Public Interest Law Initiative
Funding Overview
From IRS Form 990 filings · 2019–2025
Total received
$3.3M
Foundation funders
30
Grants recorded
104
Years covered
2019–2025
Who funds Public Interest Law Initiative?
Public Interest Law Initiative is funded by 30 grantmakers, led by Lawyers Trust Fund of Illinois ($1.2M), Illinois Equal Justice Foundation ($451K), Polk Bros Foundation Inc ($269K). In total, IRS Form 990 filings record $3.3M in grants to Public Interest Law Initiative between 2019–2025.
Show all 30 funders
| Quinn Family Foundation | $1,500 | 1 | 2025 |
| JBS Foundation | $1,030 | 1 | 2022 |
| The Sharon L King Foundation | $1,000 | 3 | 2020–2022 |
| John D and Catherine T Macarthur Foundation | $750 | 1 | 2023 |
| Hirsch-Schwartz Foundation | $700 | 2 | 2020–2021 |
Funding over time
Grant dollars and counts received per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $111K (2019) to $771K (2024). In 2025 it made 13 grants totaling $625K.
What grants has Public Interest Law Initiative received?
Individual grants from IRS Form 990 filings, newest first
| Year | Funder | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Lawyers Trust Fund of Illinois | TO PROVIDE FREE LEGAL SERVICES | $346,000 |
| 2025 | Illinois Equal Justice Foundation | TO PROVIDE LEGAL INFORMATION AND ADVICE TO LOW-INCOME PEOPLE, VETERANS AND THOSE FACING HOUSING INSTABILITY DUE TO THE PANDEMIC. | $105,000 |
| 2025 | Polk Bros Foundation Inc | Strong Communities | $44,000 |
| 2025 | The Jerome Mirza Foundation | SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS | $35,000 |
| 2025 | Illinois Bar Foundation | To support their Pro Bono Initiative program | $20,000 |
| 2025 | Francis Beidler Foundation | GENERAL SUPPORT | $18,000 |
| 2025 | National Philanthropic Trust | HUMAN SERVICES | $16,000 |
| 2025 | Helen V Brach Foundation | To support two law student interns in summer to provide legal work for or on behalf of children and people with disabilities | $15,000 |
| 2025 | Peoria Area Community Foundation | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION | $12,000 |
| 2025 | The Chicago Community Trust | General support for programs, operations and other charitable purposes | $5,250 |
| 2025 | Greater Washington Community Foundation | GENERAL SUPPORT | $5,000 |
| 2025 | Seyfarth Shaw Charitable Foundation | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSE | $2,500 |
| 2025 | Quinn Family Foundation | COMMUNITY OUTREACH | $1,500 |
| 2024 | Lawyers Trust Fund of Illinois | TO PROVIDE FREE LEGAL SERVICES | $262,250 |
| 2024 | Growald Climate Fund Inc | CORE SUPPORT | $200,000 |
| 2024 | Illinois Equal Justice Foundation | TO PROVIDE LEGAL INFORMATION AND ADVICE TO LOW-INCOME PEOPLE, VETERANS AND THOSE FACING HOUSING INSTABILITY DUE TO THE PANDEMIC. | $97,500 |
| 2024 | Polk Bros Foundation Inc | Strong Communities | $55,000 |
| 2024 | The Jerome Mirza Foundation | SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS | $35,000 |
| 2024 | The Robert E Gallagher Charitable Trust | GENERAL | $25,000 |
| 2024 | Francis Beidler Foundation | GENERAL, RELIGIOUS, EDUCATIONAL OR SCIENTIFIC | $18,000 |
| 2024 | Illinois Bar Foundation | To support their Pro Bono Initiative program | $17,500 |
| 2024 | Helen V Brach Foundation | To support two law student interns in summer to provide legal work for or on behalf of children and people with disabilities | $15,000 |
| 2024 | Peoria Area Community Foundation | TO FURTHER THE EXEMPT PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION | $12,000 |
| 2024 | MC Dermott Will and Emery Charitable Foundation | — | $11,000 |
| 2024 | National Philanthropic Trust | RELIGION | $8,000 |
| 2024 | Perkins Coie Foundation | ANNUAL AWARDS LUNCHEON, ANNUAL PRO BONO RECEPTION | $5,850 |
| 2024 | The Chicago Community Trust | General support for programs, operations and other charitable purposes | $5,250 |
| 2024 | Seyfarth Shaw Charitable Foundation | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSE | $3,500 |
| 2023 | Lawyers Trust Fund of Illinois | TO PROVIDE FREE LEGAL SERVICES | $149,000 |
| 2023 | Illinois Equal Justice Foundation | TO PROVIDE LEGAL INFORMATION AND ADVICE TO LOW-INCOME PEOPLE, VETERANS AND THOSE FACING HOUSING INSTABILITY DUE TO THE PANDEMIC. | $92,500 |
Showing 30 most recent of 104 recorded grants.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who funds Public Interest Law Initiative?
Public Interest Law Initiative is funded by 30 grantmakers, led by Lawyers Trust Fund of Illinois ($1.2M), Illinois Equal Justice Foundation ($451K), Polk Bros Foundation Inc ($269K). In total, IRS Form 990 filings record $3.3M in grants to Public Interest Law Initiative between 2019–2025.
Who is Public Interest Law Initiative's largest funder?
Lawyers Trust Fund of Illinois is the largest recorded funder of Public Interest Law Initiative, with $1.2M across 7 grants (2020–2025).
How much grant funding has Public Interest Law Initiative received?
IRS 990 filings record $3.3M in grants to Public Interest Law Initiative across 104 grants from 30 funders between 2019–2025. 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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