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WisTAF originated with the creation a new type of funding mechanism, the state's Interest on Lawyers' Trust Accounts (IOLTA) program. The legacy of that moment is our expertise in administration of fund sources as well as civil legal aid grant programs.
Current fund sources
The Interest on Lawyers Trust Accounts (IOLTA) program and the Public Interest Legal Services Fund (PILSF) program were established by the Wisconsin Supreme Court to help make Wisconsin’s justice system accessible to all, regardless of income. The IOLTA program is supported by participating financial institutions across the state, while all practicing Wisconsin attorneys and judges support the PILSF program with a contribution paid at the same time as their annual license fees. The court established another, smaller funding stream for civil legal aid by redirecting a portion of the admission fees paid by nonresident lawyers to participate in particular actions in Wisconsin (known as pro hac vice).
Wisconsin’s lawmakers and governor also invest budget resources for civil legal aid grants administered by WisTAF. Beginning in 2015, each State of Wisconsin budget has allocated $500,000 per year to the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families for a WisTAF-administered grant program supporting Domestic Violence and Sexual Abuse Legal Services (DVSA). In 2022, WisTAF was entrusted with one-time federal funds related to COVID-19 relief and Afghan immigration in Wisconsin. Grants drawing on these resources currently support related legal assistance throughout Wisconsin.
A another major source currently in operation is a 2014 U.S. Justice Department settlement with Bank of America which allocated a finite amount of funds for forclosure prevention and community redevelopment legal assistance (FP/CRLA).
Additional support comes from private donations as well as other settlements, class actions, and the like, including residual funds (known as cy pres).
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