About ��è��Ƶ

Talk Justice: Episode 100

sierra-chacona@lsc.gov — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 14:40:01 +0000

Talk Justice: Episode 100 sierra-chacona… Tue, 02/11/2025 - 09:40

Talk Justice: Episode Sixty-Three

richardsons@lsc.gov — Thu, 10 Aug 2023 16:23:04 +0000

Talk Justice: Episode Sixty-Three richardsons@lsc.gov Thu, 08/10/2023 - 12:23

��è��Ƶ Board of Directors Meeting

brownk@lsc.gov — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 23:06:14 +0000

��è��Ƶ Board of Directors Meeting brownk@lsc.gov Wed, 11/16/2022 - 18:06

November 17, 2022 • 11:30am - 12:00pm •

Board & Committee Meetings

Review the Sunshine Act Public Meeting Notice appearing the Federal Register here.

Download the agenda and meeting materials here.

If you have any difficulty joining the meeting via Zoom, please contact Kaitlin Brown, ��è��Ƶ's Executive & Board Project Coordinator, at brownk@lsc.gov.

To join Zoom meeting: https://lsc-gov.zoom.us/j/85644801449?pwd=Z0RrQ0tuM2F5MDBJWldHSkJ6Q2REQT09

Meeting ID: 856 4480 1449
Passcode: 642604
One tap mobile
- - +1 312 626 6799 (Chicago)
  - +1 301 715 8592 (Washington, DC)

Review the Sunshine Act Public Meeting Notice appearing the Federal Register here.

Download the agenda and meeting materials here.

If you have any difficulty joining the meeting via Zoom, please contact Kaitlin Brown, ��è��Ƶ's Executive & Board Project Coordinator, at brownk@lsc.gov.

To join Zoom meeting: https://lsc-gov.zoom.us/j/85644801449?pwd=Z0RrQ0tuM2F5MDBJWldHSkJ6Q2REQT09

Meeting ID: 856 4480 1449
Passcode: 642604
One tap mobile
- - +1 312 626 6799 (Chicago)
  - +1 301 715 8592 (Washington, DC

Virtual

Topics

About ��è��Ƶ

About Statutory Restrictions on ��è��Ƶ-Funded Organizations

fanlundk@lsc.gov — Thu, 13 May 2021 18:14:20 +0000

About Statutory Restrictions on ��è��Ƶ-Funded Organizations fanlundk@lsc.gov Thu, 05/13/2021 - 14:14

The ��è��Ƶ Act (42 U.S.C. 2996 et seq.) stipulates that ��è��Ƶ-funded programs cannot use either ��è��Ƶ or private funds for certain activities. The 1996 Appropriations Act (Pub. L. 104-134) and subsequent legislation introduced new restrictions that apply to funds from all sources-federal, state, local, and private-except tribal funds.

The ��è��Ƶ Act prohibits participation in:

Political activities, including voter assistance or voter registration.
Lobbying government offices, agencies or legislative bodies, except for limited situations.
Criminal cases, except for cases in Indian tribal courts.
Habeas corpus actions challenging criminal convictions against officers of the court or law enforcement officers.
Organizing activities, including training for-or encouraging of-political or labor activities.
Proceedings or litigation to procure non-therapeutic abortions or compel the provision of abortion services over religious or moral objections.
Proceedings involving desegregation of public schools, military service or assisted suicide.

In 1996, Congress prohibited additional activities, including:

Lobbying government offices, agencies or legislative bodies with any funding, except for limited situations.
Representing people who are not U.S. citizens with limited exceptions such as lawful permanent residents, H2A agricultural workers, H2B forestry workers, and victims of battering, extreme cruelty, sexual assault or trafficking.
Class actions.
Soliciting clients in-person.
Abortion-related litigation of any kind.
Representing prisoners.
Representing people who are being evicted from public housing because they face criminal charges of selling or distributing illegal drugs.
Most activities involving welfare reform.
Redistricting activities.
Influencing the time or manner of census-taking.

In the FY 2010 Consolidated Appropriations Act (Pub. L. 111-117), Congress removed the 1996 restrictions on the ability of ��è��Ƶ grantees to claim, collect or retain attorneys' fees.

