What is NAIP?

The National Association of IOLTA Programs (NAIP) is a non-profit, non-partisan membership organization for funders of civil legal aid throughout the Canadian provinces and territories and all United States jurisdictions — including the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. NAIP supports the growth and development of Interest on Lawyers Trust Account (IOLTA) programs and works to increase access to justice for all.

NAIP is the largest association of IOLTA programs and civil legal aid grant-makers in North America. NAIP's membership includes nearly sixty IOLTA organizations.

 

Our Priorities

NAIP offers educational and professional development opportunities and networking to help our members support civil justice in their states and provinces and create a collaborative voice on issues of common interest. NAIP facilitates mutual peer mentorship, enabling our members to increase revenue, build new programs, and improve the civil legal aid system.

We are a supportive, passionate, and motivated community of professionals committed to our role in bringing fairness to the justice system and providing civil legal aid to those who need it most.

 

Our History

NAIP was established in 1986 to enhance legal services and justice for low-income and vulnerable individuals through the growth and development of IOLTA programs as effective grant-making organizations.

Also, in 1986, the American Bar Association (ABA) created the nine-member Commission on IOLTA to collect, maintain, analyze, and disseminate IOLTA-related information; make recommendations for ABA policy related to IOLTA programs; and serve as a liaison with state IOLTA programs. NAIP and the Commission have worked together closely over all these years, serving as the central source of critical information and expertise essential to the effective management of our unique IOLTA programs.

IOLTA programs have matured since 1986. We collectively have worked hard to maximize IOLTA income and tap into other resources, such as cy pres awards, court filing fees, abandoned funds, attorney registration fees, annual fund-raising within the bar, public funding, pro bono services, and more.

Today, to help bridge the gap between civil legal aid needs and resources, many NAIP members engage in fundraising and grant-making beyond IOLTA revenue.