A nonprofit providing legal aid to low-income South Dakotans will retain its federal funding, despite claims of ineffectiveness from a fellow legal aid organization.

The decision leaves South Dakota’s legal aid landscape unchanged, but will increase scrutiny over Dakota Plains Legal Services operations over the next year.

Dakota Plains serves the western half of South Dakota, as well as Native Americans on and off tribal lands across the state. East River Legal Services, which serves the eastern part of the state, had said earlier this year that it would compete for Dakota Plains’ federal grant funding because the organization was not effectively serving clients.

Lea Wroblewski, executive director for East River Legal Services, said in July that some organizations working with low-income, vulnerable communities in Dakota Plains’ jurisdiction were unfamiliar with the nonprofit. She added that East River had “not been able to successfully refer a single housing case” to Dakota Plains in her three years on the job.

Representatives with the nationwide Legal Services Corporation spoke to members of the state Commission on Equal Access to Our Courts during a Tuesday virtual meeting. Corporation officials said they will award Dakota Plains one year’s worth of funding rather than a standard three-year grant. Dakota Plains will receive nearly $2 million in total grant funding for its geographical area and its services to Native Americans.

The organization will adhere to special grant conditions to centralize its intake system and involve leadership in a nationwide search for a permanent executive director. Interim Executive Director William Sulik requested another compliance review from the national corporation to assess the organization’s effectiveness and train staff members.

“I know that this is a trust given to us,” Sulik told commission members, “and we intend to keep that trust with the people of South Dakota.”

The commission also voted to award funding that was withheld from Dakota Plains while the corporation’s assessment was pending. The commission awarded Dakota Plains $154,000, with the stipulation that the organization’s Justice Bus operations are prioritized.

The Justice Bus launched at the beginning of this year and is the state’s first mobile legal aid office, meant to increase accessibility to legal aid services across the state — especially in legal deserts.