Dakota Plains Legal Services Inc

The information for Dakota Plains Legal Services Inc is as of the organization's most recent filing in December '21. This organization is located in Mission, SD. It has been in existence for 45 years, following its founding in 1976.

Organization Classification

The IRS classifies organizations according to the National Taxonomy of Exempt Entities (NTEE) system. The NTEE system helps the IRS assign a 3-character code to each organization to describe the organization's activities.

The Dakota Plains Legal Services Inc's NTEE code is I80. The "I" tells us that the organization is classified along with Crime & Legal-Related. The "80" tells us that the organization is involved in Legal Services. The NTEE describes Legal Services organizations as those that provide general legal aid regarding criminal and/or civil matters at little or no cost for individuals who are economically disadvantaged.

Every organization is also governed by a specific section of the Internal Revenue Code. The most common type is a 501(c)(3) organization. However, there are actually 29 different types of organizations that are identified by the Internal Revenue Code. This organization happens to be a 501(c)(3) organization. The IRS describes these organizations as those engaged in Religious, Educational, Charitable, Scientific, Literary, Public Safety, Amateur Sports, or Prevention of Cruelty to Children or Animals work.

Perhaps the most accurate way to get a sense of what the organization hopes to achieve is by looking at its mission. The mission of the Dakota Plains Legal Services Inc is to promote equal access to justice and improve the lives of low-income clients through quality legal assistance.

Program Areas

The organization's general fund encompasses a wide range of activities aimed at meeting the legal needs of its Native American and non-Native American clients, as well as the community at large. These activities include providing legal representation, advocacy, conflict resolution, and community education options in areas such as Indian law, family law, housing law, and income maintenance law.

Organization Staffing

Dakota Plains Legal Services Inc is run by Thomas Mortland, who is the Executive Director. The organization has 34 employees, none of whom are paid over $100k per year. Supporting the paid staff are 24 volunteers.

Board Governance

Dakota Plains Legal Services Inc appears to be a well-governed non-profit organization based on the provided information. The organization has a total of 22 voting members, all of whom are independent, indicating a diverse and unbiased decision-making process. The absence of potential conflicts of interest further strengthens the organization's governance, ensuring that decisions are made in the best interest of the non-profit's mission and beneficiaries. The fact that the organization has not delegated management to an outside firm suggests that the board has a hands-on approach to overseeing the operations and activities of the non-profit. This level of involvement can contribute to greater transparency and accountability. The documentation of board and committee meetings is a positive sign, indicating that the organization values transparency and keeps a record of its decision-making processes. Additionally, the existence of a conflict of interest policy demonstrates the organization's commitment to managing potential conflicts and ensuring that decisions are made impartially. The presence of a written whistleblower policy and a document retention policy further indicates the organization's commitment to ethical practices and accountability. These policies provide mechanisms for reporting misconduct and ensuring that important documents are properly retained. Furthermore, Dakota Plains Legal Services Inc substantiates and reviews leadership and officer salaries, which is crucial for maintaining financial transparency and ensuring that compensation is reasonable and aligned with the organization's mission. Lastly, the organization's practice of providing copies of the 990 form to the board prior to filing highlights its commitment to financial transparency and accountability. Overall, based on the information provided, Dakota Plains Legal Services Inc demonstrates strong governance practices that prioritize transparency, accountability, and ethical conduct.

Organization Growth

Dakota Plains Legal Services Inc, a nonprofit organization, has experienced overall growth over the given time period. Contributions & Grants Received, Program Service Revenue, Investment Income, Other Revenue, and Total Revenue all increased from 2015 to 2021. Additionally, Employee Salaries and Total Expenses also increased during this time period. However, there was a decrease in the number of Total Employees from 35 in 2015 to 34 in 2021. On the other hand, the number of Total Volunteers increased significantly from 2 in 2015 to 24 in 2021. Overall, despite a slight decrease in the number of employees, Dakota Plains Legal Services Inc has shown growth in terms of funding, revenue, and volunteer involvement.