Civil legal aid providers are asking Wisconsin lawmakers for a $16 million dollar increase to help provide services for veterans, victims of domestic abuse, seniors, and underserved rural communities.
April 28, 2025 – Civil legal aid providers across Wisconsin are urging lawmakers to make a transformative investment in justice by increasing state funding for civil legal aid programs by $16 million over the upcoming biennium. The proposed funding, which includes both General Purpose Revenue (GPR) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) federal dollars, would be administered by the Wisconsin Trust Account Foundation (WisTAF) to support nonprofit organizations that provide essential legal services to vulnerable populations.
These targeted investments aim to close the justice gap that disproportionately affects low-income individuals, especially in rural areas where attorney shortages are common. Advocates say that this funding request isn’t just a matter of access—it’s a matter of smart fiscal policy.
The funding proposal was developed by the Civil Legal Aid Alliance of Wisconsin (CLAAW). It includes two critical components:
Civil Legal Aid Services Expansion
CLAAW recommends allocating $9 million in GPR funding over the 2025-2027 biennium. These funds would support nonprofit legal aid organizations to serve the following needs:
- Victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, or other crimes
- Elderly individuals experiencing fraud, abuse, or financial exploitation
- Individuals with disabilities or special health care needs facing non-landlord/tenant civil legal issues
- At-risk, abused, or neglected children
- Veterans dealing with civil legal issues not related to landlord/tenant issues
- People facing civil legal barriers to employment
- Residents in rural communities with limited access to legal representation not related to landlord/tenant issues
Devin Martin, is the grassroots outreach coordinator with the State Bar of Wisconsin. He can be reached by
email, or by phone at (608) 250-6145.
Domestic Violence and Sexual Abuse Civil Legal Services
CLAAW recommends allocating $8 million of TANF federal funding over the 2025-2027 biennium, through the Department of Children and Families. This proposal would also eliminate an existing cap on individual grant amounts, allowing for larger, more impactful grants and streamlining support for victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse.
What You Can Do: State Bar of Wisconsin Advocacy Network
Currently, the Joint Finance Committee is working to collect feedback from Wisconsinites on their budget priorities. All members can lend their voices to help get this issue over the finish line. Share your thoughts on civil legal aid with your state legislators today.
You can participate in
one of the two remaining in-person hearings, or use the dedicated website or email address to submit written comments:https://legis.wisconsin.gov/topics/budgetcomments/ or
budget.comments@legis.wisconsin.gov.You can also send a message through our Advocacy Network. Pre-written email messages are editable to suit your own thoughts and opinions and help to demonstrate the breadth of support for civil legal aid funding within the legal profession.
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