For FY 2021, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) is requesting $5.6 million to continue providing comprehensive and effective oversight of the federal funds Congress provides to LSC. The OIG contributes to LSC’s mission success by providing decision-makers with objective audits, investigations, and reviews aimed at strengthening governance and accountability and enhancing performance in LSC’s and grant recipients’ programs and operations.

For the first time in almost a decade, LSC is requesting an increase in the Management Grants Oversight (MGO) budget for FY 2021. Since 2015, LSC has covered its current MGO expenses with a combination of appropriated funds and funds carried over from prior years. LSC projects that we will come close to exhausting our carryover funds by the end of FY 2021 without an increased congressional appropriation. In addition, as funding for Basic Field grants increases, we require additional resources to conduct proper oversight and accountability of the grants LSC awards to our 132 grantees. As a responsible steward of taxpayer dollars, we have an obligation to maintain a robust oversight program.

LSC requests $5 million for the Technology Initiative Grants (TIG) program for FY 2021—the same amount LSC has requested for the past eight years. Currently the TIG program is funded at $4 million.

FY 2021 Budget Request: LSC requests an appropriation of $652,600,000 for FY 2021. This request reflects an increase of $59.6 million over last year’s request of $593 million. Nearly 95% of the request would fund 132 local legal aid organizations in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the Territories. LSC estimates that this would enable LSC grantees to provide assistance with 60% more civil legal problems than they currently serve.