Michigan Advocacy Program

What Michigan Advocacy Program does

Michigan Advocacy Program (MAP) is a Michigan-based nonprofit legal aid organization founded in 1974 (originally as independent local legal aid societies that merged into Legal Services of South Central Michigan) and rebranded under its current name in 2014. Headquartered in Ypsilanti with field offices in Ann Arbor, Battle Creek, Jackson, Lansing, and Monroe, MAP provides free civil legal services to low-income individuals, senior citizens, migrant and seasonal farmworkers, crime victims, and other vulnerable populations across 13 counties in south and central Michigan. The organization operates two direct service divisions — Legal Services of South Central Michigan (LSSCM) and Farmworker Legal Services (FLS) — and a portfolio of statewide programs including the Crime Victims Legal Assistance Project (CVLAP), Michigan Poverty Law Program (MPLP), Michigan Immigrant Rights Center (MIRC), Michigan Elder Justice Initiative (MEJI) with its ombudsman programs (MHLO and MICPOP), Michigan Legal Help Program (MLH), and Michigan Long Term Care Ombudsman Program (MLTCOP). Statewide services are housed under Michigan Statewide Advocacy Services (MSAS), a separate LLC created in 2014.

MAP's technology footprint centers on the Michigan Legal Help website — a free self-help legal information platform launched in 2012 with 26 self-help centers and dozens of DIY legal tools — supplemented by online intake forms (built on FormAssembly) for criminal record expungement and Medicaid assistance, the 'What's Next Text' automated SMS program launched in 2022, and standard marketing integrations (Google Analytics, Google Ads remarketing, Constant Contact, LGL Forms for donations). The organization has no AI/ML capabilities disclosed.

MAP is funded by a diversified mix of government grants (Legal Services Corporation, Michigan State Bar Foundation, Michigan Department of Health & Human Services, State Court Administrative Office, Area Agencies on Aging), private foundations (Kresge, W.K. Kellogg, Michigan Health Endowment Fund, Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, Michigan Justice Fund, Partners for Places), four United Way affiliates (Monroe/Lenawee, South Central Michigan, Washtenaw), and individual donations (including the Access to Justice Campaign for attorneys and recurring donor programs for non-attorneys). All client services are provided free of charge to eligible low-income individuals. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors, has 101-250 staff per firmographics, and transitioned executive leadership to Shannon Lucas on July 1, 2024, succeeding Ann Routt who retired after nearly 40 years.

Name

Michigan Advocacy Program

Legal name

Michigan Advocacy Program

Website

https://miadvocacy.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Michigan Advocacy Program is a nonprofit legal aid organization providing free civil legal services to low-income individuals, seniors, farmworkers, and crime victims across 13 counties in south and central Michigan through field offices and statewide advocacy programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Civil Legal Aid Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Human Rights Organizations (813311), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Legal Aid & Client Advocacy Services (BPAGAEAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Immigrant & Refugee Rights Advocacy (BPAGAFAG), Human Rights & Anti-Discrimination Organizations (BPAGAFAB), Gender Equality & Women’s Rights Advocacy (BPAGAFAD)

Keywords

• Civil legal aid
• Nonprofit legal services
• Pro bono representation
• Public interest law
• Legal advocacy programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Ypsilanti

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Grants: Primary funding from federal, state, and local government grants including Legal Services Corporation (LSC), Michigan State Bar Foundation (MSBF), and various state department grants
2. Foundation Grants: Funding from private foundations including Kresge Foundation, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Michigan Health Endowment Fund, Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, and others
3. Individual Donations: Donations from attorneys through Access to Justice Campaign and non-attorney donors, including recurring donation options
4. United Way Funding: Support from multiple United Way organizations including United Way of Monroe/Lenawee Counties, United Way of South Central Michigan, United Way of Washtenaw County, and others

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Michigan Advocacy Program is a nonprofit legal aid organization that provides free civil legal aid, advice, and representation to low-income individuals, senior citizens, migrant and seasonal farmworkers, crime victims, and immigrant populations across 13 counties in south and central Michigan. Through direct service divisions (LSSCM, FLS, CVLAP) and statewide advocacy programs (MIRC, MEJI, MLH, MPLP, MLTCOP), MAP delivers legal representation in housing, family law, consumer protection, public benefits, healthcare access, immigration, elder law, and criminal record expungement matters.

