Lawyers Trust Fund of Illinois
The Lawyers Trust Fund of Illinois (LTF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation established in 1983 and designated by the Illinois Supreme Court to administer the state's Interest on Lawyers' Trust Accounts (IOLTA) program. Based in Chicago, Illinois, LTF is the largest funder of nonprofit legal aid programs in the state. The organization supports the provision of civil legal aid to low-income people throughout Illinois by making grants to nonprofit organizations that provide legal assistance to those in need.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$59.1M
+71.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$22.4M
+30.4% YoY
Grant Count
50
+4.2% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$447K
+25.2% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
LTF's mission is to provide grant funds to Illinois not-for-profit organizations providing legal assistance to the poor throughout Illinois and for other programs for the benefit of the public as specifically approved by the Illinois Supreme Court, exclusively for public purposes.
The organization's primary focus is supporting civil legal aid services for low-income Illinois residents. In 2022, LTF's legal aid grantees provided services in nearly 110,000 legal matters. The organization prioritizes ensuring access to civil legal services for residents living below 150% of the federal poverty line, addressing critical legal needs in the state.
Grantmaking
LTF distributes grants to nonprofit legal aid organizations across Illinois. The organization has distributed more than $120 million in grants since its founding.
Grant Range
$25,000 minimum to $5,450,000 (based on 2025 awards)
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
LTF funds legal aid organizations statewide throughout Illinois, with a geographic focus on serving the entire state.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue:
- Total assets: $59,059,830 (2024)
- Total revenues: $44,227,030 (2024)
- Total expenses: $24,087,662 (2024)
- Total giving: $22,357,167 (most recent filing)
- Annual giving: $26,149,625 (2025)
Historical Financial Data:
- 2023: Revenue of $28.7M, expenses of $18.4M, total assets of $34.4M, total liabilities of $7.98M
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $59,059,830 | $34,426,845 | $21,902,869 |
| Revenue | $44,227,030 | $28,668,946 | $13,558,856 |
| Expenses | $24,087,662 | $18,434,209 | $13,651,671 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $1,523,181 | $485,301 | $359,273 |
| 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 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
232 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Lawyers Trust Fund of Illinois
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Mark Marquardt, Executive Director
- David Holtermann, Deputy Executive Director for Grants & Legal Affairs
- Terri L. Smith-Ashford, Deputy Executive Director for Finance & Operations
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| HON MARYAM AHMAD | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| HON BARBARA CROWDER | VICE PRESIDENT | 2 | — |
| HON MARY KAY O'BRIEN | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| JOSEPH J TORRES | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| STACY A MCCULLOUGH | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| KRISTINE HONIOTES | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| JENNIFER L KINCAID | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| KAYLAN V HUBER | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| HON TAMIKA R WALKER | DIRECTOR/PRESIDENT - PAST | 2 | — |
| JONATHON C FOX | DIRECTOR/TREASURER | 2 | — |
| MARCELO HALPERN | DIRECTOR/PRESIDENT | 2 | — |
| LAUREN PHYLLIS BUFORD | DIRECTOR - PAST | 2 | — |
| MARK MARQUARDT | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $147,101 |
| TERRI SMITH-ASHFORD | DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR FINANCE & OPERATIONS | 40 | $146,733 |
| DAVID HOLTERMANN | DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR GRANTS & POLICY / GENERAL COUN | 40 | $135,713 |
| HANNA KAUFMAN | DIRECTOR OF JUSTICE INNOVATION INITIATIVE | 40 | $103,244 |
Contact Information
Address: 1 E Wacker Drive, Suite 2500, Chicago, IL 60601
Phone: (312) 938-2906
Fax: (312) 938-3091
Website: www.ltf.org
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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