National Immigration Law Center
The National Immigration Law Center (NILC) is a public charity based in Washington, DC, dedicated to advancing and defending the rights and opportunities of low-income immigrants and their loved ones. Established in 1979, it works through litigation, policy advocacy, movement-building, and narrative and culture change.
Key facts about National Immigration Law Center
In short: National Immigration Law Center gave $978K across 31 grants in 2025 (avg $32K), top state California. 26% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 95-4539765
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $977,800
- Grants made (2025)
- 31
- Average grant
- $31,542
- Median grant
- $10,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 26% first-time grantees (8 of 31, 2025)
- Total assets
- $39,161,322
- Primary geography
- California (40% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$39.2M
+19.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$978K
+88.3% YoY
Grant Count
31
+93.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$32K
-2.8% YoY
Is National Immigration Law Center open to new grantees?
26%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 8 of 31 grantees (26%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $28K; repeat grants $33K. How we count
Medians: $15K first-time, $10K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
NILC’s mission is to advance and defend the rights and opportunities of low-income immigrants and their loved ones. Its website describes work to challenge unjust laws, advocate for inclusive policies, strengthen coalitions and movements, and shift public narratives.
NILC’s 2023 filing describes work on immigration law and policy, including challenges to policies affecting immigrants and refugees, DACA, asylum, and immigrant workers. It also describes the Protecting Immigrant Families coalition, which NILC fiscally sponsors, as focused on immigrant families’ access to health care, nutrition programs, public services, and economic supports. Other described initiatives include Health for All, Education for All, and Save DACA.
Grantees’ own mission statements illustrate the range of organizations receiving support. The National Low Income Housing Coalition, which received a 2025 grant, says it works for equitable public policy to ensure the lowest-income people have quality, accessible, affordable homes. The Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County says it uses law to make the social safety net work for everyone in the county. Hunger Free Colorado says it exists to end hunger in Colorado. Other 2025 grantees include the North Carolina Justice Center, which describes its work as reducing poverty and promoting economic security, and WeCount, which says it builds the power of Latin American immigrants in South Florida.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, NILC reported 31 grants totaling $977,800. Grants ranged from $5,400 to $250,000, with a median of $10,000. The largest awards included:
NILC’s 2023 filing says it identifies organizations that support and guide its goals. It describes grant agreements as memoranda of understanding that set out both parties’ responsibilities, including the grantee’s consent to monitoring of grant-funded activities by NILC.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
NILC is based in Washington, DC. Its 2025 grant dollars went to recipients in multiple states; the largest reported shares were California (40%), DC (20%), Colorado (8%), Florida (7%), and North Carolina (5%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 31 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $519K (2024) to $3.3M (2021). In 2025 it made 31 grants totaling $978K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Nilc Immigrant Justice Fund ($250K). Together the top 10 received $742K.
Grant Size Distribution
189 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 149 grants of 189 (79%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Nilc Immigrant Justice Fund Los Angeles, CA | Program Support | $250,000 |
| National Low Income Housing Coalition Washington, DC | Protecting Immigrant Families | $110,000 |
| Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County Redwood City, CA | Protecting Immigrant Families | $90,000 |
| North Carolina Justice Center Raleigh, NC | Protecting Immigrant Families | $50,000 |
| Wecount Inc Florida City, FL | Protecting Immigrant Families | $50,000 |
| Hunger Free Colorado Denver, CO | Protecting Immigrant Families | $50,000 |
| Shriver Center on Poverty Law Chicago, IL | Protecting Immigrant Families | $40,800 |
| CASA Inc Hyattsville, MD | Health for All | $40,000 |
| Center for Law and Social Policy Washington, DC | Protecting Immigrant Families | $30,800 |
| Make the Road States Inc Brooklyn, NY | Health for All | $30,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $39,161,322 | $23,045,627 | $17,005,306 | $977,800 |
| 2024 | $32,699,349 | $17,631,835 | $17,023,582 | $519,260 |
| 2023 | $31,412,839 | $12,123,905 | $18,164,437 | $780,800 |
Grant totals are reported separately from revenue and expenses.
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $39,161,322 | $32,699,349 | $31,412,839 |
| Revenue | $23,045,627 | $17,631,835 | $12,123,905 |
| Expenses | $17,005,306 | $17,023,582 | $18,164,437 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,176,202 | $1,186,652 | $-414,024 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS February 3, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 12, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 9, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 25, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 2, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Ghazal Tajmiri as chair, Pedro Gerson as vice chair, Kevin Cathcart as director/treasurer from January 2025, and Alexandra Suh as secretary. It also lists Angela Banks, Omolara Thomas, Rose Cuison-Villazor, and Jennifer Chacon as directors. Eric Ha and Robert Pauw are listed as directors until January 2025.
National Immigration Law Center is led by Angelica Matos, President & CEO on every filing since 2024; 7 of 20 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Angelica Matos
President & CEO
On filings since 2024
35 hrs/week
$284K (2024) → $319K (2025)
Ghazal Tajmiri
Chair
Member → Director, 2022
Director → Chair, 2025
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kevin M. Cathcart Esq.
