Delaware Bar Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $3.8 million (FY2025 IOLTA allocations)
• Success Rate: Not publicly available
• Decision Time: Approximately 2 months (applications reviewed around April 1 and October 1, board votes in June and January)
• Grant Range: Community Programs: typically $5,000 or less; IOLTA Grants: $20,000 - $2,155,070
• Geographic Focus: Delaware only

Contact Details

Address: 704 N. King Street, Suite 110, Wilmington, DE 19801

Phone: (302) 658-0773

Fax: (302) 658-0774

Website: www.delawarebarfoundation.org

Executive Director: Megan S. Greenberg

Email: Contact form available on website

Overview

The Delaware Bar Foundation (EIN: 51-0259923), governed by a 12-member Board of Directors, is Delaware's primary grant-making organization dedicated to improving access to justice. Since 1983, the Foundation has granted over $35 million to Delaware's legal services agencies through its IOLTA (Interest on Lawyers Trust Accounts) program. The Foundation's mission focuses on providing legal services for the neediest citizens, promoting study and research in the field of law, fostering knowledge of citizenship rights and responsibilities, and enhancing public respect for the rule of law. In FY2025, the Foundation allocated approximately $3.8 million in IOLTA grants to three major legal aid organizations, plus an additional $600,000 in state-allocated funds. The Foundation also operates a separate Community Programs grant cycle that awards smaller grants (typically $5,000 or less) to organizations and projects that align with its justice-focused mission. The Foundation received a 96% Four-Star rating from Charity Navigator, indicating strong financial health and accountability.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

IOLTA (Interest on Lawyers Trust Accounts) Grants

• Largest grant program supporting civil legal aid organizations
• Applications typically due April 15, decisions by end of June
• FY2025 allocations totaled $3,787,814
• These grants support the three primary legal aid agencies in Delaware:
  • Community Legal Aid Society, Inc. (CLASI): $2,155,070
  • Legal Services Corporation of Delaware, Inc. (LSCD): $980,000
  • Delaware Volunteer Legal Services, Inc. (DVLS): $632,744
  • Delaware Lawyers Assistance Fund: $20,000

Community Programs Grants

• Smaller grants, typically $5,000 or less
• Applications reviewed twice yearly around April 1 and October 1
• Board votes on new grantees at meetings in June and January
• Grant cycle reopens in fall each year
• Recent examples include:
  • $5,000 to The Teen Warehouse for Out-of-School Youth Mentor salary
  • $6,500 for ILYA/DSBA Backpacks for Graduates program
  • $4,980 to Delaware Center for Justice for expungement applications

Supplemental/Special IOLTA Grants

• Awarded periodically for specific projects
• Recent recipients include:
  • DeLegalHelpLink for online self-help resources and forms
  • Delaware Community Reinvestment Action Council (DCRAC) for estate planning and title representation
  • LSCD for case management system transition
  • DELREC (Delaware Law Related Education Center) for high school programs

Priority Areas

• Legal services for low-income individuals: Civil legal aid, family law, housing, consumer issues
• Access to justice initiatives: Pro bono portals, legal help websites, expungement programs
• Citizenship education: Citizenship courses, civics programs
• Law-related community programs: Trial advocacy training, legal research, public education about rights and responsibilities
• Technology improvements: Website development, case management systems for legal aid providers
• Reentry and criminal justice reform: Expungement assistance, programs supporting successful reentry

What They Don't Fund

While explicit exclusions are not publicly listed, the Foundation's mission clearly focuses on Delaware-based organizations that serve its justice-related mission. Based on funded programs, the Foundation does not appear to fund:

• Organizations outside Delaware
• Programs unrelated to law, justice, or legal services
• Individual scholarships or direct client services (they fund organizations that provide services)
• General operating support for organizations outside the legal aid sector

Governance and Leadership

Board of Directors (12 members serving four-year terms):

• Hon. Kyle Evans Gay, President - Delaware's 27th Lieutenant Governor, attorney, former Delaware State Senator, previously served as Chair of the Delaware Bar Foundation working to expand access to legal services
• Hon. Laurie Selber Silverstein (former President) - Chief Judge, United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware
• Clarissa Chenoweth-Shook
• C. Malcolm Cochran, IV
• Kelly Farnan
• David Felice
• Michael Houghton
• Karryl Hubbard
• Denise D. Nordheimer
• Benjamin Strauss
• Hon. Karen Valihura
• Jeffrey A. Young

Board Composition: One member is appointed annually by the Chief Justice of Delaware, one by the President of the Delaware State Bar Association, and one is elected by the Delaware State Bar Association. One position is always held by a justice of the Delaware Supreme Court.

