Massachusetts Bar Foundation
trustees recently awarded $5 million in grant funding to nonprofits
across the state that provide civil legal assistance to the most
vulnerable citizens.
The 2009-10 grants are funded by the
Interest on Lawyer's Trust Accounts (IOLTA) Program and are
particularly important today as the economic recession has created
the "perfect storm" for many of these organizations, as more people
are accessing their services, while funding from various sources,
including government as well as private foundations, has been
cut.
As the annual grant program's
deadline loomed in March, the MBF faced a devastating shortfall of
IOLTA funds. Available IOLTA revenue was down more than 66 percent
from last year. More than 150 MBF Fellows assisted in reviewing
grant applications, including meeting in-person with the service
providers. Across the state, they heard the same message - funds
were desperately needed to enable the poorest Massachusetts
citizens to have equal access to the state's justice
system.
While there is always the
possibility of fluctuation in IOLTA revenue from year to year, this
year's dramatic drop was certainly unprecedented. Thanks to the
stewardship of the MBF trustees past and present, the MBF was
fortunate to be able to utilize reserve funds to lessen the impact
of the funding shortage on the grantees. Thus, the total award
amount for this year is the second highest payout ever for the
foundation, despite the precipitous decline in IOLTA revenue. A
total of $6.3 million in grants was awarded in 2008-09.
MBF President Laurence M.
Johnson, a partner at Davis, Malm & D'Agostine in Boston,
explains that trustees recognized "the dire impact the recession
has had on so many individuals and families across the state. We
knew it was absolutely essential that we do whatever we could to
help keep these vital services available to those in
need."
This year's MBF IOLTA grant
awards will support 158 programs conducted by 107 nonprofit
organizations throughout Massachusetts. The grants support projects
that offer civil legal services to people who cannot otherwise
afford them, to improve the administration of justice in the
commonwealth.
Grants providing direct legal
services include support to domestic violence programs, special
education advocacy, consumer debt counseling and homelessness
prevention projects. Grants to improve the administration of
justice include such efforts as court-linked mediation and
lawyer-of-the-day programs. Award amounts range from $1,500 to
$98,000, and will run for one year, from Sept. 1, 2009, to Aug. 31,
2010.
Funds for these grants are
provided by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court's IOLTA
Program. The MBF is one of three charitable entities in
Massachusetts that distributes IOLTA funds.
Visit www.MassBarFoundation.org
to view a complete listing of the 2009-10 IOLTA grant
recipients.