Nonprofit · EIN 16-1337417
ERIE COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION
Also known as VOLUNTEER LAWYERS PROJECT INC
Tax-exempt · BUFFALO, NY 14202
Financials
| Year ended | Form | Revenue | Expenses | Net income | Total assets | Liabilities | Net assets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 31, 2025 | 990 | $7,298,928 | $7,189,574 | $109,354 | $4,466,321 | $2,755,366 | $1,710,955 |
| December 31, 2024 | 990 | $6,990,917 | $7,007,807 | -$16,890 | $4,831,350 | $3,360,600 | $1,470,750 |
| December 31, 2023 | 990 | $5,812,508 | $5,593,664 | $218,844 | $3,487,321 | $1,999,681 | $1,487,640 |
Financial details: 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025
Revenue
- Contributions, gifts and grants
- $7,251,604
- of which government grants
- $3,846,567
- Program service revenue
- $0
- Investment income
- $16,160
- Net income from fundraising events
- $24,272
- Other revenue
- $31,164
Expenses
- Grants and similar amounts paid
- $0
- Compensation of officers, directors and key employees
- $785,016
- Other salaries and wages
- $3,929,088
- Salaries, compensation and benefits (total)
- $6,212,386
- Professional fundraising fees
- $0
- Occupancy
- $313,323
- Travel
- $11,265
- Depreciation
- $20,626
- Program services (functional)
- $7,056,844
- Management and general (functional)
- $132,730
Balance sheet and other
- Total assets, start of year
- $4,831,350
- Total assets, end of year
- $4,466,321
- Total liabilities, end of year
- $2,755,366
- Net assets, end of year
- $1,710,955
- Land, buildings and equipment
- $67,147
- Net assets without donor restrictions
- $1,710,955
- Gross receipts
- $7,314,894
- Employees
- 71
- Volunteers
- 0
- Year formed
- 1982
- State of legal domicile
- NY
From the e-filed returns the IRS publishes as XML (latest three processing years; amended returns replace the original). PDF copies at the IRS.
Officers, directors and key employees
As listed on the 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025, highest compensation first.
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gretchen Gonzalez | Executive Director/CEO/Dep Trustee or director, Officer | 35 | $154,978 |
| Joseph Sieracki | Chief Financial Officer Highest-paid employee | 35 | $138,996 |
| Nikole M Wynn | Chief Operating Officer Highest-paid employee | 35 | $138,054 |
| Brenda Cisneros Vilchis | Supervising Attorney Highest-paid employee | 35 | $125,238 |
| Blanca A Owen | Supervising Attorney Highest-paid employee | 35 | $117,580 |
| Andrew Isenberg | Supervising Attorney Highest-paid employee | 35 | $110,170 |
| Kevin Hogan | President Trustee or director, Officer | 2 | $0 |
| Katie Ireland | Vice President Trustee or director, Officer | 2 | $0 |
| Kara Handzlik | Treasurer Trustee or director, Officer | 2 | $0 |
| Jody Briandi | Secretary Trustee or director, Officer | 2 | $0 |
| Robert Conklin | Board Member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Siana Mclean | Board Member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Lauren Mendolera | Board Member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Aalok Karambelkar | Board Member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Lee Redeye | Board Member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
7 more people on this return
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anaiss Llonek | Board Member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Joshua Feinstein | Board Member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Sean O' Brien | Board Member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Michael Cimasi | Board Member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Melinda Saran | Board Member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Katherine Bestine | Board Member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Elise Cassar | Board Member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
990 for the year ended December 31, 2024: 22 people
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gretchen Gonzalez | Executive Director/CEO/Dep Trustee or director, Officer | 40 | $147,169 |
| Kevin Hogan | President Trustee or director, Officer | 2 | $0 |
| Katie Ireland | Vice President Trustee or director, Officer | 2 | $0 |
| Kara Hanzlik | Treasurer Trustee or director, Officer | 2 | $0 |
| Ifeoluwa Popoola | Secretary Trustee or director, Officer | 2 | $0 |
| Robert Conklin | Board Member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Gary Gaffney | Board Member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Robert P Heary | Board Member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Lauren Mendolera | Board Member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Leonardo Sette-Camara | Board Member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| John Weinholtz | Board Member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Siana Mclean | Board Member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Aalok Karambelkar | Board Member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Lee Redeye | Board Member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Anaiss Llonek | Board Member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Joshua Feinstein | Board Member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Jody Briandi | Board Member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Sean O' Brien | Board Member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Michael Cimasi | Board Member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Melinda Saran | Board Member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Ketherine Bestine | Board Member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Brian Melber | Board Member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
990 for the year ended December 31, 2023: 23 people
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gretchen Gonzalez | Executive Director/CEO/Dep Trustee or director, Officer | 40 | $139,204 |
| Brain R Welsh Esq | President Trustee or director, Officer | 2 | $0 |
| Katie Ireland | Vice President Trustee or director, Officer | 2 | $0 |
| Kara Hanzlik | Treasurer Trustee or director, Officer | 2 | $0 |
| Colleen Eniis Gough | Secretary Trustee or director, Officer | 2 | $0 |
| Robert Conklin | Board Member Trustee or director | 2 | $0 |
| Rev Charles D Fryer | Board Member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Gary R Gaffney ESQ | Board Member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Lauren R Mendolera ESQ | Board Member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Bernice Phillips-Jackson | Board Member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Leonardo Sette-Camara ESQ | Board Member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| John J Weinholtz ESQ | Board Member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Ifalewa Popoola ESQ | Board Member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Siana J Mclean | Board Member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Kevin Hogan | Board Member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Aalok Karambelkar | Board Member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Lee Redeye | Board Member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Anaiss Llonek | Board Member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Joshua Feinstein | Board Member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Jody Briandi | Board Member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Sean O' Brien | Board Member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Melinda R Saran ESQ | Board Member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
| Ketherine J Bestine ESQ | Board Member Trustee or director | 1 | $0 |
Address and contacts
- Address (IRS master file)
- 438 MAIN ST FL 7TH, BUFFALO, NY 14202-3207
- Principal officer (990 for 2025)
- Gretchen Gonzalez Esq, 438 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14202
- Signed the 990
- Gretchen Gonzalez Esq, Executive Director
- Phone
- (716) 847-0662
- Website
- www.ecbavlp.com
- Return prepared by
- Allied CPAs PC
Mission
Provide quality free civil legal services for low-income people and smaller not-for-profit groups and to effectively involve volunteers in the delivery of those services.
