The Legal Services Corporation (LSC) announced today that it is awarding Technology Initiative Grants (TIG) to 24 legal services organizations totaling $3,941,298. The TIG program funds technology projects that provide greater access to high-quality legal assistance and information for low-income Americans.

Established in 2000, the program distributes grants annually to LSC-funded legal aid organizations around the country. Since its inception, LSC has made grants totaling nearly $70 million to fund more than 750 technology projects. Grant recipients have used this funding to create innovative ways to serve clients, strengthen program capacity and support the work of pro bono attorneys.

“LSC’s Technology Initiative Grants support projects that improve the delivery of legal services and information to people who would otherwise have to navigate the legal system alone,” said LSC President Ronald S. Flagg. “These projects use technology to leverage scarce human resources and increase access to justice for low-income individuals and families with critical legal needs.”

Many Members of Congress congratulated legal aid organizations in their districts for receiving TIG funding, including:

“Kansans who are struggling financially have a great advocate in Kansas Legal Services, and this grant will help low-income Kansans have greater access to information and resources to navigate complicated and challenging legal systems,” said Sen. Jerry Moran (KS), Chairman of the Senate Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee. 

“As co-founder and co-chair of the bipartisan Access to Legal Aid Caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives, I am proud to learn the Indiana Legal Services received a $125,384 Technology Initiative Grant,” said Rep. Susan Brooks (IN-5). “We certainly have relied more heavily on technology during the pandemic. Unfortunately, Hoosiers’ legal issues have only gotten greater increasing the need for the Indiana Legal Help website, which will benefit Hoosiers as they search for answers to their legal problems.”

"I am thrilled that Legal Services of Alabama was awarded the Technology Initiative Grant that will allow them to expand access to their legal services throughout Alabama," said Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-7). "Technology is vital in providing high quality legal counseling in today's world. Legal Services of Alabama plays a crucial role in providing free civil legal aid for Alabamians in need. This grant will provide critical resources to increase their outreach in helping low-income people resolve their legal problems."

Among the funded initiatives are several projects that will improve organizations’ online self-help resources. Other projects will bolster existing case management and online intake systems to allow legal services providers to more effectively serve clients. Several organizations will use TIG funding to create more intuitive, mobile-first websites.

In Pennsylvania, Philadelphia Legal Assistance Center will use its grant to expand the Upsolve self-help bankruptcy platform to empower users to send letters to debt collectors, file complaints with the Consumer Bankruptcy Protection Bureau and assess eligibility for student loan discharge. Upsolve will also build a new Learn Center to educate visitors about consumer law issues. 

More Information and full List of TIG Grantee Projects