Brooklyn Defender Services
88% goes to programs $0 to raise $100 Thin reserves Growing revenue
Brooklyn Defender Services is a 501(c)(3) organization based in Brooklyn, New York, registered in 1996, with $89,249,810 in FY2023 revenue. CharityIndex grades it B, and it directs about 88% of spending to programs.
177 Livingston Street, Brooklyn, NY, 11201 EIN 11-3305406 Since 1996
Revenue (FY2023)
$89.2M
▲ 18.0% vs prior year
Civil Rights median: $332K
Expenses (FY2023)
$83.8M
Net assets
$1.6M
Employees
612
CharityIndex rating
One independent A+ to F grade from four published criteria, each scored separately from IRS filings and combined by weight.
B
C+Program efficiency40% of the rating88% to programs · $0 to raise $100
Measures how much of every dollar spent actually reaches programs, plus what it costs to raise $100 of donations. The worse of the two measures sets the letter (85%+ to programs is an A; under $15 to raise $100 is an A), averaged over the three most recent filings. For Brooklyn Defender Services: 88% to programs · $0 to raise $100 earns a C+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
CFinancial health25% of the rating0 mo reserves · +6% margin
Measures whether the organization is built to last: how many months its reserves would cover expenses (3+ months earns an A-range score, but hoarding 5+ years of budget is capped) and whether it runs a surplus or a deficit. For Brooklyn Defender Services: 0 mo reserves · +6% margin earns a C on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
A+Governance25% of the rating6 of 6 checks met
Checks how the organization is run, from its own Form 990: an independent board majority, a board of five or more, conflict-of-interest, whistleblower and document-retention policies, and independently audited financials. The share of disclosed checks that pass sets the letter. For Brooklyn Defender Services: 6 of 6 checks met earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
ATransparency10% of the rating4 of 5 disclosure signals
Counts five disclosure signals: a recent filing, a mission statement, program descriptions, a listed website, and the full expense breakdown. More disclosure, better letter. For Brooklyn Defender Services: 4 of 5 disclosure signals earns a A on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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Mission
To provide legal representation, advocacy and other related services to low-income people.
Contact & location
- Address
- 177 Livingston Street, Brooklyn, NY, 11201
- City
- Brooklyn
- State
- New York
- Subcategory
- Civil Rights
- Phone
- …
- Website
- …
Financial trends
Revenue grew from $24.9M (FY2013) to $89.2M (FY2023) across 11 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Financial health & position (FY2023)
Liabilities $42.2MNet assets $1.6M
Operating margin
6.2%
Revenue exceeded expenses in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$43.8M
Total liabilities
$42.2M
Net assets
$1.6M
Salaries & benefits
$69.6M
83% of expenses
Board members
8
7 independent
Financials by year
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $89,249,810▲18.0% | $83,753,003▲10.4% | $1,620,129▲142% | $43,814,123▼17.4% | 990 |
| 2022 | $75,613,128▲10.4% | $75,836,896▲4.1% | -$3,876,678▼10.1% | $53,040,741▲137% | 990 |
| 2021 | $68,489,120▲12.8% | $72,826,159▲12.8% | -$3,520,943▼531% | $22,389,854▼19.0% | 990 |
| 2020 | $60,744,108▼1.2% | $64,540,378▲6.0% | $816,096▼82.3% | $27,647,041▲82.4% | 990 |
| 2019 | $61,487,118▲25.2% | $60,860,321▲25.4% | $4,612,366▲15.7% | $15,157,863▲18.9% | 990 |
| 2018 | $49,123,086▲16.7% | $48,542,555▲15.4% | $3,985,569▲17.0% | $12,744,079▲15.6% | 990 |
| 2017 | $42,110,112▲22.9% | $42,055,526▲22.4% | $3,405,038▲1.6% | $11,025,624▲24.6% | 990 |
| 2016 | $34,263,296▲3.7% | $34,362,102▲4.0% | $3,350,452▼2.9% | $8,848,627▲37.0% | 990 |
| 2015 | $33,054,298▲8.5% | $33,045,724▲10.3% | $3,449,258▲0.2% | $6,459,156▼1.9% | 990 |
| 2014 | $30,466,090▲22.5% | $29,949,380▲20.4% | $3,440,684▲17.7% | $6,581,968▲24.1% | 990 |
| 2013 | $24,863,161 | $24,885,007▲31.1% | $2,923,974▼0.7% | $5,304,695▲12.2% | 990 |
| 2012 | — | $18,984,129▲30.0% | $2,945,820▲22.6% | $4,727,714▲31.8% | 990 |
| 2011 | — | $14,607,854▲82.5% | $2,402,762▲253% | $3,588,142▲22.9% | 990 |
| 2010 | — | $8,005,170▲32.5% | $680,678▲565% | $2,919,744▲438% | 990 |
| 2009 | — | $6,039,507 | -$146,457 | $543,141 | 990 |
Original Form 990 PDFs (the Form column) are served by ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, as filed with the IRS. Create a free account to download the CSV report.
