The Ohio Access to Justice Foundation is a statewide nonprofit organization headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. Founded in 1993 (originally as the Ohio Legal Assistance Foundation), the Foundation was designated as the official access to justice entity of Ohio by the Supreme Court of Ohio in 2019. It operates as a 501(c)(3) public charity and serves as the largest funder of civil legal services in Ohio.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$42.2M
+12.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$11.5M
+58.9% YoY
Grant Count
21
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$550K
+58.9% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation's mission is to ensure that Ohioans who are low-income or who lack access can fully and fairly participate in civil systems that produce just outcomes. To achieve this mission, the Foundation:
- Promotes access to justice
- Funds civil legal aid
- Expands legal capacity
- Fosters innovation
- Collaborates with partners to achieve systemic change
The Foundation's primary focus is on legal services and access to justice support. It funds civil legal aid organizations, innovative projects to help low-income and underserved Ohioans resolve legal issues, and ensures qualified lawyers are available to address life-changing civil legal issues. The Foundation also increases accessibility of trusted legal information and forms.
Key initiatives include:
- Ohio Legal Help: A statewide, secure mobile-first hub of legal information, forms, and resources designed to bridge the justice gap for Ohioans in need
- Ohio Justice Bus: A mobile legal services initiative
- Justice for All Fellowships and Summer Clerks: Programs to develop legal talent
- Pro Bono Efforts: Works to increase pro bono volunteerism by attorneys, paralegals, and law students, supported through a grant from the Supreme Court of Ohio
- Neighborhood Stabilization Grant Program: Received Philanthropy Ohio's Innovation Award in 2023
Grantmaking
The Foundation distributes resources from the Interest on Lawyer Trust Accounts (IOLTA) and Interest on Trust Accounts (IOTA) programs, civil filing fee surcharges, and additional fundraised dollars for civil legal aid.
Grant Range
Varies by program
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation's funding focus is statewide throughout Ohio.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (2024):
- Total assets: $37,503,663
- Total revenues: $16,736,107
- Total expenses: $9,976,107
- Annual giving: $7.2 million (2026 board-approved)
Organization Size:
- Employees: 13 (as of 2024)
Rating: The Foundation holds a Four-Star rating with a 100% score based on Accountability & Finance metrics.
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $42,187,714 | $37,503,663 | $30,776,329 |
| Revenue | $19,007,633 | $16,736,107 | $8,720,432 |
| Expenses | $14,316,731 | $9,976,107 | $9,293,624 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $2,458,009 | $1,798,733 | $631,488 |
| 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 2025
Grant Size Distribution
87 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest include Advocates for Basic Legal Equality ($1,723,305), Legal Aid of Southeast and Central Ohio ($1,481,925), Ohio Legal Help ($1,092,900).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Advocates for Basic Legal Equality Toledo, OH | Funding to support civil legal services for low-income Ohioans. | $1,723,305 |
| Legal Aid of Southeast and Central Ohio Columbus, OH | Funding to support civil legal services for low-income Ohioans. | $1,481,925 |
| Ohio Legal Help Columbus, OH | Funding to support civil legal information and referral for low-income Ohioans. | $1,092,900 |
| Catholic Charities Corp Cleveland, OH | Funding to support civil legal services for low-income Ohioans. | $1,019,973 |
| Legal Aid Society of Cleveland Cleveland, OH | Funding to support civil legal services for low-income Ohioans. | $931,593 |
| US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants Cleveland, OH | Funding to support civil legal services for low-income Ohioans. | $880,069 |
| Legal Aid Society of Greater Cincinnati Cincinnati, OH | Funding to support civil legal services for low-income Ohioans. | $528,134 |
| Community Refugee and Immigration Services Inc Columbus, OH | Funding to support civil legal services for low-income Ohioans. | $485,051 |
| Catholic Charities of Southwest Ohio Steubenville, OH | Funding to support civil legal services for low-income Ohioans. | $471,025 |
| Community Legal Aid Akron, OH | Funding to support civil legal services for low-income Ohioans. | $465,345 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Angela Lloyd: Executive Director
- Sophia Chang: Pro Bono Director
- Jennifer Rieman: Communications Director
- Tammy Ringhiser: Financial Services Director
