American Bar Foundation

CHICAGO, IL EIN: 36-6110271 Website

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

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

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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$3M$5M$8M$11M20202021202220232024
Metric202420232022
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

$0$58K$115K$173K$230K0 grants20208 grants20212 grants20222 grants20232 grants2024

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 2 recipients in 2024

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CARO…$46KCOMPARATIVE CONSTITUTION…$12K

Grant Size Distribution

14 grants across all recorded years

13<$50K$50–100K1$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

No grants recorded for .

Who else does American Bar Foundation fund?

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Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

BRYANT GARTHDIRECTOR (THRU 08/31/23)$282KSHARI DIAMONDRESEARCHER$212KELIZABETH MERTZRESEARCHER$190KSUSAN SHAPIRORESEARCHER$165KAJAY MEHROTRARESEARCHER$140KMATTHEW BURNETTSENIOR PROGRAM OFFICER$137KMARK SUCHMANEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (STARTING…$107K

From 2024 filing

NameTitleHoursCompensation
JIMMY K GOODMANPRESIDENT3
SANDRA J CHANVICE-PRESIDENT3
MICHAEL H BYOWITZTREASURER3
LAUREN K ROBELSECRETARY3
HAROLD D POPEMEMBER2
LAURA V FARBEREX-OFFICIO2
PATTY FERGUSON-BOHNEEMEMBER1
PAULA E BOGGSMEMBER1
JO ANN ENGELHARDTMEMBER1
ROBERT J GREY JRMEMBER1
HON SOPHIA H HALLMEMBER1
ELLEN M JAKOVICMEMBER1
SHAYDA ZAERPOOR LEMEMBER1
J ANTHONY PATTERSON JRMEMBER1
HON PETER M REYES JRMEMBER1
DANIEL B RODRIGUEZMEMBER1
MARY L SMITHEX-OFFICIO1
WILLIAM R BAYEX-OFFICIO1
PALMER G VANCE IIEX-OFFICIO1
FRANK H LANGROCKEX-OFFICIO1
ORLANDO LUCEROEX-OFFICIO1
HARI M OSOFSKYEX-OFFICIO1
HOWARD H VOGELEX-OFFICIO1
FRANK X NEUNEREX-OFFICIO1
JENNIFER L PARENTEX-OFFICIO1
MARK SUCHMANEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (STARTING 8/9/23)35$106,799
SHARI DIAMONDRESEARCHER17$212,489
ELIZABETH MERTZRESEARCHER35$189,551
SUSAN SHAPIRORESEARCHER35$165,097
MATTHEW BURNETTSENIOR PROGRAM OFFICER35$137,158
AJAY MEHROTRARESEARCHER17$139,956
BRYANT GARTHDIRECTOR (THRU 08/31/23)35$282,063

Geographic Focus

Where this funder has awarded grants

Grant Distribution by State

7states

Cities

AMHERSTATLANTACHICAGOCOLLEGE STATIONHANOVERLOS ANGELESPISCATAWAYSTANFORD

Data last updated March 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.

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