Program accomplishments
- The Organization provides legal services for low-income residents and nonprofit Organizations. In 2025, approximately 154 attorneys provided over 9,212 hours in volunteer time to assist clients in civil and other legal matters. Total clients assisted was around 6,689 and 7,172 cases were closed by staff and volunteers.Expenses $7,056,844 · revenue $6,892
What it must file and when
IRS records say it files Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N. Its accounting year ends in December, so each return is due on the 15th day of the 5th month after that.
| Tax year | Year ended | Due | IRS public records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | December 31, 2025 | May 15, 2026 | 990 on file |
| 2024 | December 31, 2024 | May 15, 2025 | 990 on file |
| 2023 | December 31, 2023 | May 15, 2024 | 990 on file |
IRS record
- EIN
- 16-1337417
- Tax-exempt status
- 501(c)(3): Charitable, religious, educational or scientific organization
- Foundation status
- Publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(A)(vi))
- Donations deductible (Pub 78)
- Public charity, 50% deduction limit
- Exempt since
- 1990
- Accounting year ends
- December
- Files
- Form 990 or 990-EZ
- Category (NTEE)
- Crime and legal-related (I83Z)
- Assets (IRS master file)
- $4,466,321
- Income (IRS master file)
- $7,314,894
Filing history
| Form | Year ended | Revenue | Expenses | Assets | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 990 | December 2025 | $7,298,928 | $7,189,574 | $4,466,321 | IRS |
| 990 | December 2024 | $6,990,917 | $7,007,807 | $4,831,350 | XML |
| 990 | December 2023 | $5,812,508 | $5,593,664 | $3,487,321 | XML |
| 990 | December 2022 | $4,661,755 | $4,650,854 | $3,741,644 | IRS |
| 990 | December 2021 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | December 2020 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | December 2019 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990 | December 2018 | – | – | – | IRS |
990-N: the IRS bulk file holds only the latest e-Postcard per organization; earlier years come from archived copies of that file since 2020 and can have gaps (the IRS e-Postcard search lists every one). 990, 990-EZ, 990-PF, 990-T: every e-filed return in the IRS e-file index since 2019; XML for the latest three processing years, amounts from the IRS Statistics of Income extracts before that. PDF copies and determination letters at the IRS (search EIN 16-1337417).
Questions about ERIE COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION
- What is the EIN of ERIE COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION?
- The employer identification number (EIN) of ERIE COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION is 16-1337417.
- Is ERIE COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION tax-exempt?
- Yes. The IRS lists it as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) since 1990.
- Are donations to ERIE COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION tax-deductible?
- Yes. It is listed in IRS Publication 78 (Public charity, 50% deduction limit).
- Which annual return does ERIE COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION file?
- Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N.
- When is the next return of ERIE COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION due?
- The return for tax year 2026 (the year ending December 31, 2026) is due May 17, 2027. Form 8868 extends it by six months; the 990-N cannot be extended.
- When did ERIE COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION last file with the IRS?
- The latest return in the IRS public files is the 990 for the year ended December 2025.
- Who is the principal officer of ERIE COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION?
- The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 names Gretchen Gonzalez Esq.
- Who are the officers and directors of ERIE COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION?
- The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 lists 22 people; 6 received compensation from the organization, the highest $154,978 (Gretchen Gonzalez, Executive Director/CEO/Dep).
- How much revenue does ERIE COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION have?
- On its 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 it reported revenue of $7,298,928, expenses of $7,189,574 and total assets of $4,466,321 at year end.
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All nonprofits in BUFFALO · New York · Crime and legal-related