The Chicago Bar Foundation
The Chicago Bar Foundation (CBF) is a public charity based in Chicago, Illinois, that brings the legal community together to improve access to justice and make the legal system fairer, more equitable, and more effective. Founded in 1948, it supports pro bono and legal aid organizations and initiatives serving people in the Chicago area.
The Chicago Bar Foundation at a glance
In short: The Chicago Bar Foundation gave $9.5M across 52 grants in 2025 (avg $183K), mostly in Illinois. 21% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $9,526,902
- +30.1% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 52
- +62.5% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $183,210
- -19.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $21,250
- Total assets
- $10,135,132
- +191.0% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 21% first-time grantees (11 of 52, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Chicago Bar Foundation
- How to Apply
Organizations interested in an Initial-Support Grant should submit the funder’s fillable application PDF and attach their most recent audited financial statement and governance letter, most recent Form 990, board…
Organizations interested in an Initial-Support Grant should submit the funder’s fillable application PDF and attach their most recent audited financial statement and governance letter, most recent Form 990, board members’ names and professional affiliations, and current bylaws.
- Review Cycle
- Initial-Support Grant inquiries are accepted in January. Selected organizations are notified in March, and awards are distributed in May.
- Deadline
- Initial-Support Grant inquiries are accepted in January.
- Contact
Mailing address: 321 South Plymouth Court 3B, Chicago, IL 60604
Phone: (312) 554-1205
Website: https://chicagobarfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Chicago Bar Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Carpls ($2.2M). Together the top 10 received $8.6M.
Grant Size Distribution
186 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 117 grants of 186 (63%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
CBF states that its organizational support grants focus on improving access to justice for low-income and disadvantaged people in Cook County, and its grants page describes support for organizations serving the Chicago area. All 2025 grant dollars reported were awarded to recipients in Illinois.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 52 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Chicago Bar Foundation open to new grantees?
21%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 11 of 52 grantees (21%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $18K; repeat grants $228K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $25K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2021–2025). 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 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $3.2M (2021) to $9.5M (2025). In 2025 it made 52 grants totaling $9.5M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Carpls Chicago, IL | General Operating Support, Government/Project Grant, & Project Support | $2,209,850 |
| Legal Aid Chicago Chicago, IL | General Operating Support, Government/Project Grant, & Project Support | $1,459,066 |
| Center for Conflict Resolution Chicago, IL | General Operating Support, Government/Project Grant, & Project Support | $1,306,184 |
| Law Center for Better Housing Chicago, IL | General Operating Support & Government/Project Grant | $1,071,005 |
| Chicago Volunteer Legal Services Chicago, IL | General Operating Support, Government/Project Grant, & Project Support | $769,909 |
| Greater Chicago Legal Clinic Inc Chicago, IL | General Operating Support, Government/Project Grant, & Project Support | $562,991 |
| Center for Disability & Elder Law Chicago, IL | General Operating Support, Government/Project Grant, & Project Support | $561,941 |
| Legal Aid Society - Metro Family Services Chicago, IL | General Operating Support & Government/Project Grant | $424,318 |
| Uptown Peoples Law Center Chicago, IL | General Operating Support & Project Support | $149,412 |
| The Resurrection Project Chicago, IL | General Operating Support | $113,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Chicago Bar Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $10,135,132 | $15,447,025 | $12,409,031 | $9,526,902 | 52 | $152,667 |
| 2024 | $3,483,220 | $11,084,533 | $10,141,985 | $7,323,624 | 32 | $95,209 |
| 2023 | $5,312,564 | $9,898,837 | $10,150,586 | $7,318,437 | 35 | $17,129 |
| 2022 | $2,729,689 | $8,402,012 | $8,069,061 | $5,812,428 | 30 | $21,459 |
| 2021 | $3,624,182 | $5,326,307 | $4,964,002 | $3,175,272 | 37 | $12,599 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
CBF’s stated mission is to bring the legal community together through advocacy, funding, and innovation to improve access to justice for people in need and make the legal system more fair, equitable, and effective.
Its grants support pro bono and legal aid organizations and projects. Examples of grantees’ work include Legal Aid Chicago’s provision of civil legal aid to people living in poverty and other vulnerable groups; the Center for Conflict Resolution’s work to manage and resolve conflict; and the Law Center for Better Housing’s work to promote renters’ rights through education, services, advocacy, and legal representation. CBF also supports court-based help desks, pro bono projects, and initiatives that help attorneys pursue legal aid careers.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, CBF reported 52 grants totaling $9,526,902. Grant amounts ranged from $2,500 to $2,209,850, with a median grant of $21,250. The largest awards included $2,209,850 to CARPLS, $1,459,066 to Legal Aid Chicago, $1,306,184 to the Center for Conflict Resolution, $1,071,005 to the Law Center for Better Housing, and $769,909 to Chicago Volunteer Legal Services. The listed purposes include general operating support, government/project grants, and project support.
