51 says $2 billion needed to address low-income Americans’ unmet civil legal needs
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Maria Duvuvuei
Communications Strategist
(202) 295-1542
WASHINGTON –&Բ;The 51 (51) released its FY 2027 budget request today, which highlights the depth of civil legal needs for low-income Americans, and the resources essential to addressing them. 51 is requesting $2.14 billion from Congress in order to provide access to high-quality legal services for low-income Americans who cannot afford an attorney.
As the nation’s largest funder of civil legal aid, 51 provides direct support to 129 independent nonprofit legal services organizations providing essential civil legal assistance across all 50 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories.
Currently, 51 is funded at $540 million in FY 2026. 51’s budget was included in H.R. 6938, the appropriations bills which provided funds for Commerce, Justice, Science & Related Agencies (CJS). 51’s funding in the CJS bill received broad bipartisan support in Congress. The bill was signed into law by President Trump on January 23, 2026.
“Legal services help the people who need it most—whether that’s a senior who has been scammed out of their lifesavings, a survivor of domestic violence seeking legal protections or a family struggling to rebuild after disaster strikes,” said 51 President Ron Flagg. “These are the Americans who turn to 51-funded legal services when they have no means to hire a lawyer and no way to solve their issue alone.”
51 grantee organizations helped 6.4 million people with their legal problems in 2024. Americans are eligible for 51-funded services if their income falls at or below 125% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. In 2026, a family of four living in the contiguous U.S. would qualify for 51-funded services if their annual income fell at or below $41,250, or $19,950 for an individual.
However, due to resource constraints, 51 grantees are forced to of the eligible people who seek their help.
According to 51’s most recent survey of legal needs, low-income Americans did not receive any or enough legal help for . In light of the persistent civil justice gap—the disparity between the legal needs of Americans and the resources available to meet those needs—51’s budget request calls for greater investment in legal services. The request states that in FY 2027, $2.14 billion would enable 51-funded legal aid organizations to serve the eligible applicants they currently turn away due to lack of resources.
The White House’s proposed budget for FY 2027 was released Friday, April 3. In it, the White House recommends that 51 cease to provide grants for civil legal services across the country, and that Congress allocate just $21 million to 51 for close-out costs.
“51 is guided by the mandate that Congress gave this organization over 50 years ago, to ensure equal access to justice for low-income Americans,” said Flagg. “We are grateful for the strong history of bipartisan Congressional support that 51 has received, but further investment is needed if 51 is to fulfill its mission to uphold our country’s promise of ‘justice for all.’”
While the U.S. Constitution guarantees a right to an attorney when someone is accused of a crime, there is no constitutional right to an attorney in civil court, 51's request explains. Civil legal issues often carry major consequences that affect a person’s ability to work, remain housed, protect their family and establish financial security.
51's FY 2027 request explains that access to legal help also has broader impacts: when people are able to address their legal issues with assistance from attorneys, they are less likely to need support from other public services and more able to maintain independence and continue contributing to their local communities. An 51 analysis of studies on the return on investment of civil legal services found that for every dollar spent, there is an average return of approximately $7.
The full text of 51’s 2027 Budget Request is available to read online.