National Legal Aid and Defender Association
Funding Overview
From IRS Form 990 filings · 2020–2025
Total received
$3.9M
Foundation funders
26
Grants recorded
40
Years covered
2020–2025
Who funds National Legal Aid and Defender Association?
National Legal Aid and Defender Association is funded by 26 grantmakers, led by John D and Catherine T Macarthur Foundation ($1.8M), Foundation to Promote Open Society ($525K), Laura and John Arnold Foundation ($501K). In total, IRS Form 990 filings record $3.9M in grants to National Legal Aid and Defender Association between 2020–2025.
Show all 26 funders
| Mutual of America Foundation | $100 | 1 | 2024 |
Funding over time
Grant dollars and counts received per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $38K (2025) to $1.2M (2024). In 2025 it made 6 grants totaling $38K.
What grants has National Legal Aid and Defender Association received?
Individual grants from IRS Form 990 filings, newest first
| Year | Funder | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Robert J Kutak Foundation | TO FUND AWARDS FOR OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE IN THE FIELD OF PROVIDING LEGAL AID TO THE POOR AND THE EXPENSES ASSOCIATED THEREWITH. | $20,000 |
| 2025 | Oakland County Bar Foundation | Legal Access | $5,250 |
| 2025 | Greater Washington Community Foundation | GENERAL SUPPORT | $5,000 |
| 2025 | The Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati Foundation | General Operating Support | $2,500 |
| 2025 | The Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati Foundation | General Operating Support | $2,500 |
| 2025 | The Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati Foundation | General Operating Support | $2,500 |
| 2024 | Laura and John Arnold Foundation | TO SUPPORT EFFORTS AROUND THE COUNTRY ON ISSUES OF ACCESS TO AND INDEPENDENCE OF COUNSEL AND POLICY WORK AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL FOCUSED ON INCREASING FUNDING AND INDEPENDENCE OF INDIGENT DEFENSE. | $501,000 |
| 2024 | John D and Catherine T Macarthur Foundation | IN SUPPORT OF THE NEW PATHWAYS FOR JUSTICE PROJECT AND ITS CONTINUED PARTICIPATION AS A STRATEGIC ALLY IN THE SAFETY AND JUSTICE CHALLENGE | $350,000 |
| 2024 | John D and Catherine T Macarthur Foundation | TO SUPPORT ITS CONTINUED PARTICIPATION AS A STRATEGIC ALLY IN THE SAFETY AND JUSTICE CHALLENGE | $225,000 |
| 2024 | The Gibson Dunn & Crutcher Foundation | CHARITABLE | $44,000 |
| 2024 | NFL Foundation Inc | GENERAL SUPPORT | $25,000 |
| 2024 | Robert J Kutak Foundation | TO FUND AWARDS FOR OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE IN THE FIELD OF PROVIDING LEGAL AID TO THE POOR AND THE EXPENSES ASSOCIATED THEREWITH. | $20,000 |
| 2024 | MC Dermott Will and Emery Charitable Foundation | — | $15,000 |
| 2024 | Perkins Coie Foundation | EXEMPLAR AWARDS GALA | $7,500 |
| 2024 | Mutual of America Foundation | GENERAL OPERATING PURPOSE | $100 |
| 2023 | John D and Catherine T Macarthur Foundation | to support its continued participation as a strategic ally in the Safety and Justice Challenge | $275,000 |
| 2023 | John D and Catherine T Macarthur Foundation | to support the National Legal Aid and Defender Association to organize and host a convening and consultation regarding the development of systems performance indicators for public defense services | $50,000 |
| 2023 | Justice Innovation Inc | SUBCONTRACTOR FEDERAL GRANT | $37,599 |
| 2023 | Proteus Fund Inc | RIGHTS & JUSTICE | $30,000 |
| 2023 | Hyatt Hotels Foundation | GENERAL SUPPORT | $25,000 |
| 2023 | John D and Catherine T Macarthur Foundation | to support the National Legal Aid & Defender Association to hold a kickoff event and launch a communications campaign celebrating the 60th anniversary of the landmark case Gideon v. Wainwright | $22,500 |
| 2023 | FJC | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $8,750 |
| 2022 | Foundation to Promote Open Society | TO CONTINUE AND EXPAND THE BLACK DEFENDER LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE, WHICH PROVIDES SPECIALIZED LEADERSHIP TRAINING FOR BLACK DEFENDERS | $500,000 |
| 2022 | John D and Catherine T Macarthur Foundation | to participate as a strategic ally in the Safety and Justice Challenge | $325,000 |
| 2022 | The Joyce Foundation | Gun Violence Prevention & Justice Reform | $110,000 |
| 2022 | Demand Justice | GENERAL SUPPORT | $51,000 |
| 2022 | GS Donor Advised Philanthropy Fund for Wealth Management Inc | COMMUNITY & HUMAN SERVICES | $50,000 |
| 2022 | The Blackbaud Giving Fund | GENERAL SUPPORT | $25,000 |
| 2022 | Texas Southern University Foundation | — | $10,000 |
| 2022 | The Goldman Sachs Charitable Gift Fund | COMMUNITY OUTREACH & ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS | $10,000 |
Showing 30 most recent of 40 recorded grants.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who funds National Legal Aid and Defender Association?
National Legal Aid and Defender Association is funded by 26 grantmakers, led by John D and Catherine T Macarthur Foundation ($1.8M), Foundation to Promote Open Society ($525K), Laura and John Arnold Foundation ($501K). In total, IRS Form 990 filings record $3.9M in grants to National Legal Aid and Defender Association between 2020–2025.
Who is National Legal Aid and Defender Association's largest funder?
John D and Catherine T Macarthur Foundation is the largest recorded funder of National Legal Aid and Defender Association, with $1.8M across 8 grants (2020–2024).
How much grant funding has National Legal Aid and Defender Association received?
IRS 990 filings record $3.9M in grants to National Legal Aid and Defender Association across 40 grants from 26 funders between 2020–2025. Filings are published on a delay, so recent grants may not appear yet.
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Grant data is drawn from IRS Form 990 filings via Grantable's GrantGraph™. Filings are published on a delay; recent grants may not appear yet.
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