About ��è��Ƶ

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Social Media and Rules for Political Activities and Lobbying

fanlundk@lsc.gov — Thu, 13 May 2021 17:59:48 +0000

Social Media and Rules for Political Activities and Lobbying fanlundk@lsc.gov Thu, 05/13/2021 - 13:59

PDF version of this page: Social Media and Rules for Political Activities and Lobbying

Application of Restrictions on Political Activities and Lobbying to Use of Social Media by Grantees, Grantee Staff and Grantee Board Members

I. Overview

This guidance provides examples of how the ��è��Ƶ restrictions on political activities and lobbying apply to social media activities and posting of materials by grantees and grantee staff through both organizational and personal accounts. ��è��Ƶ is sending this out to all grantees and will post it on the lsc.gov website in the Grantee Guidance section along with related guidance and materials. Compliance with these restrictions is important and, if you have any questions regarding these topics or this guidance, please contact Mark Freedman in ��è��Ƶ’s Office of Legal Affairs: mfreedman@lsc.gov

A. Restrictions

This guidance involves activities that a grantee and grantee staff must not undertake because of the political activities and lobbying provisions of the ��è��Ƶ statutes and regulations. See 45 C.F.R. Parts 1608—Political Activities and 1612—Lobbying.

B. “Lobbying or Political Activities” Refers to All Restricted Political and Lobbying Activities

This guidance uses the term “lobbying or political activities” as shorthand for any activities prohibited by these restrictions, which include lobbying, grassroots lobbying, and political activity.

Lobbying example: A grantee stating on social media that Congress should increase funding for ��è��Ƶ.
Political activity example: A grantee endorsing on social media a candidate for election to Congress.
Factual statements are generally not prohibited by Parts 1608 or 1612. Thus, a grantee can say that it employs 16 attorneys and ��è��Ƶ funds support 12 of them who handle an average of 400 cases a year.

C. Differing Restrictions for ��è��Ƶ and its Grantees

The restrictions applicable to ��è��Ƶ itself differ from those applicable to ��è��Ƶ grantees. For example, ��è��Ƶ grantees cannot ask Congress for more ��è��Ƶ funds. By contrast, the ��è��Ƶ Act permits ��è��Ƶ itself to discuss future ��è��Ƶ funding with Congress.

II. Social Media

A. The Rules Applicable to Social Media Are the Same as Those Applicable to Other Types of Communication

Actions through social media in the name of a grantee or through a grantee’s organizational account must not include any prohibited lobbying or political activities. These rules apply to all types of expression. The same rules that apply to a sign on the door apply to a post on social media sites. This guidance addresses specific examples in social media, which include Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Snapchat and Instagram.

B. Likes, Follows, Shares, Etc.

Social media have their own vocabulary. These are some of the typical uses of these terms. Usually, social media actions can either be public for anyone to see or limited to specific people or categories of people.

A “post” has information, pictures, or videos that someone adds for other people to see and sometimes comment on or share.
A “feed” shows posts from others with whom you have connected.
A “page” or “home feed” shows a profile (“about”) and posts. Usually, every post on a feed has an author, and clicking on the author’s name brings up the author’s page or home feed. As used here, a page also includes a grantee’s traditional website. Some social media have multiple types of pages that may operate differently. For example, Facebook allows pages for individuals, groups, businesses, and organizations.

If you “like” a page, you will see posts in your feed from another user’s page and the other user’s feed can show your posts. Sometimes the other user can see in their feed your likes, reactions, and comments to other posts, and you can see theirs.
You can also respond to an individual post with a “like” or by writing a “comment.”
In some social media, “like” is one of a set of “reactions.”
For example, Facebook offers the following reactions:
• Like • Love • Haha • Wow • Sad • Angry
If you “follow” a page, you will see posts in your feed from another user, but the other user’s feed will not show your posts. Someone who follows you will see your posts and sometimes your likes, reactions, and comments to other posts.
“Share” or “repost” are ways that you post through your account something that another user posted on their account. These are also ways to add a link on your website to something on another entity’s website.

