Bay Area Legal Aid

Bay Area Legal Aid (also known as BayLegal) is a nonprofit organization that offers free legal services to low-income individuals. In 2023, Bay Area Legal Aid received 93 percent of its funding from government grants. 1

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At-A-Glance

Type: Non-profit, 501(c)(3)
Issue Areas: Identity Politics (for race-based policy/activism), Economic Policy
Executive Director:

Genevieve Richardson

Location: Oakland, CA View on map
Tax ID: 94-1631316
Most Recent Filing: 2024
Budget (2024): Assets: $24,127,281 Revenue: $31,426,545 Expenses: $30,238,844

Contents

    Background

    Bay Area Legal Aid has regional offices in Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties in California. 2

    The group works with low-income clients to prevent evictions while also providing clients access to welfare and other public benefits. The group also works to provide access to health care and other benefits for its clients. The group also manages immigration cases for deportation relief as well as cases for managing consumer debt. 3

    Activities

    Kyle Rittenhouse Verdict Response

    In November 2021, Bay Area Legal Aid criticized the acquittal of Kyle Rittenhouse for shooting three Black Lives Matter demonstrators whom he alleged attacked him during protests that occurred in the state of Wisconsin in summer 2020. BayLegal claimed, “armed white vigilantes cannot be allowed to police bodies of color with lethal force.”  4

    Indigenous People’s Day

    In October 2022, Bay Area Legal Aid closed on Columbus Day to celebrate “Indigenous People’s Day.” The group claimed that celebrating “Indigenous People’s Day” was “vital to the fight for liberation” while criticizing “the generational harms the United States and previous colonizers have inflicted upon Indigenous tribes and nations, the original stewards of Turtle Island [a Native American name for North America].”  5

    Finances

    In December 2023, California Attorney General Rob Bonta (D) awarded Bay Area Legal Aid $225,000 to fight homelessness. 6

    In April 2025, it was announced that $600,000 would be cut from grants to the budget for Bay Area Legal Aid due a proposed city budget meant to manage the city’s reported $1 billion budget deficit. 7

    According to Bay Area Legal Aid’s 2023 tax returns, the group had $29,245,155 in revenue, $27,825,325 in expenses, and $13,407,052 in net assets. 8

    In 2023, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded Bay Area Legal Aid $1.25 million in grants. 1

    In 2023, 93 percent of Bay Area Legal Aid’s revenue came from government grants. 1

    Leadership

    Genevieve Richardson is the executive director of Bay Area Legal Aid. She has worked with the group since 2001, starting as a staff attorney and eventually becoming the managing attorney of Bay Area Legal Aid’s regional offices in Contra Costa, Marin, and Napa Counties. 9

    Robert A. Goodin is the board chair of the group and is a trial lawyer in private practice. 10

    Financial Statistics

    Total Assets

    Total Revenue

    Total Expenses

    YearTotal AssetsTotal RevenueTotal ExpensesFiling
    2024 $24,127,281 $31,426,545 $30,238,844 View
    2023 $23,944,621 $29,245,155 $27,825,325 View
    2022 $19,681,898 $26,986,861 $26,176,950 View
    2021 $17,967,093 $22,860,765 $21,310,211 View
    2020 $18,693,498 $21,495,332 $20,508,111 View

    Prior year filings: 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011

    Revenue Detail

    Expenses Detail

    Employee Compensation

    • Number of Employees: 208

    Highest Earning Employees

    EmployeeTitleTotal Compensation
    Genevieve RichardsonEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR$241,242
    Ariella HymanDIRECTOR OF PROGRAM & ADVOCACY$211,929
    Haydee AlfonsoGENERAL COUNSEL$209,630
    Jessica AvalosDIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES$204,574
    Christina LeeDIRECTOR OF GRANTS & CONTRACTS$202,150
    Burt ThompsonCFO (THROUGH 09/24)$189,339
    Emilio Seijo RiveraREGIONAL MANAGING ATTORNEY$156,194
    Andrea Del-PanPRO BONO DIRECTOR$155,033
    Linnea ForsytheALAMEDA MANAGING ATTORNEY$145,018
    Brenda AdamsDIRECTOR OF LITIGATION$142,207

    Grant Activity

    All-time grants received statistics from Candid dataset:

