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WASHINGTON — The ��è��Ƶ (��è��Ƶ) is awarding more than $5.5 million to 19 legal services organizations across 15 states. The grants, awarded from ��è��Ƶ’s Pro Bono Innovation Fund (PBIF), will support projects that expand and improve pro bono legal assistance for low-income Americans.

Half of eligible low-income Americans who seek legal help are turned away because legal services organizations lack adequate resources, according to ��è��Ƶ’s . To extend their reach, legal services organizations engage private attorneys who volunteer their time and take cases “pro bono.” With the support of ��è��Ƶ-funded organizations, private attorneys help address the unmet legal needs in their communities.

“Our civil justice system was designed for lawyers, but many Americans simply can’t afford an attorney, even in the face of life-changing legal problems,” said ��è��Ƶ President Ron Flagg. "Volunteer attorneys working in partnership with ��è��Ƶ-funded legal services organizations provide critical support to those who need it."

Since the PBIF grant program began in 2014, ��è��Ƶ has awarded 180 grants totaling more than $50 million. The funding for these awards comes from ��è��Ƶ’s congressional appropriation. Nonprofit legal organizations utilize these grants to address civil legal needs in their communities by removing barriers to and exploring new methods for pro bono work. PBIF grants are directed to projects that are replicable, so that innovative practices at successful programs can have an impact across the country.

Projects receiving grants in this year’s PBIF awards include several programs aimed at addressing specific unmet civil legal needs, including:

• Alaska ��è��Ƶ’s $371,593 grant supports the Legal Care for Domestic Violence Survivors project, a statewide initiative that addresses the unmet legal needs of domestic violence survivors by expanding the use of community justice workers.
• Land of Lincoln Legal Aid’s $265,153 grant will expand access to legal services in rural areas of Illinois through its Consumer Law Initiative, focusing on small claims and consumer debt cases.
• Pine Tree Legal Assistance’s $361,097 grant will sustain and expand its Pro Bono Eviction Defense Project, which engages volunteer attorneys to provide full representation to tenants facing eviction in Maine.

Members of Congress congratulated legal services providers in their states on receiving pro bono grants.

"I want to thank the ��è��Ƶ for awarding this grant to A��è��Ƶ to provide critical resources to expand pro bono legal services for survivors of domestic violence,” Senator Dan Sullivan (AK) said. “Far too many Alaskans—especially women and children in our rural communities—face the devastating impacts of domestic violence without access to the legal help they need to protect themselves and their families. We know that when survivors have access to legal help, their ability to break free from the cycle of violence increases dramatically. I have long championed efforts to strengthen pro bono legal services in Alaska, and this is a critical investment to expand access to justice, promote safety and stability, and demonstrate how pro bono partnerships can make a lasting difference in the lives of Alaskans most in need. I am grateful to ��è��Ƶ, and want to congratulate A��è��Ƶ, for their leadership in supporting survivors and working to break cycles of abuse and violence in Alaska and across our nation.”

“Over the last half century, the ��è��Ƶ has supported legal aid programs that have made a difference to countless Americans,” said Senator Amy Klobuchar (MN). “This grant to Legal Services of Northwest Minnesota will expand access to estate planning services across our state, helping rural Minnesotans get the legal help they need.”

“Legal Aid organizations play an important role in ensuring that all Americans have access to the civil legal system,” said Senator Dick Durbin (IL). “I’m proud of the work Illinois’ legal aid providers are doing and congratulate Land of Lincoln Legal Aid and Prairie State Legal Services on their recent Pro Bono Innovation Fund Grants, which will help ensure that Illinoisans are able to access the services they need.”

“Equal justice is one of America’s most fundamental promises, but too often families struggling with debt are left without the help they need,” said Representative Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-1). “That’s why the ��è��Ƶ and Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania have been such vital partners in this work, and why this new Pro Bono Innovation Fund grant matters so deeply to PA-1. By supporting LASP’s debt counseling and bankruptcy project, ��è��Ƶ is ensuring families can eliminate crushing debt, access pro bono attorneys, and rebuild their lives with dignity. As Co-Chair of the Access to Legal Aid Caucus, I am grateful for this investment and look forward to continuing our work together to expand access to justice and deliver lasting results for families across PA-1.”

More information about the Pro Bono Innovation Fund is .