III. Grantee Social Media Accounts and Websites

A grantee may have a social media account. This guidance addresses an account that the grantee uses as a public face similar to its website or a community bulletin board. People such as clients, donors, supporters, and critics, could follow or like the account.

A. All Posts on a Grantee Account Are Subject to the Lobbying and Political Activities Restrictions

Posts—no lobbying or political posts.
Shares or reposting—no sharing or reposting lobbying or political posts.

B. Likes or Follows of Another Page

1. Ask yourself to what extent the posts on the other page or account are permitted or restricted communications, because your page will be listed as liking or following that page.

2. Examples of allowed pages or accounts for liking or following:

Official Government pages or accounts—U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Dev.—@HUD
Official pages or accounts of Government Actors—Senator Richard Shelby—@RichardShelby
��è��Ƶ’s Page—@LegalServicesCorporation

3. Examples of prohibited pages for liking or following:

Campaign pages or accounts—CandidateX for President—@CandidateXPresident
527 election advocacy groups—MoveOn.org—@moveon

4. If you are uncertain, err on the side of caution, or ask ��è��Ƶ.

C. Shares or Reposts of Another Post

1. Ask yourself if you could directly post on your page the content of the item shared or reposted.

2. Sometimes you cannot share a post from a source that you can follow.

3. Allowed shares or reposts:

Factual and relevant information about legal aid and access to justice—ABA access to justice resources
Government actions—Senate Appropriations Committee announcement of FY 2017 funding, including ��è��Ƶ funding.

4. Prohibited shares or reposts

Lobbying statement about ��è��Ƶ funding in the next budget—ABA statement of “outrage” at proposed elimination of ��è��Ƶ funding.
Media articles solely about lobbying for ��è��Ƶ funding in the next budget—Wall Street Journal article about corporate counsel support for ��è��Ƶ funding.
Opinion articles lobbying for changes to laws—New York Times Op-Ed arguing that Congress should expand Medicaid further.

D. Likes, Reactions, or Comments on a Post from Another Page

1. Likes and reactions are all expressions of an opinion. Generally, you should be very careful using them because they are imprecise.

Example: a sad reaction to an article about broken families due to deportation could mean support for the U.S. family members or could mean opposition to continued deportations.

2. Ask yourself if you could directly support or oppose the content of the other post. Do not use like or a reaction when a grantee could not say it supports or opposes the other post.

Example: a Senator posts on her page a proposal to increase ��è��Ƶ funding. A grantee cannot add a like or a reaction because those are “lobbying” or “political” opinions about a proposed government action.

3. Does the other post contain statements that would be restricted if made directly by a grantee? Do not like or react to such a restricted post.

Example: a newspaper posts an editorial advocating for more ��è��Ƶ funding. The grantee could not use any Facebook reactions because they all would express an opinion about increasing ��è��Ƶ funding.

4. You can use like or a reaction for posts that are clearly unrelated to support of, or opposition to, government actions. For example:

You can like a post by another ��è��Ƶ grantee about a successful case.
You can react—for example, angry–to an OIG report about fraud at an ��è��Ƶ grantee.

5. Comments on a post should be reviewed with the same care as a press release.

IV. Personal Social Media Accounts of Grantee Employees

Normally, a personal social media account is not attributed to the person’s employer. You may use a personal social media account for your own personal political or lobbying activities, which could include posting, sharing, liking, and commenting. That doesn’t change simply because people who read it also know that you work for a grantee. But you must take care to avoid creating the impression that your actions should be attributed to your grantee employer when you engage in political or lobbying activities through social media such as posting, sharing, liking or commenting.

A. Identification of the Grantee and Your Job in the Profile

1. Not listing the grantee or your job in the profile avoids any questions about whether you are speaking for the grantee.

2. You can list the grantee and your job as part of the general biographical information. We recommend also adding a disclaimer if your posts contain statements that are political or lobbying.

Work: Attorney at Central State Legal Aid (all posts are mine and not my employer’s)

B. Identification of the Grantee or Your Job in a Post

1. Not mentioning the grantee or your job in posts avoids any questions about whether you are speaking for the grantee, unless you have listed the grantee in your profile, in which case we recommend adding a disclaimer as described above, where you are engaged in political or lobbying activities.