    • Total Grant Value: $46,954,299
    • Number of Grants: 412
    • Number of Funders: 86

    Selection of highest value grants received from the last seven years:

    AmountYearFunderSubject
    $5,534,2442024 Legal Services CorporationCIVIL LEGAL AID
    $5,534,2442023 Legal Services CorporationCIVIL LEGAL AID
    $5,262,2942020 Legal Services CorporationCIVIL LEGAL AID
    $4,842,8462021 Legal Services CorporationCIVIL LEGAL AID
    $4,812,0362022 Legal Services CorporationCIVIL LEGAL AID
    $769,5002021 Tipping Point CommunityCHI
    $555,0002020 Tipping Point CommunityChi
    $327,5002021 San Francisco FoundationPROGRAM – HELP SUPPORT CONTRA COSTA FAMILIES AVOID EVICTION AND DISPLACEMENT THROUGH TENANT'S RIGHTS CLINICS, LEGAL REPRESENTATION AND COMMUNITY EDUCATION. ADVISED – FOR THE CONTRA COSTA COUNTY TENANT EMPOWERMENT PROJECT.
    $300,0002025 May and Stanley Smith Charitable TrustTo provide civil legal assistance to homeless and former foster youth
    $300,0002024 Crankstart FoundationTO MITIGATE THE EFFECTS OF FINES AND FEES AND INCREASE ACCESS TO PUBLIC BENEFITS FOR LOW INCOME BAY AREA RESIDENTS
    $300,0002023 May and Stanley Smith Charitable TrustOver two years to provide civil legal assistance to homeless and former foster youth
    $300,0002023 Crankstart FoundationTO MITIGATE THE EFFECTS OF FINES AND FEES AND INCREASE ACCESS TO PUBLIC BENEFITS FOR LOW INCOME BAY AREA RESIDENTS
    $300,0002020 United States Department for Fair Housing And Equal OpportunityPrivate enforcement initiatives
    $250,0002024 Kazan Mcclain Partners' FoundationGENERAL SUPPORT
    $240,2502022 Kazan Mcclain Partners' FoundationGENERAL SUPPORT
    $235,5002023 Kazan Mcclain Partners' FoundationGENERAL SUPPORT
    $210,6002020 Kazan Mcclain Partners' FoundationGeneral support
    $200,0002021 Wells Fargo FoundationLegal Services -Homeless Prevention and Housing Preservation
    $200,0002020 Wells Fargo Foundation
    $192,5002021 Kazan Mcclain Partners' FoundationGENERAL SUPPORT
    $153,8002023 East Bay Community FoundationGENERAL SUPPORT, CONTRA COSTA MEDICAL LEGAL PARTNERSHIP, GENERAL SUPPORT
    $145,0002024 Sunlight GivingGENERAL SUPPORT, $145,000 PER YEAR FOR THREE YEARS
    $145,0002023 Sunlight GivingGENERAL SUPPORT, $145,000 PER YEAR FOR THREE YEARS
    $145,0002022 Sunlight Givinggeneral support, $145,000 per year for three years
    $145,0002021 Sunlight GivingGeneral support, $145,000 per year for three years

    All-time grants given statistics from Candid dataset:

    • Total Grant Value: $17,943,659
    • Number of Grants: 95
    • Number of Recipients: 26

    Selection of highest value grants given from the last seven years:

