Missouri Lawyer Trust Account Foundation

Public charity · Grantmaker Jefferson City, MO EIN: 43-1355525

To provide civil legal services to the poor, to improve the administration of justice; and to promote other programs for the benefit of the public as are approved by the supreme court of Missouri.

Missouri Lawyer Trust Account Foundation at a glance

In short: Missouri Lawyer Trust Account Foundation gave $3.0M across 7 grants in 2025 (avg $428K), mostly in Missouri. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.

Annual giving (2025)
$2,996,004
+30.5% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
7
+0.0% vs 2024
Average grant
$428,001
+30.5% vs 2024
Median grant
$219,960
Total assets
$7,219,459
+14.9% vs 2024
Primary geography
Missouri (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990, 2025 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated November 2026.

Who Missouri Lawyer Trust Account Foundation funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 7 recipients in 2025

Legal Aid of Western Missouri: $925KLegal Aid of Western Missouri$925KLegal Services of Eastern Missouri: $919KLegal Services of EasternMissouri$919KLegal Services of Southern Missouri: $756KLegal Services of SouthernMissouri$756KMid-Missouri Legal Services: $220KMid-Missouri Legal Services$220KSt Louis Bar Foundation: $59KSt Louis Bar Foundation$59KKansas City Bar Foundation: $59KKansas City Bar Foundation$59KSpringfield Bar Foundation: $59KSpringfield Bar Foundation$59K

The largest 2025 recipient was Legal Aid of Western Missouri ($925K). Together the top 7 received $3.0M.

Grant Size Distribution

35 grants across all recorded years

9<$50K7$50–100K4$100–250K3$250–500K12$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was in the $500K–1M range: 12 grants of 35 (34%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

1state

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 7 itemized grants.

States

Cities

Kansas CitySpringfieldSt. LouisColumbia

How Missouri Lawyer Trust Account Foundation gives

  • Giving grew 57% 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

$0$1M$2M$3M8 grants2019 8 grants2020 7 grants2021 7 grants2022 7 grants2023 7 grants2024 7 grants2025

From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $1.1M (2023) to $3.0M (2025). In 2025 it made 7 grants totaling $3.0M.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Legal Aid of Western Missouri Kansas City, MOTo support the general mission of legal aid to the poor.$924,960
Legal Services of Eastern Missouri St. Louis, MOTo support the general mission of legal aid to the poor.$919,320
Legal Services of Southern Missouri Springfield, MOTo support the general mission of legal aid to the poor.$755,760
Mid-Missouri Legal Services Columbia, MOTo support the general mission of legal aid to the poor.$219,960
St Louis Bar Foundation St. Louis, MOTo support the ongoing efforts of the resource center for law-related education in the st. Louis area.$58,668
Kansas City Bar Foundation Kansas City, MOTo support the efforts of the lawyers for children domestic violence project of the Kansas city bar foundation.$58,668
Springfield Bar Foundation Springfield, MOTo support the improvement of the legal profession and bettering the community through service, education, and volunteerism.$58,668
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsNet Investment Income
2025$7,219,459$4,234,979$3,299,800$2,996,0047$181,195
2024$6,284,280$4,874,645$2,600,852$2,296,0107$123,360
2023$4,010,487$4,083,993$1,389,310$1,089,5657$54,418
2022$1,315,804$1,269,730$2,201,259$1,904,7707$14,182
2021$2,247,333$717,278$2,705,444$2,405,3947$62,513
2020$4,235,499$1,166,502$2,808,825$2,521,2828$108,073
2019$5,877,824$2,024,745$2,363,142$2,056,2708$128,596

About Missouri Lawyer Trust Account Foundation

Based on IRS filings

Missouri Lawyer Trust Account Foundation is a public charity, based in Jefferson City, MO. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $7.2M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 7 grants totaling $3.0M. Net investment income was $181K.

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Missouri Lawyer Trust Account Foundation is led by Denise Brown, Executive Director on every filing since 2019; 1 of 14 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Denise Brown

    Executive Director

    On filings since 2019

    40 hrs/week

    $122K (2019) → $110K (2025)

  • Ron Nguyen

    President

    On filings since 2023

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Christina Devine

    Member

    Member → Member at Large, 2023

    Member at Large → Member, 2025

    On filings since 2021

    0.1 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Craig Moore

    Member

    On filings since 2021

    0.1 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Meghan Litecky

    Member

    On filings since 2021

    0.1 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Ted McKnight

    Member

    On filings since 2021

    0.1 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Matt Dameron

    Member

    On filings since 2022

    0.1 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • David Ransin

    Member

    On filings since 2023

    0.1 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Jeff McPherson

    Member at Large

    On filings since 2023

    0.1 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Robert Palmer

    Member

    On filings since 2023

    0.1 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Tom G. Glick

    Secretary & Treasurer

    On filings since 2023

    0.1 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Alexandra Wilson

    Member

    On filings since 2024

    0.1 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Danielle Drake

    Member

    New on the 2025 filing

    0.1 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Sara Neill

    Member

    New on the 2025 filing

    0.1 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

Former officers (15)
  • Former: Rebecca Nickelson (2019–2024) — Member
  • Former: Theresa Grantham Fiester (2019–2024) — Vice President
  • Former: David Wieland (2019–2022) — Member
  • Former: Emma Schuering (2019–2022) — Vice President
  • Former: Heather Hays (2019–2022) — Member at Large
  • Former: Joseph C. Blanton Jr. (2019–2022) — Secretary & Treasurer
  • Former: Mike Cherba (2021–2022) — President
  • Former: Ronald Nguyen (2021–2022) — Member
  • Former: Brendan McPherson (2019–2021) — Member
  • Former: Charles German (2019–2020) — Member at Large
  • Former: Michael Cherba (2019–2020) — Secretary & Treasurer
  • Former: Paula Baird (2019–2020) — Member
  • Former: Ryan Turnage (2019–2020) — President
  • Former: Sander Sower (2019–2020) — Past President
  • Former: Charles Atwell (2019) — Past President

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

Denise Brown — Executive Director: $110KDenise BrownExecutive Director$110K

The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $110K, to Denise Brown (Executive Director).

