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In 2019, WisTAF disbursed $2.7 million to directly serve 10,838 clients across Wisconsin, while indirectly serving many more through supporting the operations of grantee agencies. Though not insignificant, this funding has fallen far short of the estimated need for legal services in Wisconsin—even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
WisTAF grants in recent years have drawn on the following 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 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 an annual contribution. 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 often invest state budget resources for civil legal aid grants administered by WisTAF. Beginning in 2015, each biennial budget has allocated $500,000 per year to the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families for a WisTAF-administered grant program supporting legal services for survivors of domestic violence and sexual abuse (DVSA).
A final, 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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