Direct Legal Services and Legal Aid Advancement grants

Direct Legal Services (DLS), our longest-standing grant program, funds a range of civil legal aid services to clients with limited incomes, helping them resolve major problems in their lives.

In recent years, in response to the increase in unmet civil legal needs in Wisconsin, combined with our temporarily higher trust account revenue stemming from elevated interest rates, we have distributed multiple rounds of one-time Legal Aid Advancement (LAA) grants to help DLS grant recipients assist more people in Wisconsin with their civil legal needs.

Current grant levels

For 2025, we awarded more than $1.9 million in DLS grants to 17 organizations to provide a range of legal services — from information and advice to full representation. Additionally, we distributed $3 million in LAA grants.

In 2024, we distributed more than $1.8 million through DLS and $2.5 million in LAA grants. The two programs together served more than 9,000 individuals and families that year.

Application process

We typically hold an open application process for the DLS program commencing in July.

Funding sources

Direct Legal Services (and Legal Aid Advancement) grants are funded by these sources, as available:

Current recipients

Direct Legal Services grants

Grantee organization	2025 Award Amount
ABC (Advocacy and Benefits Counseling) for Health, Inc.	$142,038
Catholic Multicultural Center (CMC)	$31,494
Center Against Sexual & Domestic Abuse (CASDA)	$46,241
Centro Legal	$65,000
Community Justice, Inc.	$37,877
Disability Rights Wisconsin	$300,000
End Domestic Abuse Wisconsin – RISE Law Center	$31,564
Judicare Legal Aid	$450,000
Kids Matter Inc.	$82,855
Legal Action of Wisconsin, Inc.	$1,512,000
Legal Aid Society of Door County	$2,500
Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee	$236,441
LOTUS Legal Clinic, Inc.	$30,000
Portage County Legal Aid Society	$19,490
Vivent Health	$12,500
TOTAL	$3,000,000

Legal Aid Advancement grants

Grantee organization	July 2025 Award
ABC (Advocacy and Benefits Counseling) for Health, Inc.	$142,038
Catholic Multicultural Center (CMC)	$31,494
Center Against Sexual & Domestic Abuse (CASDA)	$46,241
Centro Legal	$65,000
Community Justice, Inc.	$37,877
Disability Rights Wisconsin	$300,000
End Domestic Abuse Wisconsin – RISE Law Center	$31,564
Judicare Legal Aid.	$450,000
Kids Matter Inc.	$82,855
Legal Action of Wisconsin, Inc.	$1,512,000
Legal Aid Society of Door County	$2,500
Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee	$236,441
LOTUS Legal Clinic, Inc.	$30,000
Portage County Legal Aid Society	$19,490
Vivent Health	$12,500
TOTAL	$3,000,000