Legal Services Corporation Awards $4.6 Million in Technology Grants to 29 Legal Aid Organizations
Contact
Carl Rauscher
Director of Communications and Media Relations
rauscherc@lsc.gov
202-295-1615
WASHINGTON—The Legal Services Corporation (LSC) announced today that it is awarding 33 Technology Initiative Grants (TIG) to 29 legal services providers totaling $4,679,135. These organizations will use the funds to leverage technology in delivering high-quality legal assistance to low-income Americans.
Established in 2000, the TIG program distributes grants annually to LSC-funded legal services providers. LSC has awarded 859 grants since the program’s inception—totaling more than $81 million to fund legal technology projects.
Grant recipients have used this funding to enhance cybersecurity, build educational platforms, strengthen program capacity and support the work of pro bono attorneys. Successful TIG projects are often replicated by organizations around the country, creating wide-reaching impacts.
“In the face of our country’s vast justice gap, legal aid providers are constantly looking for tools that will help them provide increased legal assistance to more low-income Americans in critical need,” said LSC President Ronald S. Flagg. “LSC’s Technology Initiative Grants empower our grantees to use technology in innovative ways that strengthen legal services for families facing issues like eviction, domestic violence and natural disasters.”
Members of Congress congratulated legal aid organizations in their states and districts for receiving TIG funding.
“Access to quality legal services, regardless of one’s financial status, helps advance justice for everyone,” said Senator Susan Collins. “By supporting Pine Tree Legal Assistance’s efforts to make legal documents and other resources easily available online, this funding will help low-income Mainers protect their rights.”
“The Montana Legal Services Association helps ensure that justice is accessible to folks across our state – no matter their income,” said Senator Jon Tester. “Their services provide assistance to seniors, veterans, and others who need a helping hand when navigating the legal system. This funding will help modernize Montana Legal Services Association systems, allowing them to strengthen their cybersecurity, expand their resources, and improve services for their clients.”
“Helping domestic violence survivors is notable and inspiring work, and I am pleased that Legal Services of Oklahoma has received two substantial grants to continue its vital mission by creating an online portal to expand access and services to victims,” said Rep. Tom Cole (OK-4). “Indeed, this database tool will greatly assist attorneys, survivors and advocates in their work together to provide safety and justice for survivors.”
“I am so excited to recognize Legal Services Corporation (LSC) for awarding two Technology Initiative Grants to Legal Aid of Northwest Texas and Lone Star Legal Aid. These grants in the amounts of $35,000 and $285,929.60 respectively will enable these organizations to further their missions to provide access to justice for all,” said Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (TX-18).
“I would like to thank LSC for this generous investment in legal aid. LANWT will use the grant to implement cybersecurity controls and LSLA will develop software to keep legal information websites in Texas up to date,” Rep. Jackson Lee continued. “The impact these grants will have on those in our communities who need it most cannot be overstated. Legal aid helps to ensure that everyone, regardless of income, can access the legal system when necessary. Thank you, LSC, for your dedication to those in need!”
This year’s TIG recipients are using tech tools in several different aspects of their service delivery. Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida will enhance its 24/7 chatbot initiative to automatically disseminate basic information about its services and connect users to relevant resources. Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma will develop a statewide website portal for domestic violence survivors, allowing them to collaborate with attorneys remotely on protective orders and other key legal documents.
Many organizations including Legal Services Alabama, Land of Lincoln Legal Aid, Pine Tree Legal Assistance, Community Legal Aid of Massachusetts, Michigan Advocacy Program, Legal Aid Service of Northeastern Minnesota, and Legal Services Vermont are developing and implementing self-help resources that guide people through the steps to resolve their legal issue and often help them complete the correct documentation to file in court.
The 2022 TIG projects are:
Alabama
Legal Services Alabama, Inc. (LSA)
Funding Amount: $149,169.68
Description: LSA will develop informational guides for Alabamans who are experiencing a legal issue but cannot afford legal services. The interactive guides will demonstrate the steps necessary to resolve their legal issue. The project team will ensure that this information is easily accessible to low-income people throughout the state, including individuals with disabilities and those lacking high-speed internet access.
