |
| 2021 | $6,121,976 | $5,806,813 | $5,875,776 | $1,964,807 | 11 | $246,144 |
| 2020 | $4,880,492 | $5,289,669 | $4,514,969 | $1,022,456 | 14 | $184,580 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
LASSMC states that it fights social injustice through civil legal advocacy for people living in poverty. Its work includes educating people about their rights, representing them when they encounter bureaucratic barriers, and advocating to fix broken systems.
The organization’s stated program areas include health, housing, public benefits, domestic violence, immigration, and education. Its 2022 filing describes the LIBRE Project as connecting immigrant communities with safety-net resources and providing immigration or benefits-related legal help; HomeSavers as helping people facing loss of housing or substandard conditions; and the Health Consumer Center as helping low-income residents navigate healthcare and access coverage.
Among the organizations receiving 2025 grants, the Immigration Institute of the Bay Area says it helps immigrants, refugees, and their families join and contribute to the community. Pangea Legal Services describes its work as deportation defense, policy advocacy, and legal education and empowerment for immigrant communities. Faith in Action Bay Area says it develops community leadership to confront power and change unjust systems. These are grantees’ stated missions, not LASSMC’s.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, LASSMC reported 10 grants totaling $1,157,333. Grant amounts ranged from $11,728 to $260,710, with a median of $104,474. All reported grant dollars went to recipients in California.
The largest grants included $260,710 to the Immigration Institute of the Bay Area, $222,554 to Catholic Charities, and $172,958 to Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto, each for legal services. Other grants included $124,539 to Pangea Legal Services and $124,539 to the University of San Francisco School of Law, both for legal services; $84,409 to Faith in Action Bay Area and $62,455 to Nuestra Casa de East Palo Alto for outreach; $74,861 to the Immigrant Legal Resource Center for technical assistance; and $18,580 to Coastside Hope and $11,728 to El Concilio of San Mateo County for outreach.
LASSMC also invites law students and recent graduates to propose sponsorship for two-year public-interest fellowship projects through programs such as Skadden, Equal Justice Works, or law-school-sponsored fellowships. Projects should address one of its program areas and are expected to include direct services, community outreach and education, and, when applicable, policy or systems change. Applicants submit a cover letter describing the proposed project or area of interest, a résumé, and three references.
The Carl L. McConnell Summer Fellowship is a paid summer position for a first- or second-year law student, funded by Carl McConnell’s friends and local pro bono attorneys. Applications for the 2026 position closed; the organization said to check back in early 2027 for the next posting.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
LASSMC’s website identifies M. Stacey Hawver as executive director. Its 2025 filing lists Greg Regan, CPA, as treasurer, along with directors and officers including Paul Resnick, Assad Rajani, Sarah Slayen, William Freeman, Jessica Arner, Joyce Chow, Christin Hinojosa-Kirschenbaum, Alice Hsieh, and David Hurt.
Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County is led by M Stacey Hawver, Executive Director on every filing since 2020; 6 of 22 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
M Stacey Hawver
Executive Director
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$121K (2020) → $187K (2025)
Assad Rajani
Vice President & President
Secretary → Secretary & Vice President, 2023
Secretary & Vice President → Vice President & President, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Paul Resnick
President & Member
Member → Member & President, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Stephanie E Bilinski
Director of Probono
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$106K (2022) → $123K (2025)
David Carducci
Directing Attorney
Director of Litigation → Directing Attorney, 2022
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$107K (2021) → $124K (2025)
Jennifer Horne
Directing Attorney
Senior Attorney → Directing Attorney, 2022
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$105K (2021) → $130K (2025)
Jonathan Garcia
Supervising Attorney
Senior Attorney → Supervising Attorney, 2023
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$106K (2021) → $122K (2025)
Allison J Marseille
Deputy Director
Director of Operations → Deputy Director, 2025
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$104K (2022) → $124K (2025)
Adam J Zapala
Member
President → President & Member, 2023
President & Member → Member, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Alison R Watkins
Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Greg Regan CPA
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Janice S Tam
Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jessica Arner
Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Laurence A Weiss
Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Leticia G Toledo
Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sarah Slayen
Secretary & Vice President
Member → Member & Secretary, 2023
Member & Secretary → Secretary & Vice President, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Joyce Chow
Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
William Freeman
Member & Secretary
Member → Member & Secretary, 2025
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Alice Hsieh
Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Christin Hinojosa-Kirschenbaum
Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David Hurt
Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Joel Silver
Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (11)
- Former: Aaron M Armstrong (2020–2023) — Member
- Former: David C Wilson (2020–2023) — Member
- Former: Rand N White (2020–2023) — Member
- Former: Robert L Uriarte (2020–2023) — Vice President & Member
- Former: Gwen Barrett (2023) — Director of Development & Communications
- Former: Ann M Thai (2020–2022) — Member
- Former: Ara R Jabagchourian (2020–2022) — Member
- Former: Laura I Bushnell (2020–2022) — Member
- Former: Lynne Esselstein (2020–2022) — Member
- Former: Vera Elson (2020–2021) — Member
- Former: Stacey Keare (2020) — Member
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 $187K, to M Stacey Hawver (Executive Director). 6 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County
How much does Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County give each year?
Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County gave $1.2M across 10 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990.
What is Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County's typical grant size?
Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County's median grant in 2025 was $104,474, and its average grant was $115,733, across 10 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County that year got $12K on average.
Where does Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County give grants?
Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County gives mostly in California: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were San Francisco, CA (4 grants) and East Palo Alto, CA (2 grants).
Does Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 10 grants with a stated purpose on Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Legal Services" (5 grants) and "Outreach" (4 grants).
Who are Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County's largest grantees?
Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County's largest 2025 grantees include Immigration Institute of the Bay Area ($260,710), Catholic Charities ($222,554) and Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto ($172,958), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 57% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County?
Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County reported $7.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $5.0M.
What does Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County fund?
LASSMC states that it fights social injustice through civil legal advocacy for people living in poverty. Its work includes educating people about their rights, representing them when they encounter bureaucratic barriers, and advocating to fix broken systems. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County?
For post-graduate fellowship sponsorship, submit a cover letter summarizing the proposed project or area of interest, a résumé, and three references. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County's EIN?
Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-1451894. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS February 12, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS February 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS February 14, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS February 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS February 12, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 4, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/legal-aid-society-of-san-mateo-county-morg_16712b6d504a4620b2acd937293d3d1c
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_941451894_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/legal-aid-society-of-san-mateo-county-morg_16712b6d504a4620b2acd937293d3d1c},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-04. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County'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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