Leadership & compensation (FY2023)
Highest-paid: Lisa Schreibersdorf — $363,885 (0.43% of total expenses)
| Name | Title | Hours/week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lisa Schreibersdorf | Executive Director | 40 | $363,885 |
| Laura Saft | Deputy Ed, Md Criminal Defense | 40 | $245,027 |
| Lauren A Shapiro | Md of Family Defense Practice | 40 | $234,020 |
| Kwame Millar | Chief Operating Officer | 40 | $222,860 |
| Joyce D Kendrick | Md of Criminal Defense | 40 | $215,460 |
| Kelli Mctaggart | General Counsel | 40 | $214,100 |
| Juan Almonte | Managing Director of Finance | 40 | $188,917 |
| Andrea Bonina | Board Member | 0.5 | — |
| Cindi Giglio | Treasurer | 0.5 | — |
| Gregory Cerchione | Secretary | 0.5 | — |
| Jason Starr | Board Member | 0.5 | — |
| Jeffrey Rona | Board Member | 0.5 | — |
| Kevin Snover | Chairman of the Board | 0.5 | — |
| Robert J Gunther Jr | Board Member | 0.5 | — |
Top vendors & contractors (FY2023)
| Contractor | Services | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Anoteros LLC | It Services | $703,160 |
| Herbert Smith Freehills LLP | Legal Services | $172,578 |
| Bond Schoeneck & King Pllc | Legal Services | $155,935 |
| Egnyte Inc | It Services | $138,510 |
| Forvis LLP | Accounting Services | $129,312 |
Grants received · $1.2M total
40 grants to Brooklyn Defender Services totaling $1.2M, reported by foundations on their Schedule I filings — showing the 15 most recent.
| Grantmaker | Purpose | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Endowment Foundation | Crime | 2024 | $50,000 |
| American Online Giving Foundation Inc | General support | 2024 | $24,856 |
| American Endowment Foundation | Crime | 2023 | $50,000 |
| The New York Community Trust | For program support. | 2023 | $20,000 |
| Boston Foundation Inc | Operating support/annual fund | 2023 | $20,000 |
| American Online Giving Foundation Inc | General support | 2023 | $15,645 |
| Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund | For grant recipient's exempt purposes | 2023 | $10,550 |
| The Seattle Foundation | To provide general support. | 2023 | $10,000 |
| Donor Advised Charitable Giving | Public, societal benefit | 2023 | $5,550 |
| Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund | For grant recipient's exempt purposes | 2022 | $87,700 |
| Vera Institute of Justice Inc | Tecnhical assistance safe network and nyifup | 2022 | $70,000 |
| Boston Foundation Inc | Operating support/annual fund | 2022 | $25,000 |
| American Online Giving Foundation Inc | General support | 2022 | $13,700 |
| Vera Institute of Justice Inc | Tecnhical assistance safe network and nyifup | 2021 | $58,649 |
| Boston Foundation Inc | Operating support/annual fund | 2021 | $35,000 |
Grants made · $6,489 in FY2022
1 grant totaling $6,489 in FY2022. All grants made by Brooklyn Defender Services →
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Young New Yorkers Inc | General support | $6,489 |
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Compare Brooklyn Defender Services
Frequently asked questions
- Is Brooklyn Defender Services a legitimate nonprofit?
- Yes. Brooklyn Defender Services is a 501(c)(3) organization registered with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service under EIN 11-3305406, based in Brooklyn, New York. Donations are tax-deductible.
- What is Brooklyn Defender Services's EIN?
- Brooklyn Defender Services's Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 11-3305406.
- How much revenue does Brooklyn Defender Services report?
- Brooklyn Defender Services reported $89,249,810 in total revenue on its fiscal year 2023 IRS Form 990 filing.
- How much of Brooklyn Defender Services's spending goes to programs?
- Brooklyn Defender Services spends about 88% of its total expenses on programs, based on its latest IRS Form 990.
- What financial grade does Brooklyn Defender Services have?
- CharityIndex grades Brooklyn Defender Services B, based on program efficiency and fundraising cost.
- How much does Brooklyn Defender Services's highest-paid employee make?
- The highest reported compensation on Brooklyn Defender Services's latest Form 990 is $363,885, paid to Lisa Schreibersdorf (Executive Director).
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Data for Brooklyn Defender Services (EIN 11-3305406) comes from the IRS Business Master File and e-filed Form 990 returns, via CharityIndex. Figures reflect what the organization reported to the IRS for each fiscal year.