Neighborhood Legal Services Inc
NEIGHBORHOOD LEGAL SERVICES, INC. (NLS) SEEKS EQUITABLE JUSTICE BY PROVIDING ACCESS TO LEGAL ADVICE, REPRESENTATION, AND EDUCATION TO THOSE IN OUR COMMUNITIES WHO, DUE TO FINANCIAL VULNERABILITY, DISABILITY, DISCRIMINATION, OR ABUSE, REQUIRE ASSISTANCE AND PROTECTION OF THEIR CIVIL LEGAL RIGHTS.
Key facts about Neighborhood Legal Services Inc
- EIN
- 51-0198935
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $3,408,858
- Grants made (2024)
- 14
- Average grant
- $243,490
- Median grant
- $64,444
- New grantees (estimate)
- 8% first-time grantees (1 of 12, 2024)
- Total assets
- $8,333,371
- Primary geography
- New York (99% 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 Neighborhood Legal Services Inc funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Neighborhood Legal Services Inc's 14 itemized 2024 grants were New York (99%). The most frequent recipient cities were Buffalo, NY (12 grants). None of its 14 grants with a stated purpose were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Eviction Prevention Program" (6 grants).
Is Neighborhood Legal Services Inc open to new grantees?
8%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 1 of 12 grantees (8%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $573K; repeat grants $258K. How we count
Medians: $573K first-time, $87K repeat.
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). 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 Neighborhood Legal Services Inc
- How to evaluate Neighborhood Legal Services Inc as a funder
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$8.3M
+20.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$3.4M
+37.8% YoY
Grant Count
14
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$243K
+37.8% YoY
About Neighborhood Legal Services Inc
Based on IRS filings
Neighborhood Legal Services Inc is a nonprofit organization, based in Buffalo, NY. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $8.3M in total assets. In 2024, it awarded 14 grants totaling $3.4M. Net investment income was $15K.
Ready to take the next step with Neighborhood Legal Services Inc?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 14 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $8,333,371 | $6,889,955 | $6,308,199 |
| Revenue | $16,563,985 | $13,145,334 | $9,297,172 |
| Expenses | $15,626,861 | $12,874,264 | $9,260,808 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $15,298 | $12,496 | $195 |
| 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
51 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Erie County Bar Association Volunteer Lawyers Project ($671,636 across 2 grants), Legal Aid Bureau of Buffalo Inc ($625,816), Center for Elder Law and Justice Inc ($625,471).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ERIE COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION VOLUNTEER LAWYERS PROJECT Buffalo, NY | PRIVATE ATTORNEY INVOLVEMENT | $629,636 |
| LEGAL AID BUREAU OF BUFFALO INC Buffalo, NY | EVICTION PREVENTION PROGRAM | $625,816 |
| CENTER FOR ELDER LAW AND JUSTICE INC Buffalo, NY | EVICTION PREVENTION PROGRAM | $625,471 |
| WNY LAW CENTER Buffalo, NY | EVICTION PREVENTION PROGRAM | $598,114 |
| BELMONT HOUSING RESOURCES WNY Buffalo, NY | EVICTION PREVENTION PROGRAM | $573,000 |
| THE RESEARCH FOUNDATION FOR STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK Albany, NY | EVICTION PREVENTION PROGRAM | $130,117 |
| VIA VISUALLY IMPAIRED ADVANCEMENT Buffalo, NY | PROVISION OF 24/7 PHONE SERVICE AND REFERRALS FOR VICTIMS OF CRIME | $86,887 |
| ERIE COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION VOLUNTEER LAWYERS PROJECT Buffalo, NY | PRIVATE ATTORNEY INVOLVEMENT | $42,000 |
| CIVIL JUSTICE INC Baltimore, MD | EVICTION PREVENTION PROGRAM | $32,500 |
| WNY LAW CENTER Buffalo, NY | THE LEGAL ASSISTANCE FOR VICTIMS PROGRAM | $19,865 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michelle Schwach | President | 2 | — |
| Kerisha Hawthrone-Green | Vice President | 2 | — |
| Sam Smith | Treasurer | 2 | — |
| Jonathan Lacey | Secretary | 2 | — |
| Patrick Long | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Robin Edwards | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Shane Greene | Board Member | 1 | — |
| David Nelson | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Diana Bloom | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Grace Pietrocarlo | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Richard J Schechter | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Margaret Sroka | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Pamela Thibodeau | Board Member | 1 | — |
| October Reed | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Lauren E Breen | Executive Director | 40 | $254,255 |
| Melissa Mendolera | Director of Finance | 40 | $159,310 |
| Vera Venkova | Deputy Director | 40 | $137,236 |
| Keisha Williams | Deputy Director | 40 | $165,862 |
| Nancy Tucker | Director of Human Resource | 40 | $128,557 |
| John M Zonitch | Managing Attorney | 40 | $128,358 |
| Mary Hanson | Assistant Supervising Attorney | 40 | $115,153 |
| Cassandra Conniff | Controller | 40 | $123,144 |
| Matthew Finamore | Managing Attorney - Lockport | 40 | $116,696 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How large is Neighborhood Legal Services Inc?
As of 2024, Neighborhood Legal Services Inc holds $8.3M in total assets with $16.6M in annual revenue. It awarded 14 grants totaling $3.4M in 2024.
Where does Neighborhood Legal Services Inc operate?
Neighborhood Legal Services Inc has awarded grants in Maryland, New York.
What size grants does Neighborhood Legal Services Inc award?
In 2024, Neighborhood Legal Services Inc awarded 14 grants totaling $3.4M — an average of about $243K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Neighborhood Legal Services Inc's EIN?
Neighborhood Legal Services Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 51-0198935. 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.