Georgia Bar Foundation Inc
Georgia Bar Foundation Inc is an Atlanta-based public charity and the Supreme Court of Georgia’s philanthropic arm. It advances access to justice by supporting organizations that provide legal help to people and communities in Georgia.
Georgia Bar Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Georgia Bar Foundation Inc gave $11.3M across 43 grants in 2025 (avg $262K), mostly in Georgia. 58% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $11,258,966
- +22.1% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 43
- +59.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $261,836
- -23.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $50,000
- Total assets
- $15,899,334
- +16.7% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 58% first-time grantees (25 of 43, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Georgia (99% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Georgia Bar Foundation Inc
- How to Apply
-
The Foundation’s website says applications are open for the 2026–2027 cycle. Qualified organizations submit an intent-to-apply form and a completed grant application.
- Review Cycle
- Intent-to-apply form: May 15, 2026. Completed grant application: May 29, 2026. The Foundation states that all deadlines are final.
- Deadline
- Intent-to-apply form: May 15, 2026.
- Contact
Mailing address: 104 Marietta St Suite 610, Atlanta, GA 30303
Phone: (404) 588-2239
Website: https://georgiabarfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Georgia Bar Foundation Inc
Who Georgia Bar Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Georgia Legal Services Program Inc ($3.0M). Together the top 10 received $9.5M.
Grant Size Distribution
130 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 60 grants of 130 (46%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation describes its work as supporting access to justice across Georgia. In 2025, 99% of grant dollars went to recipients in Georgia and 1% to recipients in Washington, DC.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 43 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Georgia Bar Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
58%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 25 of 43 grantees (58%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $83K; repeat grants $510K. How we count
Medians: $50K first-time, $80K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $2.3M (2020) to $11.3M (2025). In 2025 it made 43 grants totaling $11.3M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Georgia Legal Services Program Inc Atlanta, GA | General Support | $3,050,000 |
| Atlanta Legal Aid Society Inc Atlanta, GA | General Support | $3,000,000 |
| Georgia Civil Justice Foundation Milton, GA | General Support | $1,312,266 |
| The Georgia Heirs Property Law Center Inc Athens, GA | General Support | $375,000 |
| Truancy Intervention Georgia Atlanta, GA | General Support | $340,000 |
| Georgia Asylum and Immigration Network Atlanta, GA | General Support | $332,900 |
| Georgia Appleseed Atlanta, GA | General Support | $325,000 |
| Southwest Georgia Legal Self-Help Center Inc Albany, GA | General Support | $300,000 |
| Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation Atlanta, GA | General Support | $250,000 |
| GA Appellate Prac & Edu Resource Cntr Atlanta, GA | General Support | $180,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Georgia Bar Foundation Inc?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $15,899,334 | $14,142,732 | $11,844,488 | $11,258,966 | 43 | $4,739 |
| 2024 | $13,623,452 | $14,121,235 | $9,767,112 | $9,219,938 | 27 | $4,396 |
| 2023 | $9,301,785 | $9,474,726 | $5,087,161 | $4,548,208 | 20 | $3,805 |
| 2022 | $4,520,657 | $3,076,419 | $3,307,944 | $2,792,055 | 20 | $4,815 |
| 2021 | $4,745,837 | $3,235,745 | $4,081,275 | $3,580,211 | 20 | $7,219 |
| 2020 | $5,593,700 | $3,199,237 | $2,847,312 | $2,317,586 | 19 | $38,710 |
| 2019 | $5,211,168 | $2,812,693 | $5,223,698 | $4,721,717 | 24 | $68,980 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation’s stated purpose is to receive and manage IOLTA funds and other resources primarily to fund legal services, including public access to those services, for people who lack the means to employ legal representation. It also supports community-oriented, law-related projects for the public good.
Its grants support eligible nonprofit and law-related organizations. Funding purposes include legal services for Georgians who lack access or are experiencing poverty, with civil legal aid identified as a priority; aid for children involved in the justice system; improving the administration of justice; promoting professionalism in law; legal education for Georgia’s children; and adult education about democracy and government.
Examples of grantees’ work include the Georgia Legal Services Program, whose stated mission is to provide civil legal services to people with low incomes, and the Atlanta Legal Aid Society, which says it provides legal services to elderly and indigent residents of metropolitan Atlanta. Georgia Appleseed says it works to keep children in school and on a path to success through legal services, representation, law and policy reform, and collaboration with families and advocates.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the Foundation reported 43 grants totaling $11,258,966. Grant amounts ranged from $8,800 to $3,050,000, with a median of $50,000. The largest awards included $3,050,000 to Georgia Legal Services Program Inc. and $3,000,000 to Atlanta Legal Aid Society Inc., both for general support. Other major awards included $1,312,266 to Georgia Civil Justice Foundation, $375,000 to The Georgia Heirs Property Law Center Inc., and $340,000 to Truancy Intervention Georgia.
