THE AMERICAN BAR FOUNDATION (ABF) SEEKS TO EXPAND KNOWLEDGE AND ADVANCE JUSTICE THROUGH INNOVATIVE, INTERDISCIPLINARY, AND RIGOROUS EMPIRICAL RESEARCH ON LAW, LEGAL PROCESSES, AND LEGAL INSTITUTIONS. TO FURTHER THIS MISSION THE ABF PRODUCES TIMELY, CUTTING-EDGE RESEARCH OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY TO INFORM AND GUIDE THE LEGAL PROFESSION, THE ACADEMY, AND SOCIETY IN THE UNITED STATES AND INTERNATIONALLY.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$42.2M
+6.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$58K
-51.9% YoY
Grant Count
2
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$29K
-51.9% YoY
About American Bar Foundation
Based on IRS filings
American Bar Foundation is a nonprofit organization focused on Crime & Legal Related, based in CHICAGO, IL. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $42.2M in total assets. In 2024, it awarded 2 grants totaling $58K. Net investment income was $1.9M.
Focus Areas
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $42,157,416 | $39,551,778 | $34,564,445 |
| Revenue | $9,200,711 | $8,804,741 | $8,543,107 |
| Expenses | $8,435,191 | $8,109,798 | $7,911,819 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $1,851,667 | $1,524,267 | $1,051,765 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 2 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
14 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
4 open opportunities from American Bar Foundation
Doctoral Fellowships
AMERICAN BAR FOUNDATION
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Faculty Scholars Program
AMERICAN BAR FOUNDATION
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Postdoctoral Fellowships
AMERICAN BAR FOUNDATION
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include University of North Carolina ($45,984), Comparative Constitutions Project ($12,160).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA ATLANTA, GA | RESEARCH | $45,984 |
| COMPARATIVE CONSTITUTIONS PROJECT CHICAGO, IL | RESEARCH | $12,160 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JIMMY K GOODMAN | PRESIDENT | 3 | — |
| SANDRA J CHAN | VICE-PRESIDENT | 3 | — |
| MICHAEL H BYOWITZ | TREASURER | 3 | — |
| LAUREN K ROBEL | SECRETARY | 3 | — |
| HAROLD D POPE | MEMBER | 2 | — |
| LAURA V FARBER | EX-OFFICIO | 2 | — |
| PATTY FERGUSON-BOHNEE | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| PAULA E BOGGS | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| JO ANN ENGELHARDT | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| ROBERT J GREY JR | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| HON SOPHIA H HALL | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| ELLEN M JAKOVIC | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| SHAYDA ZAERPOOR LE | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| J ANTHONY PATTERSON JR | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| HON PETER M REYES JR | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| DANIEL B RODRIGUEZ | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| MARY L SMITH | EX-OFFICIO | 1 | — |
| WILLIAM R BAY | EX-OFFICIO | 1 | — |
| PALMER G VANCE II | EX-OFFICIO | 1 | — |
| FRANK H LANGROCK | EX-OFFICIO | 1 | — |
| ORLANDO LUCERO | EX-OFFICIO | 1 | — |
| HARI M OSOFSKY | EX-OFFICIO | 1 | — |
| HOWARD H VOGEL | EX-OFFICIO | 1 | — |
| FRANK X NEUNER | EX-OFFICIO | 1 | — |
| JENNIFER L PARENT | EX-OFFICIO | 1 | — |
| MARK SUCHMAN | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (STARTING 8/9/23) | 35 | $106,799 |
| SHARI DIAMOND | RESEARCHER | 17 | $212,489 |
| ELIZABETH MERTZ | RESEARCHER | 35 | $189,551 |
| SUSAN SHAPIRO | RESEARCHER | 35 | $165,097 |
| MATTHEW BURNETT | SENIOR PROGRAM OFFICER | 35 | $137,158 |
| AJAY MEHROTRA | RESEARCHER | 17 | $139,956 |
| BRYANT GARTH | DIRECTOR (THRU 08/31/23) | 35 | $282,063 |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What is American Bar Foundation?
American Bar Foundation is a nonprofit organization focused on Crime & Legal Related, based in CHICAGO, IL. It holds $42.2M in total assets as of 2024.
How large is American Bar Foundation?
As of 2024, American Bar Foundation holds $42.2M in total assets with $9.2M in annual revenue. It awarded 2 grants totaling $58K in 2024.
Where does American Bar Foundation operate?
American Bar Foundation has awarded grants in California, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Texas.
What size grants does American Bar Foundation award?
In 2024, American Bar Foundation awarded 2 grants totaling $58K — an average of about $29K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is American Bar Foundation's EIN?
American Bar Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-6110271. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in American Bar Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.
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