Statement on Federal Funding for Legal Aid
Yesterday, the White House Office of Management and Budget issued a memo ordering a pause of federal grants. This memo is sweeping in its breadth and impacts several sources of funding for legal aid. While the majority of federal legal aid funding is not subject to this memo, this directive represents a drastic cut to funding and could have real and negative effects on low-income Coloradans’ ability to receive legal aid. Earlier today a federal judge temporarily blocked implementation of the order. However, great uncertainty as to federal sources of funding remains.
The Legal Aid Foundation of Colorado will dedicate our resources to filling funding gaps that Colorado Legal Services may experience in the coming days and weeks. There has long been wide bipartisan support for legal aid’s work protecting survivors of abuse, keeping Coloradans housed, and defending the civil rights of low-income people. We hope that this support results in a prompt and permanent restoration of all funding for legal aid.
In the meantime, we urge Coloradans who believe in equal justice for all to join us in ensuring robust funding for legal aid by donating at legalaidfoundation.org/donate or 1120 Lincoln St, Ste 701 Denver, Colorado 80203. Thank you!
Update: On January 29th, 2025, the White House Office of Management and Budget rescinded its order pausing federal grants. However, the threat to legal aid funding has not ended. Other attempts to end funding of some legal aid programs are ongoing. We will continue to monitor and respond to any threat to legal aid.