Qualified organizations submit one application describing their mission, structure, programs and services, and budget and financial information. The Board of Trustees reviews applications based on demonstrated need, alignment with the Foundation’s mission, and measurable impact. Required materials include an audit, IRS Form 990 and tax determination letter, operating budget, organizational chart or list of staff roles, and board meeting minutes from the previous 12 months. Letters of support are optional. Eligible applicants include organizations exempt under Section 501(c)(3) and governmental, charitable, and educational organizations exempt from income tax whose purposes are consistent with the Foundation’s.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists W Terence Walsh as president, Michael T Nations as vice president, Jason J Carter as treasurer, and Falgun Patel as secretary. Rachel Barnhard is identified as executive director.
Georgia Bar Foundation Inc is led by Rachel S. Barnhard, Executive Director since 2025 (on filings since 2024); 1 of 22 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Rachel S. Barnhard
Executive Director
Executive Director & Incoming → Executive Director, 2025
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$166K (2025)
W Terence Walsh
President
Treasurer → Vice President, 2021
Vice President → President, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Katherine Meyers Cohen
Trustee
President → President Emeritus, 2020
President Emeritus → Trustee, 2021
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Linda A Klein
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Robert W. Chasteen Jr.
Trustee
President Emeritus → Trustee, 2020
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
William F Easterlin III
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Debra A Segal
Trustee
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
J Anderson Davis
Trustee
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Joseph W Dent
Trustee
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rebecca Liles Grist
Trustee
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Chandler Maurice Beasley III
Trustee
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ivy N Cadle
Trustee
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Luke R Moses
Trustee
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Meciala S King
Trustee
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ana Maria Martinez
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Christopher Paul Twyman
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kenneth M Mitchell Jr.
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael Tripp Cofield
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Derek J White
President Emeritus
Vice President → President, 2021
President → President Emeritus, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jason J Carter
Treasurer
Trustee → Secretary, 2021
Secretary → Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael T Nations
Vice President
Secretary → Treasurer, 2021
Treasurer → Vice President, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Falgun Patel
Secretary
Trustee → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (21)
- Former: Charles Leonard Horton (2019–2024) — Executive Director & Outgoing
- Former: J. Joseph Brannen (2019–2024) — Trustee
- Former: J. Antonio Delcampo (2023–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Brittanie Dbrowning (2024) — Trustee
- Former: Elizabeth Finn Johnson (2019–2023) — Trustee
- Former: William D. Harvard (2019–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Carol W. Hunstein (2021–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Sarah Brown Akins (2021–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Ronald Edward Daniels (2023) — Trustee
- Former: Aasia Mustakeem (2019–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Hollie G. Manheimer (2019–2022) — Trustee
- Former: James B. Franklin (2019–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Timothy A. Crim (2019–2022) — President Emeritus
- Former: Elissa B. Haynes (2021–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Elizabeth L. Fite (2021–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Darrell L. Sutton (2019–2020) — Trustee
- Former: G. Conley Ingram (2019–2020) — Trustee
- Former: Dawn M. Jones (2020) — Trustee
- Former: William T. Davis (2020) — Trustee
- Former: Kenneth B. Hodges III (2019) — Trustee
- Former: Rizza O'Connor (2019) — Trustee
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 $166K, to Rachel Barnhard (Executive Director).
Frequently asked questions about Georgia Bar Foundation Inc
How much does Georgia Bar Foundation Inc give each year?
Georgia Bar Foundation Inc gave $11.3M across 43 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $9.2M across 27 grants.
What is Georgia Bar Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Georgia Bar Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $50,000, and its average grant was $261,836, across 43 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Georgia Bar Foundation Inc that year got $83K on average.
Where does Georgia Bar Foundation Inc give grants?
Georgia Bar Foundation Inc gives mostly in Georgia: 99% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Atlanta, GA (21 grants), Savannah, GA (3 grants) and Lawrenceville, GA (2 grants).
Does Georgia Bar Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Georgia Bar Foundation Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (43 of 43) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Who are Georgia Bar Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Georgia Bar Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Georgia Legal Services Program Inc ($3,050,000), Atlanta Legal Aid Society Inc ($3,000,000) and Georgia Civil Justice Foundation ($1,312,266), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 65% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Georgia Bar Foundation Inc?
Georgia Bar Foundation Inc reported $15.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $14.1M.
What does Georgia Bar Foundation Inc fund?
The Foundation’s stated purpose is to receive and manage IOLTA funds and other resources primarily to fund legal services, including public access to those services, for people who lack the means to employ legal representation. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Georgia Bar Foundation Inc?
The Foundation’s website says applications are open for the 2026–2027 cycle. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Georgia Bar Foundation Inc's EIN?
Georgia Bar Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 58-0552594. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 21, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 1, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 13, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 15, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 11, 2020)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 13, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Georgia Bar Foundation Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Georgia Bar Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/georgia-bar-foundation-inc-morg_d09cc28876ae4099a74688d3fa2d8a7b
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_580552594_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Georgia Bar Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/georgia-bar-foundation-inc-morg_d09cc28876ae4099a74688d3fa2d8a7b},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Georgia Bar Foundation Inc's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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