By Bethany Krajelis Law Bulletin staff writer SPRINGFIELD - After more than 50 years of helping the legal community, the Illinois Bar Foundation is looking ahead with a new vision. Originally formed to provide financial assistance to lawyers in need, the IBF expanded its scope over the years, but recently narrowed it in hopes of making more of an impact on the cash-strapped world of legal aid. This new focus was announced in the IBF's annual report, which provides an overview of the group's work in 2009 and an outline of a revamped strategic plan designed to lead the foundation through 2012. Susan M. Lewers, executive director for IBF, said the group's objectives are: to increase the availability of legal aid, encourage pro bono legal work, educate residents about the law and to continue providing financial assistance to lawyers in need. "We are excited about the new objectives and future of the foundation," Lewers said. "We hope lawyers see value in our new strategic plan and invest in the foundation so we can do this as a community." The increased focus on legal aid was the result of a feasibility study conducted in 2006 to determine the foundation's chances of reaching a multi-million fundraising goal. Lawyers across the state were asked how likely they would be to donate to such a major fundraising campaign, and feedback showed that lawyers wanted the foundation "to find our stake in the ground," Lewers said. Two years and several drafts later, the foundation's new objectives were created as a way to let donors know exactly what the IBF's goals were, said Russell K. Scott, a Belleville attorney who chairs the group's long-range planning committee. "It become a labor of love for the foundation," Scott said. "I see it as something we can really rally around." Scott said the group's goal to increase its focus on legal aid was an easy decision to make, especially as state budget cuts and a tough economy have hurt legal aid providers. Lewers said in order to meet their objective, the group plans on creating partnerships with various legal aid providers to come up with solutions to some of the problems the field has and continues to face. The IBF is also planning on changing its grant guidelines in order to create more of an impact. This means some groups that have received grants from the foundation in the past will not in the future, and other groups could see larger checks, Lewers said. "We have had a long relationship with the CASA program, but it won't be funded under the new system," Lewers said, explaining that while the Court Appointed Special Advocate provides a needed service, it no longer meets the group's guidelines and will not receive grants. According to the report, the IBF awarded nearly $305,000 in grants in 2009 to 32 not-for-profit organizations, an increase from the previous year when about $295,000 in grants was handed out. Lewers estimated that about $100,000 of the nearly $305,000 in grants this year went to programs with purposes other than legal aid. Under the group's new plan, this $100,000 will help the foundation give out larger grants to legal aid groups. "We want to do as much as we can do to better fund our legal aid programs, but we know no matter what we do, the need is overwhelming," Lewers said. Although the foundation heads into a new year of fundraising with a new vision, both Lewers and Scott stress that the new plan is not going to reduce the group's subsistence program. This program provides support to lawyers, as well as their spouses and families, who because of age, illness or other problems find themselves in financial crisis. The IBF's report shows that the foundation supported 13 families with more than $96,000 in 2009. That's a hefty jump from the previous year, when the foundation provided slightly less than $50,000 to lawyers in need, according to the group's website. "We are really proud of this program," Scott said. "It's the reason the foundation started and has helped a lot of lawyers and a lot of families." Besides increasing legal aid funding and continuing its subsistence program, the foundation's strategic plan calls for the creation of several partnerships to further the IBF's objectives of encouraging more pro bono work and educating residents about their rights and responsibilities under the law. "Our plan is obviously ambitious, but it's something we can work on for many years to come," Scott said. For more information about the Illinois Bar Foundation, go to the Illinois Bar Association's Web site. The group's annual report is available as 52-page PDF document. Editor's note: This story ran in the Tuesday, Dec. 15, edition of the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin. Reprinted with the permission of the Law Bulletin Publishing Company