CBF’s 2024–2025 grants list describes four types of core grants: organizational support; special project grants and support; public interest law fellowships, scholarships, and internships; and other grants. It also reports more than $7.5 million in grants associated with Cook County Legal Aid for Housing and Debt during that period. CBF describes that program as helping people facing eviction, consumer debt challenges, foreclosure, and other issues.
CBF offers a limited number of Initial-Support Grants each year to eligible organizations that are not already in its organizational support grant portfolio. Awards may be up to $5,000. After a full year as an initial-support grantee, an organization may be invited to apply for an organizational support grant. Initial-support grantees may remain in that status for up to five years without moving to an organizational support grant.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Sang-Yul Lee as president; Thomas V Panoff as first vice president; Elizabeth P Lewis as second vice president; Nancy S Gerrie as treasurer; and Greta Weathersby as secretary. It also lists Daniel Berkowitz, Jason Bradford, Hon Alison C Conlon, Jennifer Crespo, and Vida Cruz as directors.
CBF’s website identifies Bob Glaves as executive director.
The Chicago Bar Foundation is led by Robert Glaves, Executive Director on every filing since 2021; 3 of 36 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Robert Glaves
Executive Director
On filings since 2021
60 hrs/week
$138K (2021) → $155K (2025)
Sang-Yul Lee
President
2nd Vice President → 1st Vice President, 2024
1st Vice President → President, 2025
On filings since 2021
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Alison C. Conlon
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Anne Geraghty Helms
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Colby Anne Kingsbury
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ian H. Morrison
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kareem Dale
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lashonda A. Hunt
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Randall R. Fearnow
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robert T. Howell III
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Susan Valentine
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
David Gordon
Director
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Elizabeth Lopez
Director
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sandra Yamate
Director
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Megan Devaney
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Vida Cruz
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Daniel Berkowitz
Director
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lisa Montez
Director
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Marcie Lape
Director
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael Lehrman
Director
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Naderh Elrabadi
Director
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Evan Meyers
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Francine Lynch
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jason Bradford
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jennifer Crespo
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jennifer Kratochvil
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jon Milonas
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kathryn C. Liss
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Martin Gould
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael Slade
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Melanie Macbride
Chief Grants & Operations Officer
Associate Director → COO, 2024
COO → Chief Grants & Operations Officer, 2025
On filings since 2023
50 hrs/week
$101K (2023) → $108K (2025)
Roya Samarghandi
Chief Advocacy & Innovation Ofc
New on the 2025 filing
50 hrs/week
$110K (2025)
Elizabeth P. Lewis
2nd Vice President
Director → 2nd Vice President, 2025
On filings since 2021
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Greta Weathersby
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2022
On filings since 2021
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Nancy S. Gerrie
Treasurer
Treasurer & Director → Treasurer, 2022
On filings since 2021
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Thomas V. Panoff
1st Vice President
Director → 2nd Vice President, 2024
2nd Vice President → 1st Vice President, 2025
On filings since 2021
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (31)
- Former: Amy B. Manning (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Christopher J. Esbrook (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Kenya A. Jenkins-Wright (2021–2024) — President
- Former: Nichole C. Patton (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Rachel M. Cannon (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Kevin Robinson (2022–2024) — Director
- Former: John Sciaccotta (2024) — Director
- Former: Maggie Mendenhall Casey (2024) — Director
- Former: Brent W. Vincent (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Gregory M. Boyle (2021–2023) — President
- Former: Melissa B. Hirst (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Jennifer Jc Kelly (2022–2023) — Director
- Former: Jessica Bednarz (2023) — Associate Director
- Former: Raymond J. Koenig III (2023) — Director
- Former: Tracy A. Brammeier (2023) — Director
- Former: Cynthia Photos Abbott (2021–2022) — President
- Former: Kelly Warner (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Michael A. Lovallo (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Ryan D. Harris (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Jeffrey Moskowitz (2022) — Director
- Former: Maryam Ahmad (2022) — Director
- Former: Timothy Tomasik (2022) — Director
- Former: Brandon E. Peck (2021) — Director
- Former: Cara M. Houck (2021) — Director
- Former: Dina R. Merrell (2021) — Associate Director
- Former: E. Lynn Grayson (2021) — Director
- Former: John J. Amberg (2021) — Director
- Former: Maja C. Eaton (2021) — Director
- Former: Mary Anne Mason (2021) — Secretary & Director
- Former: Octavio Duran (2021) — Director
- Former: Veronica Gomez (2021) — President & Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "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 $155K, to Robert Glaves (Executive Director). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Chicago Bar Foundation
How much does The Chicago Bar Foundation give each year?