    AmountYearFunderSubject
    $1,914,0152023 Legal Assistance to the ElderlyHOUSING/HOMELESS PREVENTION AND HEALTHCARE & ECONOMIC SECURITY
    $1,763,1272024 Legal Assistance to the ElderlyHOUSING/HOMELESS PREVENTION AND HEALTHCARE & ECONOMIC SECURITY
    $1,601,4852022 Legal Assistance to the ElderlyHousing Homeless prevention and healthcare & economic security
    $1,374,9172024 The Justice & Diversity Center of the Bar Assoc. of SFHOUSING/HOMELESS PREVENTION AND HEALTHCARE & ECONOMIC SECURITY
    $1,317,3032023 The Justice & Diversity Center of the Bar Assoc. of SFHOUSING/HOMELESS PREVENTION AND HEALTHCARE & ECONOMIC SECURITY
    $1,110,0522022 BASF – SF Eviction Represent CollorativeHealthcare and economic security
    $936,9232021 Legal Assistance to the ElderlyHousing/Homeless prevention and healthcare & economic security
    $866,5412021 BASF – SF Eviction Represent CollorativeHealthcare and economic security
    $796,0742020 BASF – SF Eviction Represent CollorativeHousing/Homeless prevention
    $652,6832020 Legal Assistance to the ElderlyHousing/Homeless prevention
    $482,9612024 Centro Legal De La RazaHOUSING/HOMELESS PREVENTION
    $183,0942024 Law Foundation of Silicon ValleyHOUSING/HOMELESS PREVENTION AND HEALTHCARE & ECONOMIC SECURITY
    $48,4112023 Law Foundation of Silicon ValleyHOUSING/HOMELESS PREVENTION AND HEALTHCARE & ECONOMIC SECURITY
    $43,4132020 Legal Aid Society of San MateoHealthcare and economic security
    $40,6622023 Legal Aid Society of San Mateo CountyHEALTHCARE AND ECONOMIC SECURITY
    $39,7952024 Legal Aid Society of San Mateo CountyHEALTHCARE & ECONOMIC SECURITY
    $37,4832021 Legal Aid Society of San MateoHealthcare and economic security
    $36,3182022 Legal Aid Society of San MateoHealthcare and economic security
    $23,7592022 NATIONAL HEALTH LAW PROGRAM INCHealthcare & economic security
    $21,8402023 NATIONAL HEALTH LAW PROGRAM INCHEALTHCARE AND ECONOMIC SECURITY
    $21,7182020 NATIONAL HEALTH LAW PROGRAM INCDomestic violence prevention
    $21,6652024 Western Center on Law & PovertyHEALTHCARE & ECONOMIC SECURITY
    $21,0902020 Western Center on Law & PovertyHealthcare and economic security
    $21,0752023 Western Center on Law & PovertyHEALTHCARE AND ECONOMIC SECURITY
    $21,0752021 Western Center on Law & PovertyHealthcare and economic security

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    Financials, employee compensation, and grant information provided by Candid.

    Mentioned in this Article

    References

    1. Stilson, Robert. “Doge and the Department of Housing and Urban Development.” Capital Research Center, January 23, 2025. https://capitalresearch.org/article/doge-and-the-department-of-housing-and-urban-development/.
    2. “About Baylegal: Bay Area Legal Aid.” Bay Area Legal Aid . Accessed May 19, 2025. https://baylegal.org/about-baylegal/.
    3. “Our Impact: Bay Area Legal Aid.” Bay Area Legal Aid |. Accessed May 19, 2025. https://baylegal.org/our-impact/.
    4. “Baylegal Statement on the Verdict in the Rittenhouse Trial.” Bay Area Legal Aid, November 19, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20220129050207/https://baylegal.org/baylegal-statement-on-the-verdict-in-the-rittenhouse-trial/.
    5. “Celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ Day!” Bay Area Legal Aid, October 9, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221203224823/https://baylegal.org/celebrating-indigenous-peoples-day/.
    6. “Attorney General Bonta Announces $500,000 in Grant Awards to Nonprofits to Protect Tenants, Fight Homelessness.” State of California – Department of Justice – Office of the Attorney General, December 21, 2023. https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-announces-500000-grant-awards-nonprofits-protect-tenants.
    7. Sturm, Sylvie. “Eviction Rates in SF Soar as Legal Aid Faces Deep Funding Cuts.” San Francisco Public Press, April 30, 2025. https://www.sfpublicpress.org/eviction-rates-in-sf-soar-as-legal-aid-faces-deep-funding-cuts/.
    8. “Bay Area Legal Aid, Full Filing – Nonprofit Explorer.” ProPublica. Accessed May 19, 2025. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/941631316/202413209349309106/full.
    9. “Management Team.” Bay Area Legal Aid. Accessed May 19, 2025. https://web.archive.org/web/20221130214846/https://baylegal.org/who-we-are/leadership-team/.
    10. “Board of Directors: Bay Area Legal Aid.” Bay Area Legal Aid . Accessed May 19, 2025. https://baylegal.org/about-baylegal/board-of-directors/.