The Foundation's board is composed of appointees from the Ohio Supreme Court, the executive branch and legislative branch leadership, and leaders from bar associations, law schools, and community leaders.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paula Boggs Muething | President | 2 | — |
| Jennifer Day | Immediate Past President | 2 | — |
| Mary Amos Augsburger | Vice President | 2 | — |
| Howard Harcha III | Treasurer | 2 | — |
| P Kelly Tompkins | Secretary | 2 | — |
| Ann Bergen | Board Member | 0.5 | — |
| Sally Bloomfield | Board Member | 0.5 | — |
| Vallie Bowman-English | Board Member | 0.5 | — |
| Stephen Buchenroth | Board Member | 0.5 | — |
| Shawn Busken | Board Member | 0.5 | — |
| Stuart Cubbon | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Christopher Davey | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Joe Dawson | Board Member | 0.5 | — |
| Susan DiMickele | Board Member | 0.5 | — |
| Matthew Donahue | Board Member | 0.5 | — |
| William Dowling | Board Member | 0.5 | — |
| Thomas Eagle | Board Member | 0.5 | — |
| John Eklund | Board Member | 0.5 | — |
| Lee Fisher | Board Member | 0.5 | — |
| Charles Gerhardt | Board Member | 0.5 | — |
| Scott Greenwood | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Cheryl Grossman | Board Member | 0.5 | — |
| Justice Daniel Hawkins | Board Member | 0.5 | — |
| Jon Hollingsworth | Board Member | 0.5 | — |
| William Klatt | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Ron Johnson | Board Member | 0.5 | — |
| Gary Leppla | Board Member | 0.5 | — |
| Nathan Manning | Board Member | 0.5 | — |
| Sherry Maxfield | Board Member | 0.5 | — |
| Elizabeth Miller | Board Member | 0.5 | — |
| Jordan Miller | Board Member | 0.5 | — |
| Stephanie Mittica | Board Member | 0.5 | — |
| John Pinney | Board Member | 0.5 | — |
| Richard Pogue | Board Member | 1 | — |
| Michele Reynolds | Board Member | 0.5 | — |
| Thomas Roberts | Board Member | 0.5 | — |
| Kimberly Shumate | Board Member | 0.5 | — |
| Justice Melody Stewart | Supreme Court Liaison | 0.5 | — |
| DJ Swearingen | Board Member | 0.5 | — |
| William Weisenberg | Board Member | 0.5 | — |
| Josh Williams | Board Member | 0.5 | — |
| Dean Wilson | Board Member | 0.5 | — |
| Richard Wright | Board Member | 0.5 | — |
| Angela M Lloyd | Executive Director | 40 | $182,948 |
| Yukiko Yee | General Counsel and Chief Operating Officer | 40 | $119,219 |
| Myrna M Burga | Controller and Human Resources Coordinator | 40 | $105,544 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The Foundation Board voted to approve $7.2 million in grants to nonprofit civil legal service providers for 2026. Recent grant announcements include distributions of $6.055 million, $3.35 million, and $2.79 million to civil legal service organizations across Ohio.
Foundation Awards $6.055 Million to Nonprofit Civil Legal Service ...In 2023, the Foundation received Philanthropy Ohio's prestigious Innovation Award for its Neighborhood Stabilization Grant Program, recognizing its innovative approach to addressing access to justice issues.
Foundation Awards $6.055 Million to Nonprofit Civil Legal Service ...Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Ohio Access to Justice Foundation fund?
The Foundation's mission is to ensure that Ohioans who are low-income or who lack access can fully and fairly participate in civil systems that produce just outcomes. To achieve this mission, the Foundation: • Promotes access to justice • Funds civil legal aid • Expands legal capacity • Fosters innovation • Collaborates with partners to achieve systemic change The Foundation's primary focus is on legal services and access to justice support. It funds civil legal aid organizations, innovative pr…
How do I apply for a grant from Ohio Access to Justice Foundation?
The Foundation distributes resources from the Interest on Lawyer Trust Accounts (IOLTA) and Interest on Trust Accounts (IOTA) programs, civil filing fee surcharges, and additional fundraised dollars for civil legal aid. **Grant Information:** • Annual giving: $7.2 million (2026 board-approved allocation); $7,153,134 (2023) • Grant range: Varies by program • Justice for All Fellowships: up to $75,000 annually • Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP): up to $6,000 annually • Typical awards: $6,…
Where does Ohio Access to Justice Foundation make grants?
The Foundation's funding focus is statewide throughout Ohio.
What size grants does Ohio Access to Justice Foundation award?
In 2025, Ohio Access to Justice Foundation awarded 21 grants totaling $11.5M — an average of about $550K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Ohio Access to Justice Foundation's EIN?
Ohio Access to Justice Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 46-4044686. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Ohio Access to Justice Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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