Instead of identifying your employer (in either your profile or post), you can state that you are a poverty lawyer, or a legal aid lawyer, or a legal services lawyer.
Instead of identifying your employer (in either your profile or post), you can state your experience, such as saying that you have worked in legal aid for 20 years representing poor people in evictions and other housing cases.

2. If you reference your grantee or your job, you must be careful to make clear that you do not speak for the grantee.

I work at Central State Legal Aid (this is my personal post, not their position).

V. Don’t Use Grantee Time or Resources for Personal Lobbying or Political Actions

A. Grantee Time

During your working hours, you cannot engage in personal lobbying or political actions. That includes posting lobbying statements to your social media page. The best practice is to avoid all personal lobbying or political actions during your work day. That policy applies wherever you work, including teleworking from your home.

If you engage in any lobbying or political activities during your work day, you should make sure to do so on your personal break, such as lunch hour.

B. Grantee Resources

You cannot at any time use grantee resources for personal lobbying or political actions.

Do not use a grantee phone, tablet, personal computer or laptop for any lobbying or political actions at any time.
Do not do that even on personal time. While your grantee may permit some personal use of grantee devices, you cannot use those devices for prohibited activities.

VI. Situations That You Should Call Us About

There are many situations that may not be clear. Please send any questions to Mark Freedman in ��è��Ƶ’s Office of Legal Affairs: mfreedman@lsc.gov

This guidance and other related materials appear on the lsc.gov website in the Grantee Guidance section.

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Prohibited Political and Lobbying Activities for ��è��Ƶ Grantees

fanlundk@lsc.gov — Thu, 13 May 2021 17:55:05 +0000

Prohibited Political and Lobbying Activities for ��è��Ƶ Grantees fanlundk@lsc.gov Thu, 05/13/2021 - 13:55

Prohibited Political and Lobbying Activities for ��è��Ƶ Grantees
Election-Year Reminder Memo (July 16, 2026)
(This memo as a PDF for printing.)

To: All ��è��Ƶ Grantees

From: Will A. Gunn, Vice President for Legal Affairs and General Counsel

Date: July 16, 2026

Subject: 2026 Review of Prohibited Political and Lobbying Activities for ��è��Ƶ Grantees

Because 2026 is an election year, I want to provide you with a review of ��è��Ƶ's restrictions on political and lobbying activities of ��è��Ƶ grantees and some thoughts about operating within them. Please share this with staff, volunteers, board members, and anyone else acting on behalf of your organization or using its resources.

In 1974, Congress created ��è��Ƶ to address the "need to provide high quality legal assistance to those who would be otherwise unable to afford adequate legal counsel." ��è��Ƶ Act § 1001, Pub. L. 93-355 (42 U.S.C. § 2996). Congress found that "for many of our citizens, the availability of legal services has reaffirmed faith in our government of laws" and that "the legal services program must be kept free from the influence of or use by it of political pressures."

Congress also found that "attorneys providing legal assistance must have full freedom to protect the best interests of their clients in keeping with the Code of Professional Responsibility, the Canons of Ethics, and the high standards of the legal profession."

To further those goals, Congress has funded ��è��Ƶ and established restrictions on political and lobbying activities of ��è��Ƶ and ��è��Ƶ grantees. For 2024, Congress appropriated $560 million to ��è��Ƶ, including $526 million for grantees. This longstanding support reflects the success of ��è��Ƶ grantees in providing high-quality legal assistance to low-income people while operating in compliance with ��è��Ƶ rules and restrictions.

Summary of Restrictions on Lobbying and Political Activities

All ��è��Ƶ grantees must avoid political activities prohibited by 45 C.F.R. Part 1608 .
All ��è��Ƶ grantees must avoid lobbying activities prohibited by 45 C.F.R. Part 1612 .
- Grassroots lobbying is always prohibited.
These rules apply to anyone acting on behalf of the grantee, including:
- Staff
- Volunteers
- Board members
These rules apply at all times to the use of grantee offices, equipment, and other resources, including computers, phones, and internet services, even when used on personal time.