Product overview

Michigan Advocacy Program (MAP) is a nonprofit legal aid organization offering a unified platform of direct legal services and statewide advocacy programs. The organization operates through two main direct service divisions: Legal Services of South Central Michigan (LSSCM), providing free civil legal aid in 13 counties, and Farmworker Legal Services (FLS), serving farmworkers statewide. These core services are complemented by statewide support programs including the Michigan Poverty Law Program (MPLP), Michigan Immigrant Rights Center (MIRC), Michigan Elder Justice Initiative (MEJI) with its ombudsman programs (MHLO and MICPOP), Michigan Legal Help Program (MLH), Michigan Foreclosure Prevention Project, and the Crime Victims Legal Assistance Project (CVLAP). MAP also provides online intake tools for Criminal Record Expungement and Medicaid Assistance. Together, these programs provide comprehensive civil legal aid covering housing, healthcare, immigration, employment, elder law, and consumer protection.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Legal Services of South Central Michigan (LSSCM) Direct civil legal aid providing free legal advice and representation to low-income individuals and senior citizens in Barry, Branch, Calhoun, Clinton, Eaton, Hillsdale, Ingham, Jackson, Lenawee, Livingston, Monroe, Shiawassee, and Washtenaw Counties, plus senior citizens in St. Joseph County.
• Farmworker Legal Services (FLS) Free legal assistance and referrals for migrant and seasonal farmworkers throughout the state of Michigan on matters including immigration, workplace rights, housing, and family law.
• Crime Victims Legal Assistance Project (CVLAP) Statewide program providing free civil legal assistance to individuals who have experienced domestic violence or elder/vulnerable adult abuse, neglect, or exploitation.
• Michigan Immigrant Rights Center (MIRC) Statewide program providing legal services and advocacy support for immigrant populations in Michigan.
• Michigan Elder Justice Initiative (MEJI) Statewide program empowering, educating, and protecting low-income older adults and adults living with disabilities on issues impacting independence, health, dignity, and security.
• Michigan Legal Help Program (MLH) Statewide self-help legal information program providing free legal information to litigants representing themselves in Michigan through a website with self-help tools and 26 statewide self-help centers.
• Michigan Poverty Law Program (MPLP) State support organization providing training, case consultation, and advocacy support to all civil legal aid offices in Michigan.
• Michigan Long Term Care Ombudsman Program (MLTCOP) Program that strives to improve quality of care and quality of life for residents in nursing homes, homes for the aged, and adult foster care homes by resolving resident concerns and providing education on resident rights and abuse prevention.
• MI Health Link Ombudsman (MHLO) Ombudsman program under MEJI providing advocacy for individuals enrolled in Michigan's MI Health Link program.
• MI Choice, Community Transition Services, and PACE Ombudsman Program (MICPOP) Ombudsman program under MEJI serving individuals in MI Choice waiver program, Community Transition Services, and PACE (Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly).
• Michigan Foreclosure Prevention Project Statewide program providing advocacy and support for homeowners facing foreclosure.
• Michigan Legal Help What's Next Text Program Automated text messaging program delivering legal information to Michigan litigants representing themselves in court who may be unable to be represented by traditional legal aid.
• Legal Navigator Program for Expungement Program using non-attorney volunteers from local paralegal programs, law schools, and community groups to assist low-income clients with administrative tasks for criminal record expungement applications under Michigan's Clean Slate legislation.

Quantifiable outcome

• 26 self-help centers launched statewide since 2012
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered major, minor and core.

