Published on March 13, 2026 Posted in Grantees

2025 Grantee Highlights: Statewide Legal Aid Providers and Supporters

These six organizations have a statewide scope in their work providing and supporting civil legal assistance for low-income North Carolinians.

In 2025, NC IOLTA’s Board of Trustees awarded $12M in grants to more than 40 organizations dedicated to providing legal aid to low-income residents across the state and improving the administration of justice in North Carolina.

The six grantees highlighted here — Disability Rights North Carolina, Land Loss Prevention Project, North Carolina Equal Justice Alliance, North Carolina Justice Center, North Carolina Prisoner Legal Services and North Carolina Pro Bono Resource Center — have a statewide scope in their work providing and supporting civil legal assistance for low-income North Carolinians.

Last year, these organizations received more than $2M total in NC IOLTA Civil Legal Aid grants, which provide basic access to the justice system for individuals, families and children residing in North Carolina. Read more about each grantee below.

Disability Rights North Carolina

A member of the National Disability Rights Network, Disability Rights North Carolina advocates for the rights of people with disabilities in North Carolina, handling cases involving discrimination, abuse and other violations of the rights of individuals who are disabled. DRNC serves as North Carolina’s Protection and Advocacy agency, charged with safeguarding the well-being of disabled people through the monitoring activities, education and legal services they provide — if necessary, taking legal action to address instances of discrimination or harm.

In 2025, DRNC was awarded $550,000 in Civil Legal Aid grants to support the Special Education Juvenile Justice Project and the Homelessness Prevention Project. This funding also included a system support grant for technology upgrades.

DRNC’s legal services and advocacy in 2025 resulted in:
Land Loss Prevention Project

Land Loss Prevention Project is dedicated to the preservation of the family farm in North Carolina, providing legal services both to proactively avoid problems that lead to farm loss and to support those facing critical financial issues. The nonprofit’s litigation unit represents eligible clients in legal matters including agricultural, environmental, zoning, municipal services and related issues; real property; consumer protection; wills and estate planning; civil rights; and bankruptcy. The litigation unit also conducts legal seminars and works collaboratively with other organizations to expand the supportive services available to farmers and low-resource landowners and homeowners.

In 2025, LLPP received a $100,000 Civil Legal Aid grant to support legal advocacy for family farmers and landowners.

LLPP’s legal services work in 2025 resulted in:
North Carolina Equal Justice Alliance

The North Carolina Equal Justice Alliance is a community of civil legal aid providers serving low-income and underrepresented constituencies whose mission is to provide central coordination of a sustained, comprehensive, integrated, statewide system to provide the most effective legal services to people in poverty in North Carolina.

In 2025, NCEJA received a $124,952 Civil Legal Aid grant to support operating expenses.

NCEJA’s collaboration, education and outreach in 2025 resulted in:
North Carolina Justice Center

The North Carolina Justice Center’s mission is to eliminate poverty in North Carolina by ensuring that every household in the state has access to the resources, services and fair treatment it needs to achieve economic security. NCJC’s litigation team takes on high-impact cases that protect and expand the rights of workers, consumers, immigrants and families with low incomes.

In 2025, NC IOLTA awarded NCJC $1,070,000 in Civil Legal Aid grants to support the litigation team. The funding included a system support grant for technology upgrades and staff development.

NCJC’s legal services work in 2025 resulted in:
North Carolina Prisoner Legal Services

North Carolina Prisoner Legal Services is a nonprofit law firm dedicated to ensuring access to the courts for people incarcerated in North Carolina’s state prisons. Through the nonprofit’s Safe and Humane Jails Project, attorneys work to ensure that individuals incarcerated in the 109 county jails across North Carolina are housed in safe and humane conditions and their constitutional rights are protected.

In 2025, NCPLS received $66,500 in Civil Legal Aid grants to support the Safe and Humane Jails Project. The funding included a system support grant for organizational capacity building.

NCPLS’s legal services work in 2025 resulted in:
North Carolina Pro Bono Resource Center

The North Carolina Equal Access to Justice Commission pursues a variety of strategies to increase access to justice in North Carolina, including through the North Carolina Pro Bono Resource Center, which encourages and facilitates pro bono legal service among North Carolina attorneys.

In 2025, NCEAJC was awarded a $160,000 Civil Legal Aid grant to support the NC Pro Bono Resource Center’s Driver’s License Restoration Project, which supports efforts to provide relief for residents with long-term license suspensions stemming from low-level traffic offenses and/or unpaid fines and fees associated with such citations.

The NC Pro Bono Resource Center’s legal services work in 2025 resulted in:

Find highlights of other 2025 NC IOLTA grantees on our Grantees page.
Explore the impact NC IOLTA grantees make for their clients and communities on our Stories page.
Learn about the importance of civil legal aid on our Media Resources page under “FAQs About Civil Legal Aid in NC.”

At top, Kirby Morrow, an advocate at Disability Rights North Carolina, stands next to client Wanda Tiller.

Legislation passed by the North Carolina General Assembly on July 9, 2025, bars NC IOLTA from grantmaking from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026. Consistent with the legislation, our 2026 funding cycle has not been opened.

Learn more about NC IOLTA and find our most recent updates on this issue on our Media Resources page.

The NC State Bar and NC IOLTA continue to seek a resolution to preserve funding for civil legal aid, which plays a critical role in building a legal system that works for everyone, breaking down barriers and creating strong communities across North Carolina.

2025 Grantee Highlights: Statewide Legal Aid Providers and Supporters

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