Legal Services Alabama, Inc. (LSA)
Funding Amount: $24,750.00
Description: LSA will engage an outside cybersecurity consultant to undertake a comprehensive assessment. The consultant will identify cybersecurity gaps and work with LSA to move the organization towards a “zero-trust” cybersecurity model, ensuring that key systems and information are protected from emerging threats.
Arizona
DNA-Peoples Legal Services, Inc. (DNA)
Funding Amount: $35,000.00
Description: DNA will conduct a full technology assessment and IT security audit to identify areas for advancement. To bolster security and efficiency, DNA will engage an outside expert to create a technology improvement plan and help prepare updated IT policies.
Southern Arizona Legal Aid, Inc. (SALA)
Funding Amount: $35,000.00
Description: SALA will conduct a thorough IT assessment to address challenges with its current use of technology and identify how the organization can best upgrade IT practices. SALA will engage an outside consultant to help them create a technology improvement roadmap and draft updated IT policies.
Arkansas
Center for Arkansas Legal Services (CALS)
Funding Amount: $31,343.12
Description: CALS will conduct a thorough audit of the organization’s hardware, applications and technology protocols while establishing a roadmap for improving security, building upon recent improvements to its IT infrastructure strengthened with funds received from LSC’s disaster appropriation.
California
California Indian Legal Services, Inc. (CILS)
Funding Amount: $35,000.00
Description: CILS will conduct a technology assessment focused on improving how staff use current technology systems. The project will advance CILS' use of secure and reliable technology to increase organizational effectiveness and to improve, increase and maintain service delivery to the low-income California Native Americans and Tribes it assists.
Community Legal Aid SoCal (CLA SoCal)
Funding Amount: $203,830.44
Description: CLA SoCal will lead an “equity mapping” data project to help the organization identify areas of need in Orange County communities and better use data for strategic planning, resource allocation decisions and enhanced services to low-income clients. The project will help CLA SoCal contribute to a regional effort to better understand the challenges faced by vulnerable populations and how civil legal services can address them.
Community Legal Aid SoCal (CLA SoCal)
Funding Amount: $35,000.00
Description: CLA SoCal will conduct a business process analysis of its procedures and technology systems used for intake, referral and provision of legal advice. An outside expert will work with CLA SoCal to develop strategies for deploying technology innovations that improve the applicant and client experience and help the organization to better serve low-income individuals.
Colorado
Colorado Legal Services (CLS)
Funding Amount: $90,268.00
Description: CLS will develop a statewide system for collecting client outcome information using text messaging — a technology that is widely accessible to low-income Americans. After the program represents a client, an automated platform will send the client a sequence of text messages to assess the outcome of its case and provide follow-up assistance when necessary. Previous text messaging projects in legal services have resulted in response rates exceeding 50%, allowing legal services organizations to obtain significant data on the impact of their case work.
Connecticut
Statewide Legal Services of Connecticut, Inc. (SLSC)
Funding Amount: $34,999.96
Description: SLSC will undertake a comprehensive technology assessment and security audit to assess the organization’s overall use of technology, including its hardware, software applications and widely used call center. The assessment and audit recommendations will enable SLSC to develop technology improvement strategies and guide future IT investments.
Florida
Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida, Inc. (CLSMF)
Funding Amount: $170,294.49
Description: CLSMF will enhance its chatbot initiative to automatically disseminate basic information about the organization and its services, connect residents to resources and legal information to help them understand their rights and triage emergency matters to quickly connect users with a legal professional. The chatbot will be available 24/7 through the organization’s website and will be improved over time by analyzing user data and adding new legal resources.
Legal Services of Greater Miami, Inc.
Funding Amount: $255,696.25
Description: Legal Services of Greater Miami will rebuild the Florida Law Help statewide legal information and referral website. This project will transition management of the site to leading legal services organizations in the state and create a centralized hub for access to free legal information and automated resources. The new site will also connect people seeking help to legal aid organizations throughout Florida via an online referral and application system.
Georgia
Georgia Legal Services Program (GLSP)
Funding Amount: $249,825.00
Description: GLSP will create six legal access kiosks in rural Georgia counties. These kiosks will allow residents to receive legal assistance and information at safe and convenient locations in their community. Kiosks will allow users to apply for legal services, meet with their attorney virtually and access automated self-help tools to better resolve their legal problem. The project team will place kiosks in rural communities that are geographically distant from existing legal aid offices and where assistance from private attorneys is often limited.
