MBF Awards $2.6 Million in Grants for Legal Aid Programs Across Massachusetts
Funds Will Help Low-Income Clients Overcome Challenges Related to Housing, Domestic Violence, Immigration, Education, Consumer Debt, Healthcare, and more.
BOSTON, MA — The Massachusetts Bar Foundation (MBF) recently awarded $2.6 million to 89 legal aid programs conducted by 59 nonprofit organizations across the state through its annual Interest on Lawyers' Trust Account (IOLTA) grants program. Despite a 25% decline in revenues from Massachusetts IOLTA funds, MBF Trustees elected to draw from reserves to ensure this year’s funding remained essentially level with last year.
“Low-income communities in Massachusetts have been hit hardest by the pandemic. Given the related demand and urgency for civil legal services, especially in regard to housing, benefits, healthcare, and education advocacy, the MBF Trustees felt it was essential to keep funding as close to previous levels as possible,” explained MBF President Richard J. Grahn of Mattapoisett. "MBF grantee organizations have been on the front lines these past sixteen months helping Massachusetts families overcome these enormous challenges.”
The Massachusetts Bar Foundation is one of three charitable entities that distributes funds from the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court's IOLTA program. MBF IOLTA Grants provide funding for direct legal services including support for homelessness prevention, domestic violence programs, education and healthcare advocacy, and immigration assistance. Grants to improve the administration of justice include court-connected mediation, conciliation, and lawyer of the day programs.
Over 90 attorneys and judges who are members of the MBF Society of Fellows volunteered their time and talent to help review applications, conduct site visits, and help ensure proper stewardship of Massachusetts IOLTA funds.
For additional information about the Massachusetts Bar Foundation and its IOLTA Grants Program, as well as a complete listing of the 2021/2022 IOLTA grant recipients click here.
