Government

What does the do?

Updates published annually

The Legal Services Corporation (LSC) is an independent agency responsible for promoting equal access to justice in the United States by funding organizations that provide civil legal aid to low-income individuals. It was established in 1974.

In FY 2024,

$560M

was spent by the Legal Services Corporation
In FY 2024,

<0.1%

of federal spending was by the Legal Services Corporation

How much does the Legal Services Corporation spend?

The Legal Services Corporation spent $560 million in fiscal year (FY) 2024. This was 0.0083% of the $6.78 trillion in overall federal spending. The department ranked 45th among federal agencies in total spending.

The Legal Services Corporation accounted for <0.1% of all federal spending in FY 2024.

Share of LSC net spending compared to the top ten highest spending agencies in FY 2024

Federal spending may shift over time due to population growth, changes in policy and programs, and emerging problems to address. Adjusting for inflation, the Legal Services Corporation’s federal spending has decreased from $1.25 billion in 1980 to $560 million in 2024.

The Legal Services Corporation’s federal spending in FY 2024 was lower than in FY 1980.

Yearly federal net spending by LSC, adjusted for inflation (2024 dollars), FYs 1980–2024

Since 1980, Legal Services Corporation's spending has decreased 55.1%, while overall spending has increased 193.7%.
The department’s spending grew less than overall spending, which means that the department’s share of the federal budget decreased. In 2024, LSC accounted for 0.0083% of all federal spending. That’s 0.00094 percentage points lower than 2014 and 0.046 percentage points lower than in 1980.
Major legislation, internal or global economic conditions, and acute events like the COVID-19 pandemic can affect spending year to year. For example, the federal budget fluctuated during the pandemic, rising from $5.3 trillion (in 2023 dollars) in 2019 to $7.7 trillion in 2020 and $7.8 trillion in 2021.

The Legal Services Corporation's share of federal spending in FY 2024 was lower than in FY 1980.

Percentage of federal budget dedicated to LSC, FYs 1980–2024

Most federal spending can be categorized as direct or indirect. Direct spending refers to money the federal government spends on budget items such as federal programs, employee salaries, and debt interest. Indirect spending refers to federal transfers to state and local governments.
In FY 2024, all of the Legal Services Corporation's spending was direct.
The chart below outlines all net LSC spending.

How did the Legal Services Corporation spend its budget in 2024?

Federal government net spending isolated to LSC, FY 2024

Who leads the Legal Services Corporation?

LSC is led by a president and a board of directors, with 11 members nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate.

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Methodology

USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.

Page sources

USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.

  • Office of Personnel Management

    FedScope

  • Office of Management and Budget and US Department of the Treasury

    Budget of the US Government and Monthly Treasury Statement

    Office of Management and Budget and US Department of the Treasury logo