The Ohio State Bar Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Columbus, Ohio, and is the largest bar foundation in the United States. Founded in 1951, the Foundation is a membership organization of attorneys and judges that operates as "the professional honorary of Ohio." The organization is dedicated to promoting philanthropy and encouraging service to create a more just and equitable legal system for all Ohioans.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$61.5M
+15.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$985K
-9.3% YoY
Grant Count
21
-38.2% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$47K
+46.8% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The Ohio State Bar Foundation's mission is to promote public understanding of the rule of law and improvements in the justice system throughout Ohio. The Foundation fulfills this mission through three primary mechanisms:
Grants: The Foundation annually awards over $1 million in grant funding to Ohio nonprofit organizations that support its mission and work with the legal system and their communities. Since 1992, the Foundation has awarded over $17 million in total grant funding.
Awards Program: The Foundation honors excellence through its Awards Program, celebrating people and organizations whose work promotes public understanding of the law or improvements in the justice system.
Fellows Program: The Foundation welcomes a new class of attorneys into its Fellows program each year. Over 1,200 fellows are now member attorneys of the Foundation, representing an elite group of Ohio lawyers who contribute their time, talent, and resources to advance the Foundation's mission.
Public Education: The Foundation works to improve the justice system through its talented Fellows and member contributions, educating the public about the rule of law based on the belief that the legal system functions better when understood by all citizens.
Grantmaking
Review Cycle
have included:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation primarily funds nonprofit organizations in Ohio, with some activity in the District of Columbia.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $61,522,112
- Total Revenues: $3,922,457
- Total Expenses: $2,486,822
- Total Giving: $984,763
Staff: The Foundation employs 9-12 staff members.
Historical Context: The Foundation's work began with the generosity of George W. Ritter, a WWI-era philanthropist. The Ritter Circle honors his legacy and celebrates members who make planned gifts to permanently benefit the Foundation's work.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $61,522,112 | $53,393,708 | $51,214,097 |
| Revenue | $3,922,457 | $1,988,238 | $7,851,950 |
| Expenses | $2,486,822 | $2,513,987 | $2,765,348 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $3,688,168 | $1,771,211 | $7,651,205 |
| 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
137 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
5 open opportunities from Ohio State Bar Foundation
Fall Grant Cycle
OHIO STATE BAR FOUNDATION
Amount
Varies
Deadline
August 15, 2026
Ohio State Bar Foundation Grants
OHIO STATE BAR FOUNDATION
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
OSBF: Racial Justice Initiative Grant
OHIO STATE BAR FOUNDATION
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Andrew Storar: President
- Laurie Beth Sweeney: Executive Director
- Sheila Buckley: Development Director
- Morgan Flinner: Contact for planned giving conversations
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| HON DAVID A HEJMANOWSKI | IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT | 5 | — |
| BELINDA BARNES | PRESIDENT | 10 | — |
| THOMAS GUILLOZET | TREASURER | 5 | — |
| BARBARA FRIEDMAN YAKSIC | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| REGINALD S JACKSON | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| JOSEPH E WENGER IV | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| JONATHAN HOLLINGSWORTH | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| MICHAEL FLOWERS | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| HILARY DAMASER | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| TABITHA D JUSTICE | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| DREW ODUM | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| R BENJAMIN FRANZ | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| MARLEY C NELSON | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| SARAH K SKOW | PRESIDENT-ELECT | 5 | — |
| RON KAHN | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| DANIEL R GRIFFITH | TRUSTEE SERVING EX-OFFICIO | 1 | — |
| WILLIAM G CHRIS | TRUSTEE SERVING EX-OFFICIO | 1 | — |
| MARY AUGSBURGER | TRUSTEE SERVING EX-OFFICIO | 1 | — |
| HON DENISE A MCCOLLEY | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| MERLE WILBERDING | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| HON CARLA J BALDWIN | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| CAROL MARX | INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 20 | $50,000 |
| LORI L KEATING | FORMER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $174,808 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The Foundation announced $559,000 in funding for the 2025 Spring Grant Cycle. Recent grant cycles have collectively awarded over $860,000 to nonprofit organizations advancing the Foundation's mission of promoting justice and legal understanding throughout Ohio.
Ohio State Bar Foundation announces $559K in funding for 2025 spring grantSubject 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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