The Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation (MLAC) is a Boston-based nonprofit organization established in 1983 that serves as the largest funding source for civil legal aid organizations in Massachusetts. Operating with a staff of 26 employees, MLAC provides leadership and support to improve civil legal services for low-income residents throughout the state. The organization functions as a grantmaker, funding eligible nonprofit organizations that provide legal assistance to those in need and working to make civil justice more accessible.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$24.2M
-8.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$72.6M
+3.1% YoY
Grant Count
21
+5.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$3.5M
-1.8% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: The Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation provides leadership and support to improve civil legal services to low-income people in Massachusetts through collaboration with the legal services community, the public, the bar, and the legislature.
Primary Focus Areas:
General Support to Legal Service Programs — MLAC awards funds as general support to eligible nonprofit organizations in Massachusetts that provide legal assistance to low-income clients in civil legal matters.
Massachusetts Legal Assistance Project (MLAP) — A multi-year grant program from the Massachusetts state legislature funding three special projects:
- Medical Legal Partnerships Project (MLP) — Provides people with low incomes access to legal assistance in healthcare settings, addressing health-harming legal needs, promoting health equity, and improving overall health outcomes by partnering healthcare providers with attorneys.
- High-Quality Education for All Project (EDU) — Works to dismantle barriers to fair, equitable, and high-quality education for students from families with low incomes.
- Family Preservation Project (FPP) — Provides legal assistance and related support services to families at early stages of involvement with the Department of Children and Families.
COVID Eviction Legal Help (CELH) Project — Manages and coordinates a statewide legal services project for income-qualified tenants and owner-occupants, providing legal assistance to low-income tenants and owner-occupants of homes up to three families who are at 200% or below the federal poverty level in COVID-related eviction cases.
Grantmaking
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Massachusetts (statewide focus)
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Financial Data (2024):
- Total Assets: $26,360,877
- Total Revenues: $81,070,643
- Total Expenses: $76,200,406
- Number of Employees: 26
IRS Status: 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization | EIN: 04-2790762 | IRS Ruling Year: 1984
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $24,151,266 | $26,360,877 | $18,694,300 |
| Revenue | $82,329,617 | $81,070,643 | $64,912,581 |
| Expenses | $78,336,874 | $76,200,406 | $62,714,452 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $1,137,456 | $1,167,947 | $713,610 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
Grant Size Distribution
119 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Executive Director: Lynne Parker
Grants Manager: Shamika Naidu
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| RICHARD VITALI ESQ | CHAIR | 1 | — |
| CAROL STARKEY ESQ | VICE CHAIR | 1 | — |
| EDWARD MCINTYRE ESQ | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| HON GEOFFREY A WILSON RET | BOARD MEMBER (UNTIL 4/2025) | 1 | — |
| MARY JEANNE STONE ESQ | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| HON RICHARD SIMONS | BOARD MEMBER (AS OF 11/24) | 1 | — |
| APRIL ENGLISH ESQ | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| MALA RAFIK ESQ | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| ALMA WOODBERRY | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| THOMAS BOND ESQ | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| LIVIA ARZUAGA GONZALEZ | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| JOHN CASEY | BOARD MEMBER (UNTIL 10/24) | 1 | — |
| LYNNE PARKER | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 35 | $245,013 |
| AZIM MAZAGONWALLA | CFO (UNTIL 10/2024) | 35 | $177,867 |
| TENZIN BAYUL | BOARD SECRETARY | 1 | $87,712 |
| TOBEY JOHNSON | TECHNOLOGY DIRECTOR | 35 | $158,188 |
| PATRICIA SWANSEY | PROGRAM DIRECTOR | 35 | $150,698 |
| LAURA BOOTH | PROGRAM DIRECTOR | 35 | $140,861 |
| MICHAEL RAABE | PROGRAM DIRECTOR | 35 | $139,902 |
| WENDY VALENTINE | PROGRAM DIRECTOR | 35 | $118,595 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
MLAC responded to Governor Healey's FY27 budget proposals regarding civil legal aid investments
MLAC Thanks Governor Healey for Supporting Critical Civil Legal Aid InvestmentsMLAC thanked Governor Healey and the Massachusetts Legislature for supporting civil legal aid in the FY26 budget
MBF Awards $6.7 Million in Grants to Legal Aid Programs Across Massachusetts\MLAC expressed support for critical civil legal aid investments included in the FY25 conference budget
MLAC Thanks Governor Healey for Supporting Critical Civil Legal Aid InvestmentsMLAC announced $24 million in state appropriation funding for FY20
MLAC Announces $24M in state appropriation funding for FY20Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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