MAINE BAR FOUNDATION GRANT PROGRAM

The IOLTA Program	Grant Philosophy
Grant Criteria	Grant Application Information
Grant Awards & Payment Information	Monitoring of Grant Recipients
Further Information Contact	Application Form

 Maine Bar Foundation Annual Grantees

Cumberland Legal Aid Clinic - as part of the University of Maine School of Law, the Clinic provides free legal representation to eligible people in York, Cumberland, Androscoggin and Kennebec Counties.  Write to: 59 Exeter Street, Portland, ME 04102 or phone 207-780-4370.

Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project  - The objective of this project is to launch an Immigration Law Project in Portland, with state-wide service territory, to provide legal services for low-income and indigent non citizens and their US citizen family members.  Call 780-1593.

Legal Services for the Elderly - provides free legal services to Maine's socially and economically needy citizens aged 60 and over.

Maine Equal Justice Partners - provides representation to low income clients in legislative advocacy, class action litigation, and administrative representation.  Write to: 126 Sewall Street, Augusta, ME 04330 or phone 207-626-7058.

Pine Tree Legal Assistance  - provides legal assistance to people in the State of Maine whose income is 125% of the federal income poverty guidelines or less.

Volunteer Lawyers Project  - provides free legal services to qualified clients.  Also assists client unable to obtain legal representation with various levels of pro se assistance.
 

2007 Discretionary Grant Awards

Cumberland Legal Aid Clinic - The Clinic requested discretionary grant funding for a 3-credit course called "Juvenile Justice Clinic" to provide representation of juveniles charged with criminal activity in state courts.

Coastal Enterprises, Inc. - Coastal Enterprises requested discretionary grant funding to develop an Economic/Legal Consumer Finance Partnership that will address predatory lending practices in Maine.

Legal Services for the Elderly - LSE requested discretionary grant funding for its Elder Access to Justice Project in Aroostook and Washington Counties to improve access to legal services and expand the legal services available to low-income elderly.

Pine Tree Legal Assistance - PTLA requested discretionary grant funding to support an innovative KIDS Legal/Medical Collaborative with The Barbara Bush Children's Hospital at Maine Medical Center.  This Collaborative will enable legal interventions designed to secure improved health outcomes for low-income children.

York County Shelter Programs - YCSP requested discretionary grant funding to support the York County Homelessness Prevention Project.  This project will help to prevent homelessness and eliminate the need for emergency shelter for many low-income families and individuals.

The IOLTA Program

IOLTA stands for "Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Accounts." Attorneys routinely receive client funds to be held in trust for future use. If the amount is large or the funds are to be held for a long period of time, the attorney must place these monies at interest for the benefit of the client. However, in the case of amounts that are small or are to be held for a short time, it is impractical to establish separate interest-bearing accounts for individual clients. Participating in the Maine Bar Foundation IOLTA Program, allows attorneys to pool these funds and to direct the cumulative interest to the Foundation. Participation in IOLTA is authorized by the Supreme Judicial Court of Maine under a 1986 amendment to the Maine Bar Rules, and is voluntary.

The Foundation distributes these funds to organizations and projects in Maine, which provide civil legal services to poor and disadvantaged populations; to support administration of justice programs; and, to support law-related educational programs.

Grant Philosophy

The Board of Directors of the Foundation views IOLTA Discretionary Grants as a source of funds for law-related public service programs. The Grants Committee will make a particular effort to fund worthy projects on an equitable geographic basis throughout the State of Maine.  For the 2004 grant cycle, The Foundation will give funding priority which include the following: 1) provide outreach education and support for self represented parties in legal proceedings; or 2) demonstrate effective use of technology to assist under served populations; or 3) provide legal assistance to rural populations; or 4) provide direct legal services to under served and/or disadvantaged people.

Preference will be given to innovative projects developed by new or existing programs, which clearly respond to identifiable unmet needs in the community and which minimize overlapping administrative costs.   Discretionary grants are intended to fund specific projects rather than an agency's operating budget; grants cannot substitute ongoing support.

Grant Criteria

2. Applicants who:
    a. demonstrate a clear ability to deliver quality services;
    b. demonstrate cooperative efforts between service providers in their area;
    c. request funds for program rather than capital expenses; and,
    d. have sources of income in addition to Foundation funds.

EXCLUSIONS:

1. The Foundation will not make grants:
    a. to for profit entities;
    b. to political campaigns;
    c. to support religious activities;
    d. if the Foundation’s tax exempt status would be jeopardized;
    e. if the applicant fails to demonstrate fiscal responsibility and integrity;
    f. to fund programs the primary purpose of which is to provide constitutionally or statutorily mandated legal services; and,
    g. if there is reason to believe that other existing income sources will be withdrawn as a result of the grant.

2. The Foundation generally will not make grants:
    a. to individuals;
    b. to endowment campaigns;
    c. to repay loans;
    d. as a substitute for other funds;
    e. if Foundation funds will be the primary source of continuing financial support; and,
    f.  for renewal funding for the same project for more than three (3) years.

Grant Applications

The Maine Bar Foundation will make funding determinations on the basis of written applications in the format prescribed by the Foundation. Application forms and instructions can be obtained from the Foundation office, 40 Water Street, Hallowell, Maine 04347. The MBF may request supplementary material, make on-site visits or require applicants to appear at a Board or Committee meeting as a part of the grant process.

Applicants must prepare one original and 10 copies of the application form and attachments. Applications must be received at the Foundation offices on or before 5 p.m. on October 13, 2008, in order to be considered for the grant cycle. All applications will be screened by Foundation staff to establish eligibility to receive IOLTA funds and completeness of the application.  The Discretionary Grants Committee will review all qualified applications and make recommendations to the Board of Directors. Following the decision of the Board of Directors, applicants will be notified regarding the disposition of their grant application.  Click here for grant application.

Grant applicants must agree:

1.  To submit grant applications in the prescribed format;

2. To sign and follow Foundation Grant Assurances;

3. To make their financial records open to review, upon request of the Foundation, during the application process and during the duration of the grant; and,

4. That upon receipt, applications become the property of the Foundation with the right to use any and all ideas presented whether or not the application is accepted for funding.

Grant Awards and Payments

Applicants will be notified in writing within 30 days of the decision of the Board of Directors. All grants will be made in accordance with the terms and conditions of the grant award contained in the written notification to applicants. The method of payment (prepayment, installment or reimbursement) will be selected on a case by case basis at the time of making the award.

Monitoring of Grant Recipients

Grant recipients will provide the following information to MBF:

1.  One original and 10 copies of a final report of how the grant money has been spent and the results achieved;
2.  If requested, one original and 8 copies of an interim report of how the grant money has been spent to date and the status of the project;
3.  A copy of the applicant’s annual financial statement (preferably audited) for the year in which the grant was made, as soon as it becomes available;
4.  To meet with the Grants Committee when requested to evaluate the progress of the Grant during the period of the Grant.
5.  Responses to any reasonable request for further information by the MBF.

Further Information

If you have questions or require further information, please contact:

Maine Bar Foundation
40 Water Street
Hallowell ME 04347
TEL: 207/622-3477
FAX: 207/623-4140
mail to:clewis@mbf.org