Maryland Legal Services Corporation
/OVERVIEW: The Maryland Legal Services Corporation supports Maryland nonprofits that assist people in need of civil legal services.
IP TAKE: The Legal Services Corporation is an IOLA funder supports organizations that offer legal representation to Maryland residents who would otherwise have difficulty affording it. It runs a transparent application program and is accessible if your organization works in its focus area. This funder does not fund programs that represent people facing criminal charges. Areas of interest include consumer rights, housing and family issues.
PROFILE: Established in 1982, the Maryland Legal Services Corporation (MLSC) is an Interest on Lawyer Trust Accounts (IOLTA) foundation based in Baltimore, Maryland. The Maryland General Assembly established MLSC to raise funds and make grants to local nonprofits in need of civil legal assistance for low-income residents of the state. It has an executive director and a nine-member board of directors. The organization’s funding comes from the IOLTA program and surcharges on court filing fees. It aims to “ensure low-income Marylanders have access to stable, efficient and effective civil legal assistance through the distribution of funds to nonprofit legal services organizations.” MLSC funds local needs for civil legal services.
Grants for Criminal Justice
The Maryland Legal Services Corporation has a grant program that awards annual grants to Maryland nonprofits. Funds support eligible clients in non-criminal proceedings and involve legal representation, training, research, and coordination of the delivery of legal services. Topics of interest are legal matters that relate to families, housing, consumers and employment.
Past local grantees include Casa de Maryland, Catholic Charities Baltimore, and Heartly House.
Important Grant Details
Grants range between about $25,000 and $500,000. Learn more about this funder’s local giving by examining its recent grantees. Grantmaking focuses on the state of Maryland.
This foundation accepts unsolicited grant applications from nonprofits. However, new applicants must contact MLSC prior to completing an application to discuss the idea and have a formal application sent to them. In the past, the annual application deadline has been March 15. MLSC selects new grantees by May 31 and disburses funds by July 15. Direct general questions to the staff at grants@mlsc.org or 410-576-9494.
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