The Iowa Supreme Court has approved more than $1.2 million in grants to organizations across the state that provide civil legal assistance to low-income Iowans.
According to the court, a total of $1,226,592 was awarded through Iowa’s Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Account, or IOLTA, program for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027.
Among the organizations receiving funding is Immigrant Connection of Northwest Iowa in Sioux Center, which was awarded $30,600. The funding will support low-cost immigration legal services provided through Department of Justice-accredited representatives serving low-income individuals in rural northwest Iowa, primarily in Sioux County.
Immigrant Connection of Northwest Iowa assists in areas including adjustment of status, consular processing, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), employment authorization, family-based petitions, and naturalization and citizenship applications. The organization also assists with immigration forms and filings with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
The organization serves several populations, including farm workers, individuals without legal immigration status, people with physical or mental disabilities, and members of the LGBTQ community. Services are available in both English and Spanish, and referrals to additional support services are also provided.
Statewide, the grants support programs that assist Iowans dealing with civil legal issues, including divorce, domestic abuse, unsafe housing, illegal evictions, immigration matters, disability advocacy, and child custody cases.
The Iowa Supreme Court says IOLTA grant funds are generated from interest earned on certain pooled trust accounts held by Iowa attorneys. Since the program began in 1985, more than $30 million in grants has been awarded statewide.
The largest grant awarded this year went to Iowa Legal Aid in Des Moines, which received $487,400 for statewide civil legal assistance programs. Other organizations receiving grants include Iowa Migrant Movement for Justice, the Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Disability Rights Iowa, and several regional legal assistance programs throughout the state.
