The Massachusetts Bar Foundation, philanthropic partner of the
Massachusetts Bar Association, awarded $2.15 million in grants for
2013-14 through its annual Interest on Lawyers' Trust Accounts
(IOLTA) grants program. This year's grants will fund 89 programs
conducted by 62 nonprofit organizations throughout
Massachusetts.
These grants support projects that either offer civil legal
services to people who cannot otherwise 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 such efforts as court-connected
mediation and lawyer-of-the-day programs.
Funds for these grants are provided by the Massachusetts Supreme
Judicial Court's IOLTA Program. The Massachusetts Bar Foundation is
one of three charitable entities in Massachusetts that distributes
IOLTA funds.
Although available funds for IOLTA grants have declined by over 75
percent over the last several years, the MBF is pleased to be able
to support many of its longtime grantees as well as provide funding
for one new program - the Family Homelessness Crisis Response
Project of the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute (MLRI).
MLRI began this project in response to the changes to
Massachusetts emergency shelter eligibility guidelines that went
into effect in September 2012. Because numerous MBF grant
recipients cited the difficulties faced by families trying to
access shelter since the new policies began as their greatest
challenge, the MBF was well aware of the crisis when it reviewed
MLRI's application and knew the importance of directing its support
to this need. MLRI will use the MBF grant funds to represent and
provide advice to homeless families, legal services providers,
social service agencies and medical providers, and to conduct
systemic advocacy to modify existing rules around emergency
shelter.
"Even at a time of reduced resources," said MBF President Jerry
Cohen, "we are proud to provide timely assistance to respond to
critical issues facing our communities. By utilizing the collective
knowledge of our supporters, trustees and staff, we are able to
make investments across the state in programs that are truly making
a difference."
The MBF also supports other administration of justice initiatives
through its endowment, which has been established by generous
ongoing contributions from the legal community. The foundation is
happy to announce its upcoming milestone of 50 years of public
service in 2014, and looks ahead to its next 50 years.
Additional information about the MBF, its IOLTA Grants Program,
and other grant programs, as well as a complete listing of the
2013-14 IOLTA Grant recipients is available at
www.MassBarFoundation.org.