FFLA Fact Sheet

 

Mission

To increase access to the justice system for people of limited means, FFLA funds legal services, develops innovative tools and programs, and supports legal aid providers and the courts.

FFLA accomplishes its mission through grant programs and initiatives that:

  • Expand and improve representation and advocacy for low-income persons in civil legal matters
  • Improve the fair and effective administration of justice; and
  • Promote service to the public by members of the legal profession by making public service an integral component of the law school experience.

IOTA
FFLA is authorized by the Florida Supreme Court to administer the Interest on Trust Accounts Program

History
Established in 1956 to foster law-related public interest programs; a 501(c)(3) public charity. In 2023, The Florida Bar Foundation changed its name to FFLA.

Total Charitable Activities in FY 2021-22
$8.9 million

  • $8,151,802 in grants
  • $750,579 in program-related expenses

Total Investments Since 1982
$545.5 million ($528.3 million in grants and $17.2 million in program-related expenses)

Fundraising
In 2022, 5,135 individuals, organizations and corporations contributed 5,571 gifts totaling $1,024,307.

Grants
FFLA is the only funder linking more than 35 legal services programs in Florida.

  • Grant database
  • Organizations we fund
  • In FY 2022-23, FFLA awarded:
    • 4 Improvements in the Administration of Justice grants totaling $780,000
    • 9 Children’s Legal Services grants totaling $994,483
    • 3 Law School Civil Legal Clinic grants totaling $250,000
    • 9 Community Economic Development grant extensions totaling $964,733
    • 1 Limited Matching Funds grant of $25,000
  • In December 2022, FFLA distributed $7,686,386 in IOTA funds to 34 qualified legal aid organizations.
  • 159 Loan Repayment Assistance Program loans to legal aid lawyers totaling $770,160 were forgiven in 2022.

Economic Impact
A 2016 study found that civil legal assistance generated $7 of economic impact for every $1 spent on legal aid by federal, state and local governments, FFLA, grants from community foundations and charitable donations. It also created 2,243 jobs outside of legal aid.

Improving Access to Justice
FFLA’s Improvements in the Administration of Justice (AOJ) Grant Program has historically provided funding that:

  • Improves the operation and management of the court system
  • Improves and reforms the criminal, civil and juvenile justice systems
  • Facilitates education and understanding about the law, including law-related education
  • FFLA currently funds the Innocence Project of Florida, which exonerates wrongly convicted people, and Florida’s Children First, which is dedicated to advancing the rights of at-risk children and youth.

Technology and Pro Bono

  • FloridaProBonoMatters.org, created and funded by the Foundation, has posted more than 4,000 pro bono cases from 34+ legal aid organizations. 272 interest forms were submitted by lawyers in FY 2022-23. The site displays pro bono opportunities statewide. Its spinoff, the Florida Pro Bono Law School Challenge, matched law students and lawyers on 177 unique cases in 2022.
  • FloridaNameChange.org is a free service to help Floridians update their legal name and gender marker.
  • Turning18.org helps foster children and those with developmental disabilities prepare for becoming legal adults.
  • OnePromiseFlorida.org encourages lawyers to pledge to take and work on a pro bono case each year.

 

Updated 12/7/23.