For more detailed information about the scope of these restrictions, including how they apply to non-��è��Ƶ funds, see Part 1608—Political Activities, Part 1612—Lobbying, Part 1610—Use of Non-��è��Ƶ Funds, and www.lsc.gov/lobbying-and-political-activities.

Political Activities

��è��Ƶ defines "political" as providing or encouraging any "support for or opposition to candidates for public office, ballot measures, or political parties..." as defined in 45 C.F.R. § 1600.1 .

Part 1608 prohibits grantees from engaging in any political activity, including:

Intentionally identifying the grantee with any partisan or nonpartisan political activity.
Intentionally identifying the grantee with campaigns for public or party office.
Providing grantee funds or resources for any political activity, political party, campaign for public or party office, ballot measure, initiative, or referendum.

Part 1608 does not prohibit providing legal assistance to eligible clients. For example, a grantee may represent an eligible client facing eviction because of campaign signs in the tenant's window.

Lobbying

Lobbying means any attempt to influence government decision-making through statements about what actions the government should or should not take regarding the enactment, amendment, or repeal of legislation, rules, executive orders, or other covered government actions.

Lobbying includes grassroots lobbying. Grassroots lobbying occurs when you both state a position about what the government should or should not do and encourage others to contact government officials with that position. Grassroots lobbying is always prohibited.

Lobbying does not include providing information about proposed government actions, such as how a proposed law or rule would work and the effects it would have, so long as you do not express a position about what the government should do.

Lobbying also does not include providing information about the services you provide and the clients you serve. For example, although you may not lobby Congress regarding funding for ��è��Ƶ or your grantee, you may educate members of Congress about your work.

In some limited situations, you may use non-��è��Ƶ funds to offer views and recommend action on pending or proposed policy, such as responding to an unsolicited written government request, commenting on public rulemaking, or advocating for state or local funding for your own organization. However, those exceptions are narrow and have situation-specific compliance and reporting requirements.

For more information about lobbying restrictions, including exceptions involving the use of non-��è��Ƶ funds, see 45 C.F.R. Part 1612 , Advisory Opinion 2014-005 , and www.lsc.gov/lobbying-and-political-activities .

Examples of Permissible Personal Activities

In your personal capacity and during your non-work time, you may engage in the following activities. However, you must not use grantee time or resources, and you must not do anything that would intentionally identify a grantee with those activities:

Actively campaign for candidates for public office in partisan and nonpartisan elections.
Contribute money to political organizations and attend political fundraising functions.
Campaign for and hold office in political clubs and organizations.
Run for public office in nonpartisan elections (but no grantee staff attorney may run for public office in a partisan election).

In pursuing any of these permissible activities, you must follow these requirements:

Do not engage in any of these activities during your grantee work hours.
Do not, at any time, use grantee resources for these activities, including grantee-provided phones, computers, copiers, scanners, internet service, office space, or supplies.
Do not engage in these activities while at a grantee office, regardless of whether you are on or off the clock.

Your non-work time means time when you are not working for a grantee. This may include evenings, weekends, official lunch breaks, or while on any type of leave, whether paid or unpaid.

Please note: These restrictions apply any time you are working for an ��è��Ƶ grantee, even outside of your normal schedule. For example, if you normally do not work weekends but spend a weekend preparing for trial, the restrictions apply during those weekend work hours.

Questions and Guidance

If you have questions, we encourage you to contact ��è��Ƶ so we can provide guidance specific to your situation.

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Lobbying and Political Activities

fanlundk@lsc.gov — Thu, 13 May 2021 16:54:30 +0000

Lobbying and Political Activities fanlundk@lsc.gov Thu, 05/13/2021 - 12:54

Reference

Guidance

Memorandum

Restrictions on Political Activities and Lobbying (Election-Year Reminder Memo) (June 27, 2024)

Social Media, Lobbying, and Political Activities

Application of Restrictions on Political Activities and Lobbying to Use of Social Media by Grantees, Grantee Staff and Grantee Board Members (April 6, 2017)
- Grantee Social Media Accounts and Websites
- Personal Social Media Accounts of Grantee Employees
- Prohibition on Use of Grantee Time or Resources for Personal Lobbying or Political Actions

Educating Legislators About Legal Aid Without Prohibited Lobbying

Educating Legislators About Legal Aid by Carol Bergman, Vice President, Government Relations and Public Affairs, ��è��Ƶ (MIE Journal, Spring 2017)
This article discusses permissible activities for ��è��Ƶ grantees to educated legislators about their work. It includes examples and experiences written by Vicy Selkowe, Director of Legislative, Rulemaking, and Training Compliance at Legal Action of Wisconsin and by Colleen Cotter, Executive Director of the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland.

