The Massachusetts Bar Foundation (MBF) recently awarded more
than $2.6 million to 92 programs conducted by 60 nonprofit
organizations through its annual IOLTA grants program. For the
first time since the recession, the MBF was able to award a
significantly higher amount of funding to its grantees.
"Thanks to funding the MBF received from a nationwide settlement
with Bank of America, we were able to increase funding for grants
by almost $700,000 over last year," said MBF President Janet F.
Aserkoff of Boston's Rappaport Aserkoff & Gelles. "MBF grantees
are working every day to meet an enormous demand for civil legal
assistance. We are proud to be able to support these critically
needed programs throughout the state."
MBF IOLTA grants support projects that either offer civil legal
services to people who could not afford them, or improve the
administration of justice in the commonwealth. Grants providing
direct legal services include support to domestic violence
programs, special education advocacy, humanitarian immigration
assistance, and homelessness prevention. Grants to improve the
administration of justice include efforts such as court-connected
mediation and lawyer of the day programs.
The Massachusetts Bar Foundation is one of three charitable
entities in Massachusetts that distributes funds from the
Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court's Interest on Lawyers' Trust
Accounts Program. Funds from the Bank of America settlement were
distributed to IOLTA programs all over the United States.
Additional information about the Massachusetts Bar Foundation
and its IOLTA Grants Program, as well as a complete listing of the
2016/2017 IOLTA grant recipients is available at www.MassBarFoundation.org.