Project Grants
Funding Amount
Up to $80,000+
Deadline
Deadline not published
Grant Type
Foundation
Deadline history & next window
- Cycle
- Annual
- Tracked since
- April 2026
Source: the cycle recorded on this listing. Confirm dates with the funder.
Overview
Geographic Scope: Michigan
Funding Focus: Innovative legal aid projects that expand access to justice and strengthen civil legal infrastructure for underserved communities
The Michigan State Bar Foundation awards project grants to support innovative initiatives from nonprofit legal aid organizations. Recent grants have supported specialized legal service expansions and technology modernization.
Recent Award Examples (2025):
- Legal Aid of Western Michigan (LAWM): $33,854 for Family Foundations Project
- Expands estate planning and probate services for low-income families
- Combines pro bono estate planning clinics with direct legal representation
- Aims to preserve generational wealth and promote housing stability in western Michigan
- Michigan Community Resources (MCR): $80,000 to modernize pro bono legal referral system
- Enhances how volunteer attorneys are connected with nonprofits serving low-income communities
- Introduces new digital interface and CRM integration
- Streamlines volunteer management and improves legal support for Michigan's nonprofit sector
Award Criteria:
- Strong history of service
- Prior MSBF support preferred
- Robust evaluation plan
- Focus on sustainability for long-term benefits
- Community-driven solutions
Recent Total Awards: $113,854 (June 2025)
Also Recent: $102,500 in Project Grants to Autism Alliance of Michigan and Justice Speaks Legal Aid (December 2025)
Contact Information:
- Michigan State Bar Foundation
- Michael Franck Building
- 306 Townsend Street
- Lansing, MI 48933
- Email: msbf@msbf.org
- Phone: (517) 346-6400
- Website: www.msbf.org
What Michigan State Bar Foundation actually gave
Source: IRS Form 990, 2025
- Grants in 2025
- 55
- Total given
- $22.12M
- Median grant
- $122K
- Range
- $6,000–$4.34M
- By dollars: Michigan 100%. Top recipient cities: Detroit, MI; Ypsilanti, MI; Warren, MI.
- 0% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
- 15% of recipients were new grantees, not repeat recipients.
Example grants
Lakeshore Legal Aid · Warren, MI
Legal services for low-income households facing eviction
$4.34M
Lakeshore Legal Aidcounsel and Advocacy Law Line · Warren, MI
Legal services for low-income households
$1.8M
Lakeshore Legal Aidmetro · Warren, MI
Mshda - edp - legal services for low-income households facing eviction
$1.78M
Legal Aid of Western Michigan · Grand Rapids, MI
Legal services for low-income households facing eviction
$1.71M
Michigan Advocacy Program · Ypsilanti, MI
Legal services for low-income households facing eviction
$971K
Focus Areas & Funding Uses
Fields of Work
- Capacity building
Categories
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