2012 Grant Award Announcement

by President Shon T. Erwin

It is my privilege to announce the 2012 Oklahoma Bar Foundation Grant Awards in the total amount of $356,000. The grants are down this year as a direct result of the continued instability of the economy, and particularly the ongoing low interest rate environment. Banks have dramatically reduced the rates they pay on IOLTA accounts. In some instances the rates paid on IOLTA accounts have been reduced by nearly 50% from last year’s rates. Grant amounts are down by more than 30% for much-needed law-related services in Oklahoma.

OBF funding has steadily declined since 2009 along with the economy and nationally IOLTA income has declined by 88%. This dire short-term interest situation is not likely to improve for at least another three to four years. The decline in IOLTA income means that many low-income Oklahoma citizens will be denied access to legal services, and thus denied equal access to justice.

2012 Oklahoma Bar Foundation Grant Awards

Center for Children & Families $ 10,000
Funding for general support for Divorce Visitation Arbitration Program to provide parent education, court letters, and court order supervised visitation & exchange services for children in Cleveland County with moderate expansion for Oklahoma County children, coupled with children’s counseling services.
Community Crisis Center Inc. $4,000
Funding to maintain part-time court advocate for victims of violence in Ottawa County.
Domestic Violence Intervention Services Inc $11,000
Civil legal services attorney staff funding for victims of violence in Tulsa & Creek Counties.
Family & Children’s Services Inc., Tulsa County Family Court Program $4,000
Funding for a Family Court Case Coordinator in Tulsa County.
Family Shelter of Southern Oklahoma $2,200
Funding to maintain part-time court advocate for victims of violence in Love County.
Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma Inc. $160,000
Statewide support funding to provide free critical civil legal service for low-income and elderly Oklahomans.
Marie Detty Youth & Family Services Center $12,000
Funding for a part-time domestic violence/sexual assault victims’ Court Advocate in Comanche County.
OBA-YLD High School Mock Trial Program $45,000
Total overall presentation of the statewide Oklahoma High School Mock Trial Program.
Oklahoma CASA Association Inc. $1,500
Centralized statewide CASA Training Conference to provide annual mandatory training for directors, staff and CASA volunteers to be able to continue as CASA workers.
Oklahoma Indian Legal Services Inc. $15,000
Funding for th Statewide Low-Income Taxpayer Legal Services Clinics for low-income Oklahomans, mataching funds.
Oklahoma Lawyers for Children Inc. $36,000
Funding for staff cordination of attorney pro bono legal services for deprived children in Juvenile Court and representation at emergency show cause hearings in Oklahoma County.
Tulsa Lawyers For Children Inc. $22,000
Funding for staff cordination of attorney pro bono legal services for deprived children in Juvenile Court and representation at emergency show cause hearings in Tulsa County.
Senior Law Resource Center Inc. $10,000
Law-student interns project for elderly citizens; providing free legal services and educational outreach programs to promote informed, thoughtful diminished capacity, incapacity planning, and for the prevention of elder financial exploitation in Oklahoma and Surrounding Counties, includes website and e-news outreach.
Teen Court Inc of Comanche County $10,000
Funding for program maintenance for presentation of Teen Court serving first time juvenile offenders and their peers in Comanche County.
TU Boesche Legal Clinic, Immigrants Rights Project $4,000
Clinical legal education program to provide civil legal services to vulnerable non-citizen residents of Oklahoma while providing law-students with educational and professional development opportunities, includes represenation in Immigration Court.
Catholic Charities, Immigration Assistance Program $4,000
Program to provide civil legal services to low-income non-citizen residents of Oklahoma while providing law-students with educational and professional development opportunities serving the Western 2/3rds of the Okahoma.
William W. Barnes Children’s Advocacy Center, Child Abuse Prevention $3,500
Specialized abuse prevention training to Recognize, Respond and Report child abuse for educational, law enforcement and child welfare personnel in an ongoing effort to reduce trauma to child abuse victims in Rogers, Mayes & Craig Counties.
YMCA of Oklahoma Youth & Government Program $1,800
Funding in full for presentation of the Statewide Youth Model Legislative Day for 7th and 8th students.
Total 2012 OBF Grant Awards: $356,000