Maryland Legal Services Corporation (MLSC) is a nonprofit organization headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland, established by the Maryland General Assembly in 1982. MLSC is a private nonprofit that distributes funds to nonprofit legal services organizations to ensure access to justice for low-income Marylanders. The organization employs 8 people and operates as a grantmaking entity focused on civil legal assistance.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$58.0M
+68.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$47.7M
+51.8% YoY
Grant Count
44
+10.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$1.1M
+38.0% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
MLSC's mission is to ensure low-income Marylanders have access to stable, efficient and effective civil legal assistance through the distribution of funds to nonprofit legal services organizations.
MLSC funds civil legal services in the following areas:
- Family law (divorce, custody, child support)
- Housing (eviction, foreclosure, landlord/tenant disputes)
- Consumer issues (bankruptcy, debt, fraud)
- Employment discrimination
- Public benefits and social security
- Criminal record expungement
- Wills, powers of attorney, and advanced directives
Grantmaking
MLSC currently provides funding to 50 nonprofit grantees throughout Maryland. Since its establishment, MLSC has made grants totaling over $354 million to help provide services in more than 3.85 million legal matters.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
MLSC funds legal services throughout Maryland, with grantees providing coverage in all areas of the state and all jurisdictions.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Financial Summary (2023):
- Revenue: $39.2 million
- Expenses: $32.8 million
- Total Assets: $34.4 million
- Total Liabilities: $12.7 million
Tax Status: MLSC is a 501(c)(3) organization with tax-exempt status since January 1988 (EIN: 52-1266744). The organization received a 96% rating (Four-Star charity) based on accountability and finance metrics.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $58,005,168 | $34,416,882 | $18,648,329 |
| Revenue | $70,922,471 | $39,166,208 | $23,301,829 |
| Expenses | $50,301,730 | $32,774,569 | $23,404,394 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $927,550 | $8,522 | $294,703 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
121 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
3 open opportunities from Maryland Legal Services Corporation
Civil Legal Services Grants (General Operating Grants)
MARYLAND LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
FY23 Eviction Prevention Legal Services
MARYLAND LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Workforce Legal Services Program (ARPA-funded)
MARYLAND LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Maryland Legal Aid ($22,896,200), Capital Area Immigrants Rights Coalition ($3,250,000), Community Legal Serv of Pg ($3,184,523).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ALLEGANY LAW FOUNDATION CUMBERLAND, MD | GENERAL SUPPORT | $237,400 |
| AMARA LEGAL CENTER INC WASHINGTON, DC | GENERAL SUPPORT | $30,000 |
| ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN LEGAL RESOURCE CENTER WASHINGTON, DC | GENERAL SUPPORT | $60,000 |
| AYUDA WASHINGTON, DC | GENERAL SUPPORT | $111,078 |
| BALTIMORE BAR FOUNDATION - SENIOR LEGAL SERVICES BALTIMORE, MD | GENERAL SUPPORT | $148,841 |
| CAPITAL AREA IMMIGRANTS RIGHTS COALITION BALTIMORE, MD | GENERAL SUPPORT | $3,250,000 |
| CASA DE MARYLAND LANGLEY PARK, MD | GENERAL SUPPORT | $1,227,116 |
| CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF BALTIMORE BALTIMORE, MD | GENERAL SUPPORT | $252,618 |
| CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF DC WASHINGTON, DC | GENERAL SUPPORT | $201,212 |
| CHILD JUSTICE INC SILVER SPRING, MD | GENERAL SUPPORT | $49,671 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Michelle Daugherty Siri: Chief Executive Officer
- Susan Erlichman: Executive Director
- Deb Seltzer: Executive Director (listed in alternate source)
MLSC is governed by a nine-person Board of Directors appointed by the Governor of Maryland and confirmed by the Maryland Senate.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| DEBORAH SELTZER | FORMER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $127,228 |
| DAVE PANTZER ESQUIRE | DEPUTY DIRECTOR/CHIEF PROGRAM OFFICER | 40 | $111,046 |
| DEBRA A THOMAS ESQ | CHAIR | 5 | — |
| ALLISON BANKS | TREASURER | 5 | — |
| MICHAEL D BELLIS | DIRECTOR | 5 | — |
| HON SIDNEY A BUTCHER | DIRECTOR | 5 | — |
| CATHERINE A BLEDSOE ESQ | DIRECTOR | 5 | — |
| TERRY JACKSON | DIRECTOR | 5 | — |
| HON C PHILIP NICHOLS JR | DIRECTOR | 5 | — |
| HON MARTHA F RASIN | DIRECTOR | 5 | — |
| PHYLLIS G SCALETTAR PHD | DIRECTOR | 5 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
MLSC awarded $2.5 million in grants for cannabis expungement services
MLSC Awards $2.5 Million in Grants for Cannabis Expungement Services - MarylandMLSC administers Maryland's Access to Counsel in Evictions program
MLSC announced 2023 award recipients for grant programs
MLSC Awards $2.5 Million in Grants for Cannabis Expungement Services - MarylandMLSC announced 2022 award recipients for grant programs
MLSC Awards $2.5 Million in Grants for Cannabis Expungement Services - MarylandContact Information
- Phone: 410-576-9494 or 800-492-1340
- Email: info@mlsc.org
- Address: 15 Charles Plaza, Suite 102, Baltimore, MD 21201-3994
- Website: mlsc.org
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Maryland Legal Services Corporation fund?
MLSC's mission is to ensure low-income Marylanders have access to stable, efficient and effective civil legal assistance through the distribution of funds to nonprofit legal services organizations. MLSC funds civil legal services in the following areas: • Family law (divorce, custody, child support) • Housing (eviction, foreclosure, landlord/tenant disputes) • Consumer issues (bankruptcy, debt, fraud) • Employment discrimination • Public benefits and social security • Criminal record expungement
How do I apply for a grant from Maryland Legal Services Corporation?
MLSC currently provides funding to 50 nonprofit grantees throughout Maryland. Since its establishment, MLSC has made grants totaling over $354 million to help provide services in more than 3.85 million legal matters. **Grant Programs:** • **Operating Grants**: General operating grants supporting a wide range of legal services. Applicants may request challenge grants to encourage new fundraising efforts. • **Judicare**: An invitation-only program that pays private attorneys reduced fees to accep…
Where does Maryland Legal Services Corporation make grants?
MLSC funds legal services throughout Maryland, with grantees providing coverage in all areas of the state and all jurisdictions.
What size grants does Maryland Legal Services Corporation award?
In 2024, Maryland Legal Services Corporation awarded 44 grants totaling $47.7M — an average of about $1.1M per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Maryland Legal Services Corporation's EIN?
Maryland Legal Services Corporation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-1266744. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Maryland Legal Services Corporation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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