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Q: From where does the Foundation get its money?
A: On behalf of the Supreme Court of Texas, the Foundation
administers the Interest on Lawyers' Trust Accounts (IOLTA)
Program, established in 1984 by the Supreme Court of Texas.
The IOLTA program allows attorneys to pool short-term or
nominal deposits made on behalf of clients or third parties
into one account. Interest generated by these accounts is
dedicated to helping nonprofit organizations that provide
free civil Legal Aid to low-income Texans. The Foundation
also administers the Basic Civil Legal Services (BCLS) Fund,
enacted by the Texas Legislature in 1997. People who file
lawsuits must pay a small additional fee. These fees are
designated to assist nonprofit organizations in providing
free civil legal services to low-income Texans. The
Foundation is also the administrator of the Crime Victims Civil
Legal Services (CVCLS) fund. The monies granted must be used to provide free civil
legal services to low-income victims of crime, immediate family members and claimants.
Q: Who may receive funding?
A: Prospective grantees must be nonprofit, 501(c)(3)
organizations that have as a primary purpose the delivery of
civil legal services to low-income Texans. The Foundation
does not grant funds to individuals. Each funding source has
several additional requirements that prospective grantee
organizations must meet. For more information, please see
the rules governing operation of the individual funding
sources.
Rules Governing the Operation of TAJF
 , the BCLS Court
Order
and the CVCLS Court Order
.
Q: Who is eligible for services from the funds distributed
to Foundation grantees?
A: Funds from the Foundation help Low-Income Texans. For the
distribution of IOLTA and BCLS funds, the Foundation defines
low-income as those who live at or below 125 percent of the
federal poverty level. The
CVCLS program assists low-income victims of crime that live at or below 187.5 percent
of poverty level. See the
Financial Eligibility Guidelines.
Q: What kind of assistance do Foundation grantees provide?
A: Grantees provide civil Legal Aid to indigent Texans who cannot otherwise afford
an attorney. These individuals may receive legal assistance in consumer matters,
employment, divorce, adoption, access to health care and public benefits, housing,
individual rights, and wills and estates. Through the CVCLS program, certain victims
of crime may receive similar civil legal services in relation to the specific injury
suffered.
Q: How and when does my organization apply for funds?
A: The Texas Access to Justice Foundation accepts
applications usually between February and April each year if
there are fund available to new applicants. Our website will
announce any requests for proposals. Completed applications
must be submitted to TEAJF by the published deadline. The
TAJF Board of Directors makes funding decisions during the
summer. Grant awards announcements are made shortly
thereafter. For any questions, email TAJFmail@teajf.org or
call 800-252-3401, ext. 103
.
Q: How are grant decisions made?
A: The Foundation's Board of Directors reviews both administrative and programmatic
aspects of applicant organizations. Some funds are distributed to organizations
that provide statewide services, while other funds are distributed to organizations
that provide services to their local communities. The funds are distributed
using the poverty population, as determined by the U.S. Census Bureau, of the area
where the grantee is located. The Board attempts to ensure that funds granted by the Foundation
are not used to duplicate a service already funded by another entity or in a place
where other funds are available for the same purpose.
Q: What are the specific funding source restrictions?
A: Each program has its own particular set of restrictions, some of which are listed
below. For more information on funding restrictions, please see the
IOLTA Rules
, BCLS Order
, CVCLS Order
and the General Grant Provisions for each funding source.
IOLTA funds
may not be used to directly fund class action lawsuits; to directly fund lawsuits
against governmental entities, except by individuals to gain benefits authorized
by statute or regulation; to support lobbying for a candidate or issue; and may
not be used in matters that might reasonably be expected to result in a fee from
public funds or from an opposing party unless appropriate attempts have been made
to obtain representation from an attorney in private practice.
BCLS funds
may not be used to directly or indirectly support a class action lawsuit; to directly
or indirectly support a lawsuit against a governmental entity (except by groups
or individuals to gain benefits authorized by statute or regulation), political
party or candidate; to directly or indirectly support lobbying for or against a
candidate or issue; to directly or indirectly support abortion litigation; to directly
or indirectly represent an individual who is confined to jail or prison; to directly
or indirectly provide legal services to an individual who is not legally in this
country unless necessary to protect the physical safety of the individual; and in
matters that might reasonably be expected to result in a fee from public funds or
from an opposing party unless appropriate attempts have been made to obtain representation
from an attorney in private practice.
CVCLS funds may not be used for
class actions; may not be used against a governmental entity, except by groups or
individuals to gain benefits authorized by statute or regulation; may not be used
for lobbying; and may not be used for any case or matter that, if undertaken on
behalf of an indigent person by an attorney in private practice, might reasonably
be expected to result in the payment of a fee for legal services from an award to
the client from public funds or from an opposing party unless applicant has been
unable to obtain counsel because the potential fee is inadequate, likely uncollectable,
would substantially consume recovery, or otherwise prevent applicant from obtaining
counsel.
For grants-related questions, not covered here, please
contact 1-800-252-3401, ext. 103.
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