To help meet the growing need for private funding in legal aid the Legal Services Corporation’s Board of Directors Promotion and Provision for the Delivery of Legal Services Committee hosted a panel presentation on Resource Development on July 27, 2012 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The presenters addressed salient trends in legal aid funding, as well as the elements of successful resource development.

The need for private fundraising among LSC grantees has existed since the early 1980s. Current trends indicate that legal aid organizations are facing decreases in both LSC and IOLTA funding, thus increasing the importance of private fundraising. Cultivation of new funding sources and expansion of existing sources of revenue are essential to meet the demands for civil legal services. However, opportunities for private fundraising are often overlooked because fundraising can be difficult and expensive.

To demystify the fundraising process, this presentation emphasized the primary factors of successful resource development and provided examples of specific successes in resource development.

Presenters on the panel discussion included:

• Meredith McBurney, Resource Development Consultant, ABA Resource Center for Access to Justice Initiatives and Management Information Exchange (Moderator)
• Jennifer Bentley, Outreach and Development Manager, Legal Services of South Central Michigan
• Steve Gottlieb, Executive Director, Atlanta Legal Aid Society
• Daniel K. Glazier, Executive Director and General Counsel, Legal Services of Eastern Missouri
• Deierdre L. Weir, Executive Director, Legal Aid and Defender Association, Inc.

More information on the presentation, including a recording of the presentation, is available on the Legal Services Corporation Resource Information (LRI) website. The LRI website provides information about legal services management and delivery approaches from both LSC-funded and non-LSC civil legal services providers and other law-related organizations and institutions.

The goals of the site include increasing public awareness of and support for civil legal services to low-income persons and enhancing the quality and compliance of legal services programs, often through innovative and new approaches to problems and issues.

Information is provided on an "as is" basis and, unless otherwise stated, does not represent an official endorsement by the Legal Services Corporation. Visitors are encouraged to consult the contact person listed for an item of interest if further information or assistance should be sought for your particular circumstances. For more information on LRI visit http://lri.lsc.gov.