The Chicago Bar Foundation gave $9.5M across 52 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $7.3M across 32 grants.
What is The Chicago Bar Foundation's typical grant size?
The Chicago Bar Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $21,250, and its average grant was $183,210, across 52 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Chicago Bar Foundation that year got $18K on average.
Where does The Chicago Bar Foundation give grants?
The Chicago Bar Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (47 grants).
Does The Chicago Bar Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 77% of The Chicago Bar Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (40 of 52) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990. Recurring purposes include "Project Support" (7 grants).
Who are The Chicago Bar Foundation's largest grantees?
The Chicago Bar Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Carpls ($2,209,850), Legal Aid Chicago ($1,459,066) and Center for Conflict Resolution ($1,306,184), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 52% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Chicago Bar Foundation?
The Chicago Bar Foundation reported $10.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $15.4M.
What does The Chicago Bar Foundation fund?
CBF’s stated mission is to bring the legal community together through advocacy, funding, and innovation to improve access to justice for people in need and make the legal system more fair, equitable, and effective. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Chicago Bar Foundation?
Organizations interested in an Initial-Support Grant should submit the funder’s fillable application PDF and attach their most recent audited financial statement and governance letter, most recent Form 990, board… Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Chicago Bar Foundation's EIN?
The Chicago Bar Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-6109584. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS February 25, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS January 30, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 9, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 20, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS November 10, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
Live grants for the work The Chicago Bar Foundation funds
Education Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Chicago Bar Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
The Chicago Community Trust
Chicago, IL
The Chicago Community Trust funds eligible nonprofits working to narrow the wealth gap and meet urgent needs, with priorities including economic mobility, education, jobs, homeownership, and community development in metropolitan Chicago and Cook County. Its 2025 grants had a median of $26,500, though amounts varied widely; the profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$7.1B
Grants
4,316
Total Given
$1.2B
Polk Bros Foundation Inc
Chicago, IL
Polk Bros Foundation funds community-driven Chicago nonprofits working to close the life expectancy gap, build community wealth, and foster participatory, multiracial democracy. Recent grants ranged from $100 to $250,000, with a median of $25,000. It does not accept unsolicited requests during its transition period, which ends in fall 2026; it currently offers targeted RFPs.
Assets
$334.3M
Grants
568
Total Given
$19.3M
Lawyers Trust Fund of Illinois
Chicago, IL
The Lawyers Trust Fund of Illinois funds Illinois nonprofits providing free civil legal services to low-income residents statewide, including help with issues such as eviction, domestic violence, and immigration. Its 2025 grants ranged from $30,000 to $5.53 million, with a median of $110,000. It uses an annual application process; new applicants must register and receive approval to access the portal.
Assets
$83.3M
Grants
55
Total Given
$28.1M
Illinois Equal Justice Foundation
Chicago, IL
The Illinois Equal Justice Foundation funds Illinois nonprofits providing free or sliding-scale civil legal aid, including legal representation, public legal information, hotlines, self-help services, and mediation, especially for low-income people. Its 2025 grants ranged from $10,000 to $4,068,346, with a median of $49,705; the profile describes an FY27 application process but does not state whether unsolicited requests are accepted.
Assets
$11.3M
Grants
54
Total Given
$13.9M
Circle of Service Foundation
Chicago, IL
The foundation funds community services, education, Jewish community, and medical research, with grantmaking concentrated in Cook and Lake Counties, Illinois, though it also funds organizations elsewhere. Its 2024 grants had a median of $25,000 and ranged from $50 to about $1.74 million; it accepts unsolicited pre-applications for community services and for Jewish community requests in Cook or Lake County, but not for the other stated categories or out-of-area Jewish community requests.
Assets
$592.0M
Grants
637
Total Given
$37.0M
United Way of Metropolitan Chicago Inc
Chicago, IL
United Way of Metropolitan Chicago funds nonprofits addressing basic needs and community priorities such as health care, housing, food assistance, early learning, workforce development, and legal services across greater Chicago, including targeted support for Chicago’s South and West Sides and south suburbs. In 2025, grants ranged from about $5,000 to $2 million, with a median of $25,000. The stated 2026 Impact Grants process was limited to current partners, and the BridgeBuilders application was closed; no open unsolicited application process is stated.
Assets
$48.8M
Grants
331
Total Given
$22.8M
More similar funders
More Funders in Illinois
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Chicago Bar Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-chicago-bar-foundation-morg_ad5f02712b434386aa223aa678450d42
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_366109584_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Chicago Bar Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-chicago-bar-foundation-morg_ad5f02712b434386aa223aa678450d42},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. 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 The Chicago Bar 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.
The Chicago Bar Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?