Illinois
Land of Lincoln Legal Aid, Inc. (LOLLA)
Funding Amount: $243,041.01
Description: LOLLA will partner with the Illinois Legal Aid Online (ILAO) statewide website to update and improve the state's comprehensive library of automated document interviews. The new documents will allow more Illinois residents to create and easily file legally accurate court forms and other necessary legal documents, benefiting self-represented litigants and legal aid clients receiving limited-scope assistance.
Kentucky
Legal Aid of the Bluegrass (LAB)
Funding Amount: $35,000.00
Description: LAB will conduct a general technology assessment and IT security audit to identify opportunities for technology improvement and investments. An outside expert will review the current state of the organization's IT environment and security to detect vulnerabilities, potential threats and high-risk practices, allowing LAB to improve cybersecurity and general IT usage.
Maine
Pine Tree Legal Assistance, Inc. (PTLA)
Funding Amount: $152,987.94
Description: PTLA will develop and implement a series of online guided interviews and automated documents. These tools will allow Maine residents to complete court forms and other key legal documents easily, by answering a series of organized questions about their legal issue. The project team will utilize a new and innovative platform to deliver legal assistance to low-income residents across Maine, including through resources available on the popular PTLA.org website and the veterans-focused StatesideLegal.org.
Massachusetts
Community Legal Aid, Inc. (CLA)
Funding Amount: $152,455.41
Description: CLA will develop and deploy a web-based form with step-by-step guidance on how to become a guardian or caretaker for a minor. The tool will guide low-income families through the complicated legal requirements around guardianships of minors and help them file guardianship petitions, which are critically necessary for many low-income families impacted by the opioid epidemic.
Michigan
Michigan Advocacy Program (MAP)
Funding Amount: $102,950.00
Description: MAP will upgrade and implement the next iteration of document assembly tools for Michigan’s self-represented litigants and those working with limited scope counsel. MAP will partner with the Michigan Legal Help Program (MLHP), which operates the statewide self-help website MichiganLegalHelp.org and has developed a comprehensive library of do-it-yourself legal tools. These tools help Michiganians create legally accurate, complete and legible documents to file in court or otherwise use to help solve their legal problems.
Michigan Advocacy Program (MAP)
Funding Amount: $598,970.00
Description: MAP will manage the Legal Services National Technology Assistance Project (LSNTAP) for the next two years. LSNTAP is a national platform that ensures that LSC-funded legal services providers across the country can utilize technology effectively within their organization. The project offers LSC grantees free access to an annual technology webinar series, an individualized technical assistance program and a library of robust toolkits on emerging technology topics.
Minnesota
Legal Aid Service of Northeastern Minnesota (LASNEM)
Funding Amount: $299,866.30
Description: LASNEM will enhance the software that powers the Minnesota Legal Kiosk Project and create step-by-step legal guides to help kiosk users and other low-income Minnesotans across the state. LASNEM was part of a legal aid coalition that deployed a network of over 270 legal kiosks across Minnesota to create access points for low-income people during the pandemic. This project will further develop the self-help resources available through the network of kiosks and enhance access for all residents in need of legal assistance.
Mississippi
North Mississippi Rural Legal Services, Inc. (NMRLS)
Funding Amount: $29,947.00
Description: NMRLS will conduct a business process analysis of its client intake system, which includes a centralized call center and online application. The assessment will focus on identifying any deficiencies in these systems and developing a roadmap to improve operations and increase efficiency.
Missouri
Legal Aid of Western Missouri (LAWMO)
Funding Amount: $91,124.00
Description: LAWMO will develop an artificial intelligence-enabled appointment-scheduling system that will make its application process more organized and convenient. This system allows applicants to set their own appointments and receive automated text reminders using an online scheduling tool. The result is a client-centric system that reaches more applicants and allows LAWMO to deliver services more efficiently.
Montana
Montana Legal Services Association (MLSA)
Funding Amount: $227,601.78
Description: MLSA will develop, test and implement an innovative intake tool that integrates with Montana’s case management system. The new system will efficiently guide intake staff through each applicant’s legal situation, changing intake questions based on the answers to previous questions. It will triage issues by flagging time-sensitive cases to direct to attorneys, while also providing intake staff with relevant legal information and self-help resources to give immediate assistance to the client. With better technology to guide applicants and intake staff, MLSA aims to reduce the applicant screening process by 15-30 minutes and reduce the need for administrative follow-up calls with existing clients.
