Delaware Bar Foundation
The Delaware Bar Foundation's mission is improving the administration of justice in Delaware by: - providing funding for legal services for the poor - promoting study and research in the field of law - fostering knowledge of citizenship rights and responsibilities - enhancing public respect for the rule of law
Delaware Bar Foundation at a glance
In short: Delaware Bar Foundation gave $4.5M across 9 grants in 2025 (avg $497K), mostly in Delaware. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $4,476,348
- +45.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 9
- -10.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $497,372
- +61.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $180,000
- Total assets
- $19,065,583
- +44.5% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Delaware (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who Delaware Bar Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 6 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Community Legal Aid ($2.5M across 2 grants). Together the top 6 received $4.5M.
Grant Size Distribution
42 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $250–500K range: 14 grants of 42 (33%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 9 itemized grants.
Cities
How Delaware Bar Foundation gives
- Giving grew 173% from 2022 to 2025. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990 filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $1.3M (2020) to $4.5M (2025). In 2025 it made 9 grants totaling $4.5M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Community Legal Aid Wilmington, DE | Legal Aid | $2,227,822 |
| Legal Services of Delaware Wilmington, DE | Legal Aid | $980,000 |
| Delaware Volunteer Legal Services Wilmington, DE | Legal Aid | $632,744 |
| Community Legal Aid Wilmington, DE | Legal Aid | $270,000 |
| Legal Services of Delaware Wilmington, DE | Legal Aid | $180,000 |
| Delaware Volunteer Legal Services Wilmington, DE | Legal Aid | $150,000 |
| Delaware Lawyers Assistance Fund Wilmington, DE | Legal Aid | $20,000 |
| Pro Bono Net New York, NY | Legal Aid | $8,250 |
| Delaware State Bar Association Wilmington, DE | Legal Aid | $7,532 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $19,065,583 | $10,511,080 | $4,655,505 | $4,476,348 | 9 | $576,840 |
| 2024 | $13,195,397 | $10,127,629 | $3,249,912 | $3,080,165 | 10 | $175,012 |
| 2023 | $6,314,338 | $4,970,370 | $1,746,852 | $1,607,500 | 7 | $45,060 |
| 2022 | $3,089,735 | $1,588,325 | $1,790,390 | $1,637,547 | 8 | $12,954 |
| 2021 | $3,286,844 | $1,663,931 | $2,002,994 | $1,875,163 | 8 | $20,398 |
| 2020 | $3,625,226 | $2,123,510 | $1,394,906 | $1,270,650 | 5 | $35,688 |
| 2019 | $2,895,947 | $1,875,641 | $1,587,381 | $1,445,076 | 8 | $24,027 |
About Delaware Bar Foundation
Based on IRS filings
Delaware Bar Foundation is a public charity focused on Crime & Legal Related, based in Wilmington, DE. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $19.1M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 9 grants totaling $4.5M. Net investment income was $577K.
Focus Areas
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Delaware Bar Foundation is led by Denise Nordheimer, President since 2024 (on filings since 2019); 1 of 13 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Denise Nordheimer
President
Secretary → President El, 2022
President El → President, 2024
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kyle Evans Gay
President-El
Director → President-El, 2025
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Karryl Hubbard
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Bonnie W. David
Director
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rebecca A. Guzman
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Samuel D. Pratcher III
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
David C. McBride
Director
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Nicole M. Mozee
Director
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Amy L. Simmerman
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
N. Christopher Griffiths
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Megan Greenberg
Executive Di
On filings since 2020
25 hrs/week
$17K (2020) → $67K (2025)
David A. Felice
Treasurer
Treasurer → Director, 2024
Director → Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Clarissa R. Chenoweth
Secretary
Secretary → Director, 2024
Director → Secretary, 2025
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (12)
- Former: Jeffrey A. Young (2019–2024) — Director
- Former: Abigail M. Legrow (2024) — Director
- Former: Karen L. Valihura (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Kelly E. Farnan (2019–2023) — President
- Former: C. Malcolm Cochran IV (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Laurie Selber Silverstein (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Michael Houghton (2019–2022) — Treasurer
- Former: Benjamin Strauss (2019–2021) — Treasurer
- Former: Jenness E. Parker (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Kathi A. Karsnitz (2019) — President
- Former: Melissa W. Flynn (2019) — Executive Di
- Former: Ryan C. Cicoski (2019) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $67K, to Megan Greenberg (Executive Di).
Frequently asked questions about Delaware Bar Foundation
How much does Delaware Bar Foundation give each year?
Delaware Bar Foundation gave $4.5M across 9 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $3.1M across 10 grants.
What is Delaware Bar Foundation's typical grant size?
Delaware Bar Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $180,000, and its average grant was $497,372, across 9 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Where does Delaware Bar Foundation give grants?
Delaware Bar Foundation gives mostly in Delaware: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Wilmington, DE (8 grants).
Does Delaware Bar Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 9 grants with a stated purpose on Delaware Bar Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Legal Aid" (9 grants).
Who are Delaware Bar Foundation's largest grantees?
Delaware Bar Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Community Legal Aid ($2,497,822 across 2 grants), Legal Services of Delaware ($1,160,000 across 2 grants) and Delaware Volunteer Legal Services ($782,744 across 2 grants), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 99% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Delaware Bar Foundation?
Delaware Bar Foundation reported $19.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $10.5M.
What is Delaware Bar Foundation?
Delaware Bar Foundation is a public charity focused on Crime & Legal Related, based in Wilmington, DE. It holds $19.1M in total assets as of 2025.
What is Delaware Bar Foundation's EIN?
Delaware Bar Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 51-0259923. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS January 16, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS January 27, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS January 12, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS January 24, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS February 1, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS December 16, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS January 22, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
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