Summit Legal Aid Financial Information

Major Funders

Summit Legal Aid is funded through federal and state funding sources.

Legal Services Corporation (LSC) is the single largest funder of civil legal aid for low-income Americans in the nation.
- Established in 1974, LSC operates as an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation that promotes equal access to justice and provides grants for high-quality civil legal assistance to low-income Americans. LSC distributes more than 90% of its funding to 131 independent nonprofit legal aid programs with more than 890 offices.
Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network (PLAN) provides funding from the state for various contracts, including the Department of Human Services.
- They provide strategic leadership and coordination for ten independent, regional legal aid programs and six specialized legal resource programs that together comprise the Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network.
Pennsylvania Interest on Lawyers' Trust Accounts (IOLTA) Board awards grants that support the provision of free legal assistance to low-income Pennsylvanians in civil matters where a basic human need, such as access to shelter, nutrition, or healthcare, is at stake.
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awards grantees through the Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP) to assist people who believe they have been victims of housing discrimination.
- Our Fair Housing Law Center is funded through this grant.
U.S. Department of the Treasury helps to fund our Low-Income Taxpayers Clinic (LITC)
- Through the LITC, we assist low income individuals who have a tax dispute with the IRS, and provide education and outreach to individuals who speak English as a second language (ESL)
Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency enables us to help victims of crime and domestic violence

County and Local Grants

Summit Legal Aid also receives funding from local grantors to enable us to help residents in our communities.

The Washington County Commissioners provide funds so we can counsel parents of children for whom Children and Youth has filed or assisted in filing a petition alleging dependency for which a Juvenile Hearing is scheduled.
The United Way of Washington County provides funds to help two projects in Washington County:
- Project to Remove Employment Barriers: Through education and outreach, this project focuses on the need to address the removal of criminal records for employees
- Victims of Domestic Violence Representation Project: This funding allows us the opportunity to assist more victims of domestic violence obtain protection orders
The Hillman Foundation provides funds for two special projects:
- Our Driver's License Restoration Project: This is to help represent local residents who have lost their driver's licenses to get full restoration or Occupational Limited Licenses
- Our Housing Project: Allows us help clients who are facing evictions in Washington and Fayette Counties
Blueprints in Washington County works directly with Summit Legal Aid in administering assistance for the federally funded Emergency Rental Assistance Program
The Westmoreland County Commissioners provide funds so we can assist elderly persons who have been referred to us by the Area Agency on Aging in Westmoreland County
The University of Pittsburgh School of Law provided funds to support clinical and externship programs that offer learning experiences of working with indigent clients to law school students.