Montana Legal Services Association (MLSA)
Funding Amount: $35,000.00
Description: MLSA will conduct a technology assessment to review its current IT architecture and cybersecurity practices. This assessment will evaluate findings against industry standards and best practices, concluding with a comprehensive recommendation report for specific solutions and an implementation plan to improve MLSA’s technology and security.
Nebraska
Legal Aid of Nebraska
Funding Amount: $136,316.75
Description: Legal Aid of Nebraska will increase its capacity to use data analysis tools and make more data-informed decisions that enhance operational effectiveness. The organization will expand its use of the Tableau Online data platform and conduct extensive training to help staff and stakeholders become more data-literate legal professionals.
Oklahoma
Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma, Inc. (LASO)
Funding Amount: $309,223.00
Description: LASO will develop a statewide website portal for domestic violence (DV) survivors, advocates and attorneys in Oklahoma. The portal will promote safety and justice for survivors by leveraging technology and the state’s existing DV-collaboration infrastructure to provide robust, trauma-informed assistance. The tools will allow survivors and attorneys to collaborate remotely on protective orders and other key legal documents.
Pennsylvania
Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania (LASP)
Funding Amount: $35,000.00
Description: LASP will use TIG funding to support a thorough review of the organization’s technology infrastructure and information security system. The organization will partner with an expert consultant with experience improving security and increasing efficiency through technology to develop a plan for maintaining and improving LASP’s operational systems.
South Carolina
South Carolina Legal Services, Inc. (SCLS)
Funding Amount: $35,000.00
Description: SCLS will retain an independent consultant to perform a technology assessment and security audit of the organization’s IT infrastructure. The assessment and security audit will help SCLS identify existing technology deficiencies and gaps, and assist in the organization’s overall goal of updating its technology systems to better serve clients.
Texas
Legal Aid of Northwest Texas (LANWT)
Funding Amount: $35,000.00
Description: LANWT will engage an outside expert to audit the cybersecurity controls for the organization and better protect it from cyberthreats. The assessment will identify potential internal and external threats, as well as the countermeasures and system upgrades necessary to improve security.
Lone Star Legal Aid (LSLA)
Funding Amount: $285,929.60
Description: LSLA will develop software tools to help keep content on legal information websites in Texas up to date. The automated tools will check online legal authorities—such as statutes, regulations and administrative proceedings—and send alerts to staff about potentially outdated material. Texas legal aid providers have invested significantly in legal information websites that help low-income users, disaster survivors and other residents who struggle to afford an attorney. This project ensures that these sites will continue to serve as helpful resources.
Vermont
Legal Services Vermont (LSV)
Funding Amount: $207,965.30
Description: LSV will create online guided interviews that walk Vermonters through filling out important court forms such as relief from abuse, divorce and small claims. LSV will integrate the guided interviews into an electronic filing system so users can directly file the forms online with Vermont courts. The guided interviews will provide an easy and accessible way to complete court forms by providing simplified questions and help to guide users and ensure more complete and legally accurate filings. Self-represented litigants will be able to “fill and file” the court documents in one sitting or save their progress and print or send links to their documents to themselves or an advocate.
Washington
Northwest Justice Project (NJP)
Funding Amount: $118,539.00
Description: NJP will develop a social media toolkit that informs the public of their legal right to translation and interpretation services. The toolkit will be applicable nationwide and focus on protections in common areas of practice such as courts, housing, public benefits and education. It will present key concepts in multiple languages and be available in formats that legal aid organizations and partners can insert onto social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter.
Wisconsin
Judicare Legal Aid (formerly Wisconsin Judicare, Inc.)
Funding Amount: $197,041.00
Description: Judicare Legal Aid will create a new statewide legal information website, Wisconsin Law Help. The site will help low-income Wisconsin residents find high-quality legal assistance through a variety of providers and access self-help legal information that can empower them to meet their legal needs. Wisconsin Law Help will leverage partnerships with legal services providers throughout the state to offer substantive, easy-to-use legal information in areas such as family, housing and consumer law.