Frequently asked questions about Missouri Lawyer Trust Account Foundation

How much does Missouri Lawyer Trust Account Foundation give each year?

Missouri Lawyer Trust Account Foundation gave $3.0M across 7 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $2.3M across 7 grants.

What is Missouri Lawyer Trust Account Foundation's typical grant size?

Missouri Lawyer Trust Account Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $219,960, and its average grant was $428,001, across 7 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.

Where does Missouri Lawyer Trust Account Foundation give grants?

Missouri Lawyer Trust Account Foundation gives mostly in Missouri: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Kansas City, MO (2 grants), St. Louis, MO (2 grants) and Springfield, MO (2 grants).

Does Missouri Lawyer Trust Account Foundation give general operating support?

Yes: 57% of Missouri Lawyer Trust Account Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (4 of 7) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990.

Who are Missouri Lawyer Trust Account Foundation's largest grantees?

Missouri Lawyer Trust Account Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Legal Aid of Western Missouri ($924,960), Legal Services of Eastern Missouri ($919,320) and Legal Services of Southern Missouri ($755,760), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 87% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Missouri Lawyer Trust Account Foundation?

Missouri Lawyer Trust Account Foundation reported $7.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $4.2M.

What is Missouri Lawyer Trust Account Foundation's EIN?

Missouri Lawyer Trust Account Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 43-1355525. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.

Data last updated November 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.

Data update history

(8)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS September 21, 2026)
  2. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS August 19, 2020)
  3. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS October 20, 2021)
  4. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 14, 2022)
  5. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 9, 2023)
  6. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 15, 2024)
  7. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS August 6, 2025)
  8. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024

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Similar Funders

Funders with grantees in common, and similar funders in Missouri

Missouri Bar Foundation

Jefferson City, MO

The Missouri Bar Foundation is a charitable nonprofit partner to The Missouri Bar that advances the administration of justice and elevates the legal profession through law-related community projects, scholarships, jurisprudential research, and recognition of exemplary legal and public service. The Foundation supports diverse initiatives including legal education for social studies teachers, financial assistance to legal services offices serving low-income Missourians, scholarships for law students, support for domestic violence victims through Mid-Missouri Legal Services, and various awards recognizing outstanding lawyers, judges, and academics in Missouri. The Foundation depends on tax-deductible contributions from lawyers, law firms, and other supporters to sustain its mission of fostering public appreciation of the rule of law and furthering constitutional governance.

Assets

$2.9M

Grants

1

Total Given

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Legal Services Corporation

Washington, DC

The Legal Services Corporation funds civil legal aid for low-income people, along with related technology, pro bono, disaster-response, and veterans’ legal services. Its 2025 grants had a median of about $3 million and supported organizations across all 50 states, Washington, DC, and U.S. territories; the profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.

Crime & Legal Related

Assets

$208.1M

Grants

132

Total Given

$544.9M

Legal Services of Eastern Missouri Inc

St. Louis, MO

Partnering to improve lives and promote fairness we achieved a 97% success rate helping those in legal need, mostly women with children and about 62% persons of color, overcome barriers to safety and stability and obtain $20.5m in monetary benefits.

Crime & Legal Related

Assets

$54.9M

Grants

3

Total Given

$385K

United Way of Greater St Louis Inc

Saint Louis, MO

United Way of Greater St. Louis funds local nonprofits working on essential needs, youth success, health, financial mobility, and community stability, including direct services and efforts addressing root causes. Its 2025 grants ranged from $5,305 to $2.1 million, with a median of about $78,500; it primarily serves a 16-county region in Missouri and Illinois. It accepts applications through listed funding cycles, including a 2027 Targeted Fund cycle due October 12, 2026.

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Assets

$122.5M

Grants

294

Total Given

$47.8M

Equal Justice Works

Washington, DC

Equal Justice Works funds public-interest legal fellowships and related programs that help address unmet legal needs among underserved communities, including in areas such as housing, immigration, and disability rights. Its 2025 grants ranged from $7,000 to $251,877, with a median of $59,000, and supported work across the United States; applications are made through specific fellowship programs, but general unsolicited requests are not addressed in the profile.

Assets

$41.0M

Grants

201

Total Given

$12.5M

StLRB Family Foundation

St. Louis, MO

The StLRB Family Foundation supports varied charitable work, including environmental law, legal services, civil rights, health and research, education, and animal welfare. Its 2024 grants ranged from $100 to $12,500, with a median of $1,050; funding went mainly to Missouri, with additional grants in DC and several other states. It funds only preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.

Assets

$1.7M

Grants

32

Total Given

$106K

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The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open

Figures come from Missouri Lawyer Trust Account Foundation'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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