Texas Access to Justice Foundation Grant: Crime Victims Civil Legal Services (CVCLS)

The Texas Access to Justice Foundation Grant for Crime Victims Civil Legal Services (CVCLS) provides essential legal aid to low-income victims of crime in Texas. Established in 2001, the program administers a $5 million fund to support nonprofit organizations delivering free civil legal services. Eligible individuals include victims and their families, ensuring access to justice for those who cannot afford legal representation. With a focus on various crimes, this initiative aims to empower vulnerable populations and promote legal rights.

The Texas Access to Justice Foundation is the leading funder of legal aid in Texas. The organization is committed to the vision that all Texans will have equal access to justice, regardless of their income.
Since then, TAJF has diversified its funding sources to include public funding and private donations.
The Foundation grants millions of dollars per year to approximately 40 organizations statewide that provide free civil legal assistance to low-income Texans. With TAJF grants, legal aid organizations provide free legal assistance in civil matters, such as protection from domestic violence and assistance with housing issues, to more than 100,000 low-income Texans each year.
Grants
On behalf of the Supreme Court of Texas, the Foundation administers the following funds:

• Interest on Lawyers' Trust Accounts (IOLTA)Basic Civil Legal Services (BCLS)Crime Victims Civil Legal Services (CVCLS)
• Crime Victims Civil Legal Services (CVCLS)

In 2001, the Texas Office of the Attorney General and the Supreme Court of Texas entered into an agreement to administer a $5 million Crime Victims Civil Legal Services fund over the biennium. The monies granted must be used to provide free civil legal services to low-income victims of crime.
The CVCLS program assists low-income victims of crime that live at or below 187.5 percent of poverty level.
What kind of assistance do Foundation grantees provide?
Grantees provide civil Legal Aid to indigent Texans who cannot otherwise afford an attorney. These individuals may receive legal assistance in consumer matters, employment, divorce, adoption, access to health care and public benefits, housing, individual rights, and wills and estates. Through the CVCLS program, certain victims of crime may receive similar civil legal services in relation to the specific injury suffered.
Crimes covered
Following are examples of crimes covered under CVCLS (non-inclusive list):

• Sexual assault
• Kidnapping
• Robbery
• Assault
• Homicide
• Vehicular crimes (failure to stop and render aid, DWI, manslaughter and others)

Eligibility

Who may receive funding?Prospective grantees must be nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organizations that have as a primary purpose the delivery of civil legal services to low-income Texans.
In order to be eligible for CVCLS services:There must be a relationship between the type of criminal activity involved, the specific injury suffered by the victim and the legal service to be rendered.The victim must not earn more than 187.5 percent of the U.S. poverty guidelines and must meet one of the following conditions:Condition A Be a resident of Texas, the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or a U.S. territory or possession andSuffer personal injury or death in Texas as a result of criminally injurious conduct or as a result of actions taken as an intervenerCondition B
Be a Texas resident andSuffer personal injury or death as a result of criminally injurious conduct or as a result of actions taken as an intervener in a state or country without victims’ compensation andBe entitled to compensation if incident had occurred in Texas Condition C
Be a Texas resident andSuffer personal injury or death as a result of criminally injurious conduct caused by an act of international terrorism committed outside the United States
Qualifications
To qualify for civil legal services under CVCLS funding, an individual must be one of the following:Victim of crimeAuthorized individual acting on behalf of a victim of crimeDependent of a victim of crimeImmediate family member of a victim of crime (must be related within second degree by marriage or blood)Household member of a victim of crime and require psychiatric care or counselingAuthorized individual acting on behalf of a child who is a dependent of a victim of crime who died as a result of the crimeAuthorized individual acting on behalf of a child who is an immediate family or household member of a victim of crime who requires counseling or psychiatric care as a result of the crimeIndividual who legally or voluntarily assumes medical and or burial expenses of a victim of crime

Ineligibility

The Foundation does not grant funds to individuals.CVCLS funds may not be used for class actions;may not be used against a governmental entity, except by groups or individuals to gain benefits authorized by statute or regulation;may not be used for lobbying; andmay not be used for any case or matter that, if undertaken on behalf of an indigent person by an attorney in private practice, might reasonably be expected to result in the payment of a fee for legal services from an award to the client from public funds or from an opposing party unless applicant has been unable to obtain counsel because the potential fee is inadequate, likely uncollectable, would substantially consume recovery, or otherwise prevent applicant from obtaining counsel.