Director & Treasurer
Treasurer → Treasurer Til & Then Director, 2024
Treasurer Til & Then Director → Director & Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2019
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robert Pauw
Director
Director → Vice Chair, 2023
Vice Chair → Director, 2025
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Angela M. Banks
Director
Director → Chair, 2023
Chair → Director, 2025
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jennifer Chacon
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Eric Ha
Director
Treasurer → Director, 2025
On filings since 2024
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Murad Awawdeh
Director
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Glenn Formica
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Noel Candelaria
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Omolara Thomas
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rose Cuison- Villazor
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lisa Graybill
Vice President of Law & Policy
Legal Director → Vice President of Law & Policy, 2023
On filings since 2022
35 hrs/week
$193K (2022) → $214K (2025)
Victoria Ballesteros
Executive Vice President of Strat Comms & Narrative
Executive Vice President of Strat. Comms & Narrative → Executive Vice President of Strategic Comms & Narrative, 2024
Executive Vice President of Strategic Comms & Narrative → Executive Vice President of Strat Comms & Narrative, 2025
On filings since 2022
35 hrs/week
$205K (2022) → $246K (2025)
Briannon Gillis
Vice President of Political Strategy
Vice President of Political Strategy & Ijf → Vice President of Political Strategy, 2025
On filings since 2023
35 hrs/week
$181K (2023) → $182K (2025)
Tasha Harris
Executive Vice President of Operations
On filings since 2024
35 hrs/week
$232K (2024) → $257K (2025)
Katherine Kahn
Vice President
New on the 2025 filing
35 hrs/week
$212K (2025)
Kevin Bacot
Vice President Human Resources
New on the 2025 filing
35 hrs/week
$188K (2025)
Alexandra Suh
Secretary
Secretary → Director, 2022
Director → Secretary, 2023
On filings since 2019
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Pedro Gerson
Vice Chair
Director → Vice Chair, 2025
On filings since 2023
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (32)
- Former: Marielena Hincapie (2019–2024) — Former Executive Director
- Former: Omolara T. Uwemedimo MD MPH (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Rose Cuison-Villazor (2022–2024) — Director
- Former: Tracy Dennis (2023–2024) — Vice President of Human Resources Til
- Former: Will Dempster (2024) — Vice President of Communications
- Former: Jennifer Rejeske (2022–2023) — Director of Policy & Advocacy
- Former: Angelica Matos - Evp Progstrat (2023) — Then President
- Former: Sara K. Gould - Dir (2023) — Then Int Executive Director · Filing note: Until
- Former: Bradley S. Phillips (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Julissa Arce (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Robert J. Horsley (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Sara K. Gould (2019–2022) — Chair
- Former: Tony Borrego (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Axel Caballero (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Bokhari Adnan (2021–2022) — Chief Operating Officer
- Former: Corral Jill (2021–2022) — Director of Finance & Administration
- Former: Hincapie Marielena (2021–2022) — Executive Director
- Former: Anderson Wendy (2021) — Interim Director of Organizational Change
- Former: Essaheb Kamal (2021) — Deputy Director & Programs
- Former: Joaquin Linton (2021) — General Counsel
- Former: Sahgal Archana (2021) — Senior Advisor & Strategic Engagement
- Former: Adnan Bokhari (2019–2020) — Chief Operating Officer & Member of the Board
- Former: Belinda Hezler (2019–2020) — Interim Legal Director
- Former: Hiroshi Motomura (2019–2020) — Member of the Board of Director
- Former: Inez Gonzalez (2019–2020) — Treasurer
- Former: Kamal Essaheb (2019–2020) — Deputy Director & Programs
- Former: Linton Joaquin (2019–2020) — General Counsel
- Former: William T. Kam (2019–2020) — Chief Operating Officer
- Former: Jill Corral (2020) — Director of Finance & Administration
- Former: Tanya Broder (2020) — Senior Staff Attorney
- Former: Cindy Mann (2019) — Member of the Board of Director
- Former: Karen Tumlin (2019) — Director of Legal Strategy
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 $319K, to Angelica Matos (President and CEO). 7 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 34573, Washington, DC 20043
Phone: (202) 216-0261
Website: https://nilc.org
Frequently asked questions about National Immigration Law Center
How much does National Immigration Law Center give each year?
National Immigration Law Center gave $978K across 31 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $519K across 16 grants.
What is National Immigration Law Center's typical grant size?
National Immigration Law Center's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $31,542, across 31 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from National Immigration Law Center that year got $28K on average.
Where does National Immigration Law Center give grants?
National Immigration Law Center's top state is California, with 40% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were District of Columbia (20%) and Colorado (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (7 grants), Los Angeles, CA (3 grants), Denver, CO (3 grants) and San Francisco, CA (3 grants).
Does National Immigration Law Center give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 31 grants with a stated purpose on National Immigration Law Center's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Protecting Immigrant Families" (28 grants).
Who are National Immigration Law Center's largest grantees?
National Immigration Law Center's largest 2025 grantees include Nilc Immigrant Justice Fund ($250,000), National Low Income Housing Coalition ($110,000) and Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County ($90,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 46% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is National Immigration Law Center?
National Immigration Law Center reported $39.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $23.0M.
What does National Immigration Law Center fund?
NILC’s mission is to advance and defend the rights and opportunities of low-income immigrants and their loved ones. Its website describes work to challenge unjust laws, advocate for inclusive policies, strengthen coalitions and movements, and shift public narratives. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from National Immigration Law Center?
National Immigration Law Center has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check nilc.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is National Immigration Law Center's EIN?
National Immigration Law Center's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-4539765. 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.
Here's the math on researching National Immigration Law Center by hand.
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