• University of Michigan Law SchoolmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founder of Michigan Poverty Law Program; provides law student volunteers and pro bono support for MAP programs
• University of Michigan Student Legal ServicesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudent organization providing volunteer legal support
• Vera Institute of JusticeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization working on justice reform providing programmatic support and partnerships
• Michigan Immigrant Rights CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide program under MAP providing immigration legal services and advocacy
• Michigan Elder Justice InitiativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide program under MAP providing legal services for older adults and adults with disabilities
• Michigan Legal Help ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide self-help legal information program providing online resources for self-represented litigants
• Michigan Poverty Law ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState support organization providing training, case consultation, and advocacy support to civil legal aid offices statewide; 25 years old in 2022
• State Court Administrative OfficemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState court agency providing funding and partnership for access to justice initiatives
• Catherine Cobb Safe HouseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDomestic violence shelter in Lenawee County; MAP Executive Director serves on board
• Legal Services of South Central Michigan (LSSCM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDirect service division of MAP providing free civil legal aid to low-income residents in 13 counties; now operating under MAP name since 2014 rebranding
• Farmworker Legal ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDirect service division of MAP providing free legal assistance to migrant and seasonal farmworkers throughout Michigan; celebrating 25 years in 2022
• Crime Victims Legal Assistance Project (CVLAP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide program providing free civil legal assistance to crime victims experiencing domestic violence or elder/vulnerable adult abuse
• Michigan Statewide Advocacy Services (MSAS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSeparate LLC created in 2014 to house MAP's statewide services
• Area Agency on Aging Region 1-B, 2, 3-CmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional aging agencies providing funding and partnerships for elder justice services
• Tri-County Office on AgingmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional aging agency supporting services for older adults
• National Immigrant Law CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization supporting immigrant rights legal work
• Asian Americans Advancing JusticeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational Asian American legal advocacy organization

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Pine Tree Legal Assistance: Pine Tree Legal Assistance is an LSC-funded civil legal aid organization serving low-income Maine residents. It is comparable to MAP in LSC funding model, regional service-area focus, and emphasis on serving rural and underserved populations.
• Greater Boston Legal Services: Greater Boston Legal Services provides free civil legal aid across multiple practice areas to low-income Greater Boston residents. Its multi-program structure, pro bono network, and statewide advocacy partnerships parallel MAP's LSSCM-plus-statewide-advocacy model.
• New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG): NYLAG provides free civil legal services across multiple practice areas to low-income New Yorkers and is a major institutional foundation grant recipient. Its integrated direct-service-plus-grantmaking model closely mirrors MAP's portfolio structure, and MAP's Director of Foundation & Government Relations came directly from NYLAG.
• Legal Aid Chicago: Legal Aid Chicago is a large urban legal aid organization providing free civil legal services in Cook County with multiple specialized practice groups and a pro bono network. Its structure and program diversity closely parallel MAP's direct service and statewide advocacy portfolio.
• Lone Star Legal Aid: Lone Star Legal Aid is a large LSC-funded civil legal aid organization serving low-income Texans across a multi-county service area. Its LSC funding, multi-county direct-service model, and senior/crime-victim specialty programs make it a direct operational peer to MAP.
• Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles: LAFLA is a major LSC-funded legal aid organization providing free civil legal services to low-income Angelenos across multiple practice areas. Comparable to MAP in organizational scale, LSC funding, multi-county service area, and use of pro bono networks.
• Texas RioGrande Legal Aid: Texas RioGrande Legal Aid is an LSC-funded legal aid organization serving migrant farmworkers, low-income families, and disaster survivors across Texas. Its farmworker legal services component is highly comparable to MAP's Farmworker Legal Services program.
• Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania: LASP is a regional civil legal aid organization serving low-income individuals across multiple Pennsylvania counties with direct representation and pro bono programs. It is directly comparable to MAP's LSSCM division in scope, target population, and service mix.
• Illinois Legal Aid: Illinois Legal Aid operates a statewide self-help legal information website for self-represented litigants, similar to MAP's Michigan Legal Help Program. The platforms serve comparable functions (DIY tools, legal information, referrals) and the organizations are direct functional peers.

Others

• Vera Institute of Justice: Vera Institute of Justice is a national criminal justice reform and advocacy organization partnered with MAP on justice reform initiatives. It is comparable as a thematic/ecosystem peer working on criminal record expungement, immigrant rights, and criminal justice reform that intersects with MAP's advocacy programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/madvocacyp
• Facebookfacebook.com/miadvocacy
• Instagraminstagram.com/michiganadvocacyprogram

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Michigan Advocacy Program