Lobbying Generally

Advisory Opinion 2014-005—Part 1612 Lobbying Activities
The restrictions at 45 C.F.R. § 1612.3 prohibit attempts to influence government decision-making through communications addressing actions the government should or should not take. The restrictions do not prohibit creating or distributing information about the impact and effects of actual or potential government actions, so long as that information does not advocate outcomes of government decision-making.
Program Letter 13-5—Restrictions on Lobbying and Other Activities
General guidance on the four categories of restricted lobbying activities.
Advisory Opinion 2013-010—Management Information Exchange Journal Article/��è��Ƶ Restrictions on Lobbying, Legislative and Administrative Activities
Analysis of lobbying restrictions as applied to an article written by an ��è��Ƶ grantee advocating that ��è��Ƶ grantees support legislation for state Medicaid expansion.

Webinars

Educating Members of Congress About Civil Legal Aid Without Lobbying (March 8, 2017)

See also, Educating Legislators About Legal Aid by Carol Bergman, Vice President, Government Relations and Public Affairs, ��è��Ƶ (MIE Journal, Spring 2017)
Presentation Slides for the March 8, 2017 Webinar
Video of the March 8, 2017 Webinar (1 hour) (audio plus slides)
Written Questions and Answers from the March 8, 2017 Webinar
- Educating members of Congress without lobbying
- Personal political activities of staff or board members
- Supporters questions
- Sub-Grantees
- Reporting violations

Discussing Your Program and Clients without Lobbying (April 12, 2017)

Video Recording of Webinar (there are no slides, only a cover image and the audio).
Audio Only Recording of Webinar (there are no slides)
- Educating members of Congress without lobbying
- Other lobbying and political activities to avoid
- Activities by staff on their personal time
- Board member activities

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Board Members

admin — Thu, 15 Apr 2021 13:46:23 +0000

Board Members admin Thu, 04/15/2021 - 09:46

��è��Ƶ is headed by an 11-member Board of Directors appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. By law, the Board is bipartisan: no more than six members may be of the same political party. The Board meets quarterly or more often.

Board Chair, John G. Levi

John G. Levi was nominated to serve on the Board of Directors of the ��è��Ƶ by President Barack Obama on August 6, 2009, and his nomination was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on March 19, 2010. He was elected Chairman of the ��è��Ƶ Board by his fellow Board members on April 7, 2010 and his re-nomination was confirmed by the Senate...

Board Vice Chair, Father Pius Pietrzyk, O.P.

Father Pius was nominated to serve on the Board of Directors of ��è��Ƶ by President Barack Obama on December 17, 2009, and his nomination was confirmed by the U. S. Senate on March 29, 2010. Father Pius is a priest of the Order of Preachers (the “Dominicans”). He currently serves as the Chairman of the Department of Pastoral...

Robert J. Grey Jr.

Board Member

/about-lsc/leadership/board-members/robert-j-grey-jr

Abigail Lawlis Kuzma

Board Member

/about-lsc/leadership/board-members/abigail-lawlis-kuzma

Victor B. Maddox

Board Member

/about-lsc/leadership/board-members/victor-b-maddox

John G. Malcolm

Board Member

/about-lsc/leadership/board-members/john-g-malcolm

Laurie Mikva

Board Member

/about-lsc/leadership/board-members/laurie-mikva

Frank X. Neuner Jr.

Board Member

/about-lsc/leadership/board-members/frank-x-neuner-jr

Julie A. Reiskin

Board Member

/about-lsc/leadership/board-members/julie-reiskin

Gloria Valencia-Weber

Board Member

/about-lsc/leadership/board-members/gloria-valencia-weber

Board Committees

Our board committees are comprised of board members and ��è��Ƶ leadership.

