Grant Details

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Authority

Summary

History of Funding

Since the start of the IOLTA program in July of 1985, more than $24.6 million has been awarded to organizations that are either assisting low-income Iowans with civil legal problems or involved in law-related education projects. The Iowa Supreme Court approved $432,489.64 in grants to nonprofit programs that provide legal assistance to low-income Iowans with civil legal problems for fiscal year 2019.

Current grantees can be seen at https://www.iowacourts.gov/opr/iolta-grants/iolta-grants/.

Additional Information

In the 30-year history of the IOLTA program, the supreme court has awarded most of the grants to organizations that assist low-income Iowans with civil legal problems such as divorce, domestic abuse, unsafe housing, and illegal evictions. The court has also presented grants to law-related education projects. IOLTA grants do not support criminal legal defense.

The Commission desires to make the best use of IOLTA funds and obtain maximum effect from each grant.

The following guidelines, with exception where necessary, will be used to assist in the grant decision-making process:

• The Commission favors funding groups or organizations (as opposed to individuals).
• The Commission favors challenge grants, or other types of fund-matching arrangements to leverage IOLTA money.
• Grant applicants should, if possible, have sources of income in addition to the IOLTA funds requested. Generally, the Commission does not intend to be the primary source of financial support for a sustained period of time and the applicant should demonstrate an ability to function eventually without the assistance of the Commission.
• Greater weight will be given to applicants with a prior history of service reflecting clear ability to deliver quality services successfully.
• Greater weight will be given to applicants that work to develop cooperative efforts between grantees in a given service area.
• The Commission prefers to fund applicants that have community support.
• The Commission will fund applicants to achieve broad geographic and demographic distribution of IOLTA funds throughout the state.
• The Commission prefers to avoid replacing other funding sources. The Commission also prefers neither to fund agencies primarily funded by state appropriations, nor will funding be granted to state agencies to perform statutory duties.
• In reviewing grants for renewal, greater weight will be given to previous recipients that have successfully utilized IOLTA funds.
• All grant recipients are expected to propose criteria by which their projects will be reviewed at least annually and to assist the Commission in conducting periodic evaluations.
• The Commission is especially interested in using its limited funds as seed money to establish new programs which contribute to the increased availability of legal services to indigents in all parts of the state or will provide increased education about the rights and responsibilities of all citizens under our legal system.
• The Commission will not fund political campaigns, lobbying or legislative advocacy nor will it fund programs to provide for criminal indigent defense.
• The commission examines applications based on the general return on investment and an overall emphasis on legal services for low income persons

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