Organizations providing legal assistance to the poor face a very grimyear.
A significant amount of their funding comes from the Florida BarFoundation, which pioneered a money-raising program in 1981. It hasbeen copied by all 49 of the other states. The program, called Intereston Trust Accounts, or IOTA, has generated as much as $19 million a yearin Florida. Most of the money went to legal aid organizations.But since 1991, the program has raised less and less money. Althoughfoundation officials have been able to dip into reserves to keep fromreducing grants, the pool is empty and cuts are looming. Next month,foundation leaders will meet to decide how to divvy up the remainingmoney.
