NAACP Legal Defense & Educ Fund Inc
THE LEGAL DEFENSE FUND (LDF) IS AMERICA'S PREMIER LEGAL ORGANIZATION FIGHTING FOR RACIAL JUSTICE. USING THE POWER OF LAW, NARRATIVE, RESEARCH, AND PEOPLE, WE DEFEND AND ADVANCE THE FULL DIGNITY AND CITIZENSHIP OF BLACK PEOPLE IN AMERICA.
Key facts about NAACP Legal Defense & Educ Fund Inc
- EIN
- 13-1655255
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $708,000
- Grants made (2024)
- 22
- Average grant
- $32,182
- Median grant
- $32,500
- New grantees (estimate)
- 64% first-time grantees (14 of 22, 2024)
- Total assets
- $426,136,160
- Primary geography
- Georgia (15% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who NAACP Legal Defense & Educ Fund Inc funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for NAACP Legal Defense & Educ Fund Inc's 22 itemized 2024 grants were Georgia (15%), Maryland (13%) and Kentucky (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were Atlanta, GA (3 grants), Baltimore, MD (2 grants), Lexington, KY (2 grants) and Tulsa, OK (2 grants). 18% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
Is NAACP Legal Defense & Educ Fund Inc open to new grantees?
64%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 14 of 22 grantees (64%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $26K; repeat grants $43K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $40K repeat.
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2021–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with NAACP Legal Defense & Educ Fund Inc
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$426.1M
+8.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$708K
-8.9% YoY
Grant Count
22
+37.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$32K
-33.7% YoY
About NAACP Legal Defense & Educ Fund Inc
Based on IRS filings
NAACP Legal Defense & Educ Fund Inc is a nonprofit organization focused on Civil Rights, Social Action & Advocacy, based in New York, NY. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $426.1M in total assets. In 2024, it awarded 22 grants totaling $708K. Net investment income was $18.1M.
Focus Areas
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 22 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $426,136,160 | $393,392,319 | $371,736,467 |
| Revenue | $75,675,969 | $29,467,489 | $83,799,759 |
| Expenses | $58,450,816 | $51,723,153 | $48,705,015 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $18,136,437 | $-25,886,468 | $-3,463,571 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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 2024
Grant Size Distribution
61 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Organizing Black Inc ($65,000), Justice Unity & Social ($60,000), Kentucky Civic Engagement - Black Grant ($60,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ORGANIZING BLACK INC Baltimore, MD | TO FURTHER SUPPORT COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS IN GRASSROOTS ACTIVISM | $65,000 |
| JUSTICE UNITY & SOCIAL Columbus, OH | TO FURTHER SUPPORT COMMUNITY SERVICE EVENTS | $60,000 |
| KENTUCKY CIVIC ENGAGEMENT - BLACK GRANT Lexington, KY | TO FURTHER SUPPORT COMMUNITY ORGANIZING AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT IN KENTUCKY | $60,000 |
| COMMON COUNSEL FOUNDATION San Francisco, CA | TO FURTHER SUPPORT CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM | $50,000 |
| FLORIDA RISING TOGETHER INC Miami, FL | TO FURTHER SUPPORT PUBLIC EDUCATION AND OTHER CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES | $40,000 |
| GEORGIA EDUCATORS FOR EQUITY Atlanta, GA | TO PROVIDE GENERAL SUPPORT | $40,000 |
| SNCC LEGACY Washington, DC | TO FURTHER SUPPORT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT CONFERENCE | $40,000 |
| SOUTHERN CENTER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS Atlanta, GA | TO FURTHER SUPPORT PROTESTER DEFENSE AND GENERAL OPERATIONS | $40,000 |
| TULSA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION Tulsa, OK | TO FURTHER SUPPORT GENERAL OPERATIONS | $40,000 |
| CHARLESTON AREA JUSTICE MINISTRIES North Charleston, SC | TO FURTHER SUPPORT RESTORATIVE PRACTICES IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE AREAS | $40,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| William J Bynum | Board Member | 2 | — |
| James E Castillo | Treasurer | 4 | — |
| Robyn Coles | Board Member | 2 | — |
| Leslie Cornfield | Board Member | 2 | — |
| Gregory H Evans | Board Member | 2 | — |
| Colleen Foster | Board Member | 2 | — |
| Lisa Gilford | Board Member | 2 | — |
| David E Kendall | Board Member | 2 | — |
| Ronald Kirk | Board Member | 2 | — |
| Michael R Klein | Board Member | 2 | — |
| Kim Koopersmith | Co-Chairman of the Board | 8 | — |
| William E Lighten | Board Member | 2 | — |
| Cecilia L Marshall | Board Member | 2 | — |
| Janai Nelson | President and Director-Counsel | 59 | $533,669 |
| Cynthia Patton | Board Member | 2 | — |
| Luis R Penalver | Board Member | 2 | — |
| Steven B Pfeiffer | Secretary | 4 | — |
| Anne K Small | Board Member | 2 | — |
| Jonathan Soros | Board Member | 2 | — |
| John R Stephens | Board Member | 2 | — |
| Angela Vallot | Co-Chairman of the Board | 8 | — |
| Ann Claire Williams | Board Member | 2 | — |
| Ron Wilson | Board Member | 2 | — |
| Kenji Yoshino | Board Member | 2 | — |
| Tony West | Board Member | 2 | — |
| Claude Johnson | Chief Development Officer | 40 | $351,743 |
| Tona Boyd | Assoc. Dir. Counsel | 40 | $342,815 |
| Kevin Thomson | Chief Financial Officer | 39.5 | $270,164 |
| Elisabeth North | Chief Operating Officer | 39.5 | $263,402 |
| Samuel Spital | Director of Litigation | 40 | $281,834 |
| Jin Hee Lee | Dir. of Strategic Int. | 40 | $242,636 |
| Rudolph Gary Spencer | Senior Counsel | 40 | $211,619 |
| Victor Genecin | Of Counsel | 40 | $207,834 |
| Stuart Naifeh | Manager, Redistricting Project | 40 | $198,672 |
| Laura Fino | Exe. Dir. Instit Giving | 40 | $197,255 |
| Raymond Audain | Senior Counsel | 40 | $196,862 |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What is NAACP Legal Defense & Educ Fund Inc?
NAACP Legal Defense & Educ Fund Inc is a nonprofit organization focused on Civil Rights, Social Action & Advocacy, based in New York, NY. It holds $426.1M in total assets as of 2024.
How large is NAACP Legal Defense & Educ Fund Inc?
As of 2024, NAACP Legal Defense & Educ Fund Inc holds $426.1M in total assets with $75.7M in annual revenue. It awarded 22 grants totaling $708K in 2024.
Where does NAACP Legal Defense & Educ Fund Inc operate?
NAACP Legal Defense & Educ Fund Inc has awarded grants in California, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas.
What size grants does NAACP Legal Defense & Educ Fund Inc award?
In 2024, NAACP Legal Defense & Educ Fund Inc awarded 22 grants totaling $708K — an average of about $32K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is NAACP Legal Defense & Educ Fund Inc's EIN?
NAACP Legal Defense & Educ Fund Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-1655255. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.