See all committees

��è��Ƶ Bylaws

The Bylaws are the governing rules by which ��è��Ƶ operates as amended by ��è��Ƶ’s Board of Directors on January 25, 2014.

Read Bylaws

Authorities Governing Board Actions

See our Code of Conduct, Board Governance, and other board documents.

See all

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Budget Requests

admin — Tue, 13 Apr 2021 23:42:57 +0000

Budget Requests admin Tue, 04/13/2021 - 19:42

2027 Budget Request

In light of the persistent justice gap in the United States, ��è��Ƶ seeks $2.1 billion from Congress for FY2027 – an amount that would enable ��è��Ƶ-funded legal services organizations to serve the close to two million eligible applicants they currently turn away due to lack of resources.

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2026 Budget Request

To meet the urgent needs of low-income Americans, the ��è��Ƶ (��è��Ƶ) seeks $2.132 billion for FY 2026. This is an increase of $335 million over our FY 2025 request, all of which would go to “Basic Field” grants to independent legal aid organizations that provide legal services to eligible Americans. ��è��Ƶ approves grantee applications to provide legal services and ensures continual oversight of all organizations.

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2025 Budget Request

��è��Ƶ requests $1.797 billion for FY 2025, an increase of $216 million over ��è��Ƶ’s FY 2024 budget request. This recommendation considers the sustained impact of COVID-19 and the drastic increase in child poverty experienced in 2022. We know that more than 33% of unmet legal needs are directly related to COVID-19 and others have been exacerbated by the pandemic. We also know child poverty more than doubled from 5.2% in 2021 to more than 12.4% in 2022. Evictions continue to rise – returning to or exceeding historical averages. Debt collection and related consumer finance complaints have reached record highs. Without a significant additional investment in civil legal aid, the justice gap will only continue to grow.

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2024 Budget Request

��è��Ƶ requests $1.576 billion for FY 2024, an increase of $313 million over ��è��Ƶ’s FY 2023 budget request. This recommendation considers the sustained impact of COVID-19 on low-income Americans. We now know that more than 33% of unmet legal needs are directly related to COVID-19 and that the legal needs of low-income people have only been exacerbated as a result of the pandemic. Evictions are on the rise – returning to or exceeding historical averages. Debt collection and related consumer finance complaints have reached record highs. In 2021, ��è��Ƶ grantees closed a record number of cases involving domestic violence. As families grapple with legal needs related to or exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, we expect the number of people seeking help from ��è��Ƶ grantees to increase in the next several years.

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2023 Budget Request

��è��Ƶ requests an appropriation of $1.26 billion for FY 2023, an increase of $245 million from last year’s request. Our request addresses the anticipated increase in demand for civil legal services due to the disproportionate impact that COVID-19 is having on low-income communities, coupled with the ongoing lack of adequate resources to provide civil legal assistance to millions of Americans eligible for ��è��Ƶ-funded services before the pandemic.

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2022 Budget Request

��è��Ƶ requests an appropriation of $1,018,800,000 for FY 2022. Our request addresses the anticipated increase in demand for civil legal services due to the disproportionate impact that COVID-19 is having on low-income communities as well as the continued lack of adequate resources to provide civil legal assistance to millions of Americans eligible for ��è��Ƶ-funded services before the pandemic.

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2021 Budget Request

��è��Ƶ's 2021 Budget Request details how ��è��Ƶ funding supports constituent services in every congressional district and the specifics of ��è��Ƶ’s annual ask to Congress.

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2020 Budget Request

��è��Ƶ requested an appropriation of $593,000,000 for FY 2020. This request reflected an increase of $28.2 million over the previous year’s request.

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Our Grantees

admin — Wed, 31 Mar 2021 02:17:28 +0000

Our Grantees admin Tue, 03/30/2021 - 22:17

��è��Ƶ is an independent nonprofit established by Congress in 1974 to provide financial support for civil legal aid to low-income Americans. ��è��Ƶ currently provides funding to 129 independent non-profit legal aid programs in every state, the District of Columbia, and U.S. Territories. Find out more information about our grantees.