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Carl Rauscher    
Director of Communications and Media Relations    
rauscherc@lsc.gov   
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WASHINGTON—The ���˶��� (LSC) announced today that it is awarding Pro Bono Innovation Fund grants totaling over $5 million to 17 legal aid organizations in 14 different states. The grants will support efforts to expand and improve pro bono legal services for low-income Americans.  

In the face of a vast justice gap—where low-income people do not receive sufficient legal help for —pro bono services are one of the approaches that LSC advances to address the disparities in access to justice. Expanding pro bono and other volunteer services gives legal aid providers increased bandwidth to assist low-income Americans in civil issue areas like housing, family, employment and income maintenance, consumer debt, and natural disaster recovery.  

“LSC’s Pro Bono Innovation Fund supports grantees’ tireless efforts to expand access to legal services,” said LSC President Ron Flagg. “Pro bono volunteers are an invaluable resource for the millions of low-income Americans in need of legal aid.”     

LSC is awarding these grants from its Pro Bono Innovation Fund (PBIF) included in its FY 2023 congressional appropriation. Since the inception of PBIF in 2014, LSC has awarded 139 grants totaling more than $40 million. Each organization’s project involves creating solutions to persistent challenges in pro bono delivery systems or exploring new ways to implement pro bono services to reach low-income Americans with legal needs. The funds are directed to grantee projects that are replicable and scalable, and which focus on critical, unmet need. 

“Beyond providing resources, the Pro Bono Innovation Fund also fosters a collaborative community of legal aid organizations who can share their innovative practices and successful programs to multiply their impact across the country,” said Flagg.  

Community Legal Aid SoCal, Pine Tree Legal Assistance and Legal Aid Society of Eastern Virginia will use their grants to fund programs focused on pro bono services for housing and eviction prevention. Center for Arkansas Legal Services, Prairie State Legal Services and Legal Aid of Northwest Texas will use the funding to support programs that help low-income Americans pursue criminal record-sealing or expungement. Grantees in Arkansas, Florida, Michigan, Tennessee and Virginia are using the awards to conduct assessments of their current pro bono practices to determine how they can develop new program models that most effectively leverage pro bono services for the biggest client impact.  

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

“Pro Bono Innovation Grants recognize the unsung heroes in legal services who tirelessly work to bridge the justice gap,” said Senator Dick Durbin. “This federal funding paves the way for innovative solutions that address the persistent challenges in our pro bono delivery system, ensuring that the goals of justice and fairness remain steadfastly within our reach.” “I’m glad the Legal Aid Society of Eastern Virginia (LASEV) and Legal Services of Northern Virginia (LSNV) are receiving funding from the ���˶���’s Pro Bono Innovation Fund, which I’ve been proud to support in Congress,” said Senator Tim Kaine. “This funding is critical to supporting LASEV’s work to make sure more Virginians have access to safe, affordable housing and LSNV’s efforts to improve and expand their pro bono services.” 

“This grant will enhance legal services available to Arkansans regardless of their financial situation,” Senator John Boozman said. “I’m pleased to support this funding that will connect individuals and families with community resources to help foster a brighter future.” 

“Everyone deserves quality legal representation, regardless of income,” said Rep. Morgan McGarvey (KY-3). “This grant to the Legal Aid Society will lend a much needed helping hand to communities across the commonwealth, allowing more Kentuckians to access pro bono legal assistance during eviction proceedings. Housing is absolutely fundamental to so many aspects of life. Without stable housing, everything else becomes secondary. The Legal Aid Society’s Volunteer Eviction Defense Program means fewer Louisvillians will be wrongfully evicted.” 

“As a former public defender, I know from experience how a single conviction, even over a minor infraction, can impact a person’s career and life for years or decades. I’ve watched too many people caught up in the justice system have their career prospects, housing, and family situations ruined by a single conviction that haunts them long after it should. No one should have their life defined and limited by one mistake,” said Rep. Jasmine Crockett (TX-30). “I am grateful to the ���˶��� for this life-changing grant to Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas to fund their efforts to provide legal aid for Texans in the process of expunging past convictions. Your work is an important step towards breaking the cycle of poverty and mass imprisonment that has dragged down North Texans for too long.” 

Further details about grant amounts are listed below and more information about the Pro Bono Innovation Fund is .  

  

Arkansas  
Center for Arkansas Legal Services  
Grant: $394,344.32  

California  
Community Legal Aid SoCal  
Grant: $313,702  

Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County  
Grant: $75,752.30  

Florida  
Legal Services of North Florida   
Grant: $481,386.29   

Illinois   
Prairie State Legal Services  
Grant: $198,599   
Grant: $318,650   

Kansas  
Kansas Legal Services  
Grant: $334,132  

Kentucky  
Legal Aid Society  
Grant: $198,090  

Louisiana   
Southeast Louisiana Legal Services Corp 
Grant: $287,321  

Maine  
Pine Tree Legal Assistance   
Grant: $372,223.60  

Michigan  
Legal Aid of Western Michigan  
Grant: $443,982  

Michigan Indian Legal Services  
Grant: $181,960   

New York  
Legal Services NYC  
Grant: $300,042.37  

Tennessee 
West Tennessee Legal Services   
Grant: $56,717   

Texas  
Legal Aid of Northwest Texas  
Grant: $384,937  

Virginia  
Legal Aid Society of Eastern Virginia  
Grant: $398,660  

Legal Services of Northern Virginia  
Grant: $86,250  

Vermont  
Legal Services Vermont  
Grant: $227,982