New York Bar Foundation Grant Program

The New York Bar Foundation Grant Program aims to enhance access to justice and support essential civil legal services in New York. Focused on education, consumer debt, family matters, and racial equity, the foundation provides funding for organizations committed to these causes. Grants facilitate pro-bono resources and educational initiatives, ensuring a more equitable legal system.

Since 1950, we’ve worked to improve the New York State justice system and better serve individuals and communities. By supporting educational programs, facilitating the delivery of legal services for those who need it most, and furthering the public’s understanding of the law, your contributions are creating a better, more stable society through a more equitable legal system for everyone.
Grants are one of the most effective ways for you to have a direct impact on society. We award grants to legal service offices, bar associations, and non-profit groups to provide pro-bono resources for those who need it most, fund educational programs, and advance diversity initiatives.
In keeping with our Rule of Law theme, the Foundation’s grant making in the coming year prioritizes funding for civil legal services programs assisting with the essentials of life, namely:

• access to educationconsumer debtelder lawfamily matters housingracial equitysmall business legal mattersubsistence incomeVeterans’ issues

Eligibility

A sufficient number of people in the service area should be impacted/served by the grant project. The project should be designed for cost effectiveness.There should be a demonstrated need for the proposed service, avoiding duplication.The organization seeking the grant has to have been in existence for at least two years.The applicant should have identified other potential sources of funding or have secured such sources to make the project viable in the year of the project under consideration and, if the project is ongoing, in future years.Grants should not be provided for law school instructional or programs where students receive credit or monetary compensation.An organization will be limited to submitting only one grant proposal per twelve (12) month period, except under extraordinary circumstances. The limitation does not apply to New York State Bar Association projects and programs.The Grantee will maintain its qualification as an organization exempt from income taxation as documented in its original application to the Foundation for funding.

Ineligibility

No part of the grant may be used to:Directly or indirectly influence legislation, whether at a local, state, or federal level;Directly or indirectly influence the outcome of any public election;Fund a voter registration drive. 3