Federal Funding Update

Proposed cuts to Legal Services Corporation

The Legal Services Corporation (LSC) is the largest national funder for organizations providing civil legal aid to low-income Americans.

A proposed 46% cut to LSC’s current funding would gut civil legal aid infrastructure across the country and strip away vital legal help from those who need it most.

If this cut passes, nearly 3 million Americans (including over 140,000 Ohioans) would lose access to vital legal assistance.

Since it was established by Congress in 1974, LSC has operated as an independent nonprofit, providing essential grants that support civil legal justice programs around the country. LSC distributes over 90% of its funding to 130 nonprofit legal aid programs, including The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland.

As the only civil legal aid provider in our five-county service area, Cleveland Legal Aid plays an essential role in improving safety, health, and economic security for Ohioans.

Currently, funding from LSC comprises 15.5% of Cleveland Legal Aid's budget ($3.5 million in 2025). Even with our current budget, we cannot fully meet the demand for our services and must turn away too many people who need assistance. The uncertainty with federal funding decisions affects our ability to plan and continue services without interruption.

Losing LSC funding would have immediate implications on our organization and our clients – with less funding, we will be forced to turn away even more people who need our help.

Congress has yet to finalize a budget, and the threat of deep cuts remains, putting access to justice for nearly 3 million Americans at serious risk.

Cutting LSC funding does not just harm individuals — it destabilizes entire communities and hurts local economies. When legal problems go unaddressed, families fall deeper into crisis, and the burden shifts to already-strained systems.