BBB Wise Giving Report for
Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund

BBB Wise Giving Report issued April 2011
BBB Wise Giving Report expires April 2012


Does not meet one or more standards
This charity does not meet one or more of the 20 standards for Charity Accountability. Find out more...


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Charity Contact Information

Name: Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund
Address: 120 Wall Street, Suite 1500
  New York, NY 10005
Phone: 212-809-8585
212-809-8585
Web Address: www.lambdalegal.org
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BBB Wise Giving Alliance Comments

Year, State Incorporated: 1973, New York
Affiliates: None
Stated Purpose: "to achieve full recognition of the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people and those with HIV through impact litigation, education and public policy work."

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Evaluation Conclusions

               

Lambda Legal Defense & Education Fund (LLDEF) does not meet the following Standard for Charity Accountability.

Standard 7: Board Approval of Written Report on Effectiveness - Submit to the organization's governing body, for its approval, a written report that outlines the results of the aforementioned performance and effectiveness assessment and recommendations for future actions.

LLDEF does not meet this Standard because:

  • It did not produce a written report outlining the results of its most recent effectiveness assessment.
Lambda Legal Defense & Education Fund (LLDEF) meets the remaining 19 Standards for Charity Accountability.
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Programs

               

LLDEF's law reform, policy and education work includes federal and state constitutional law issues; discrimination in employment, benefits, housing, insurance, schools and other areas; harassment and violence; anti-gay ballot initiatives; access to healthcare and HIV-related treatments; child custody, visitation and adoption; the freedom to marry and sodomy law reform. “The Lambda Update” is distributed to members as well as groups and individuals across the country. The organization’s website provides a library of legal and educational resources, court rulings and up-to-date reports on the organization’s work.

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2009, LLDEF's program expenses were:

  
Legal 8,431,888
Educational 4,336,539
Total Program Expenses: $12,768,427
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Governance

               

Chief Executive : Kevin M. Cathcart, Executive Director
Compensation*:
 $290,916

Chair of the Board: Paul Smith
Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation: Partner/Attorney, Jenner & Block

Co-Chair of the Board : Beverlee E. Silva

Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation: Attorney, Alston & Bird

Board Size: 29

Paid Staff Size: 85

*November 1, 2007 - October 31, 2008 compensation includes annual salary and, if applicable, benefit plans, expense accounts, and other allowances.
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Fund Raising

               

Method(s) Used:

Direct mail, telemarketing, special events, grant proposals, Internet appeals, planned giving, cause-related marketing, and membership appeals.
Fund raising costs were 11% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $16,257,736, are donations received as a result of fund raising activities.)
LLDEF incurred joint costs of $418,229 for informational materials and activities that included fund raising materials. Of those costs $298,184 was allocated to fund raising expenses and $120,045 was allocated to fund raising expenses.
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Tax Status

               

This organization is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. It is eligible to receive contributions deductible as charitable donations for federal income tax purposes.
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Financial

               

The following information is based on LLDEF's audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2009.

Source of Funds  
Donated services 5,040,852
Contributions and memberships 4,840,986
Special events (net) 2,913,149
Grants from foundations and corporations 1,756,794
Bequests 1,613,494
Attorney fees 352,518
Investment activity 197,950
Revenue under gift annuities 92,461
Other revenue 29,450
Change in value of gift annuities -27,406
Total Income $16,810,248


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Uses of Funds as a % of Total Expenses

Programs: 82%  Fund Raising: 11%  Administrative: 7% 

Total income   $16,810,248
  Program expenses $12,768,427
  Fund raising expenses 1,796,902
  Administrative expenses 1,066,262
 
Total expenses   $15,631,591
Income in Excess of Expenses   1,178,657
Beginning net assets   11,813,643
Ending net assets   12,992,300
Total liabilities   1,538,836
Total assets   $14,531,136

Note 1: For the year ended October 31, 2009, LLDEF had in-kind income in the amount of $5,040,852 which includes legal services ($4,726,940), other donated labor ($200,700), air travel ($75,000), and other ($38,212).


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An organization may change its practices at any time without notice. A copy of this report has been shared with the organization prior to publication. It is not intended to recommend or deprecate, and is furnished solely to assist you in exercising your own judgment. If the report is about a charity and states the charity meets or does not meet the BBB Standards for Charity Accountability, it reflects the results of an evaluation of information and materials provided voluntarily by the charity. The name Better Business Bureau is a registered service mark of the Council of Better Business Bureaus, Inc.

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