Executive Director: Megan S. Greenberg - Responsible for day-to-day operations, oversight of the IOLTA program, and increasing statewide visibility of the community grants program. She brings extensive experience from the Delaware legal community, having worked as a lawyer and as Manager of Professional Development at Richards, Layton & Finger. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated commitment to pro bono legal services and outreach to underserved communities.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

For Community Programs Grants:

• Formal grant application process available on the Foundation's website
• Grant application document available for download
• Grant cycle typically opens in fall each year
• Applications submitted for review around April 1 and October 1
• Must serve the Foundation's mission of improving administration of justice in Delaware

For IOLTA Grants:

• Primarily for established legal aid organizations
• Applications due April 15 for following fiscal year
• Each year the board receives, reviews, and meets with grant applicants
• These grants support nonprofit Delaware organizations providing civil legal aid to low-income residents

Decision Timeline

Community Programs:

• Applications reviewed twice yearly around April 1 and October 1
• Board votes on new grantees at meetings held in June and January
• Approximately 2-3 months from application deadline to decision

IOLTA Grants:

• Applications due April 15
• Board meetings and reviews in May and June
• Decisions by end of June
• Supreme Court approval follows board recommendation
• Awards effective for fiscal year beginning July 1

Notification Methods:

• Announcement on Foundation website
• Direct communication to applicants
• Supreme Court Order for IOLTA grants

Success Rates

Specific success rates and application numbers are not publicly available. However, the Foundation has a clear track record of funding specific types of organizations and projects that directly serve its mission.

Reapplication Policy

No specific reapplication policy is publicly documented. Organizations interested in reapplying after an unsuccessful application should contact the Foundation directly for guidance.

Application Success Factors

Based on analysis of funded projects and the Foundation's stated mission, successful applications demonstrate:

Clear Connection to Justice and Legal Services: All funded projects have direct connections to law, legal services, or improving access to justice. For example:

• Delaware Center for Justice's expungement program helps previously justice-involved individuals clear their records
• Delaware Volunteer Legal Services received funding to create a pro bono portal for attorneys
• DeLegalHelpLink provides online self-help resources connecting low-income people with legal help

Service to Low-Income and Underserved Populations: The Foundation prioritizes programs serving Delaware's neediest citizens:

• Project New Start's 22% recidivism rate (compared to 76% statewide) demonstrates impact on vulnerable populations
• Estate planning and tangled-title representation for low-income families in Wilmington's East Side
• Backpacks for young adults aging out of foster care

Focus on Systemic Change or Capacity Building: Many successful grants support infrastructure improvements:

• Technology upgrades (website overhauls, case management systems)
• Training programs (trial advocacy for legal aid attorneys)
• Resource development (online self-help forms, educational materials)

Delaware-Based Organizations: All grants go to organizations serving Delaware residents

Measurable Impact: Successful programs demonstrate concrete outcomes:

• Project New Start's 90%+ employment rate for graduates
• Number of people served through expungement programs
• Reach of citizenship education programs

Collaboration: Many funded projects involve partnerships between legal aid organizations or community groups

Mission Alignment: Applications should explicitly connect to at least one aspect of the Foundation's mission:

• Providing legal services for the poor
• Promoting study and research in law
• Fostering knowledge of citizenship rights and responsibilities
• Enhancing public respect for the rule of law

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Know your funding stream: Community Programs grants are typically $5,000 or less for broader justice-related projects; IOLTA grants are substantially larger but focused on established legal aid organizations
• Delaware-only: All funded organizations must serve Delaware residents; geographic restriction is absolute
• Justice connection is essential: Every funded project has a clear connection to legal services, access to justice, or legal education - this is non-negotiable
• Timing matters: Plan for biannual review cycles (spring and fall) with approximately 2-3 month decision timelines
• Low-income focus: Demonstrate how your project serves Delaware's neediest citizens or improves their access to legal services
• Show concrete outcomes: Successful applications include measurable impacts, not just activities
• Consider capacity building: Technology improvements, training programs, and infrastructure projects that strengthen legal services delivery have strong track records of funding

References

1. Delaware Bar Foundation official website - www.delawarebarfoundation.org (Accessed March 2026)
2. Delaware Bar Foundation Community Programs page - https://www.delawarebarfoundation.org/about-us/grant-programs/community-programs (Accessed March 2026)
3. Delaware Bar Foundation IOLTA Grant Application page - https://www.delawarebarfoundation.org/about-us/grant-programs/iolta (Accessed March 2026)
4. Delaware Bar Foundation Board & Team page - https://www.delawarebarfoundation.org/about-us/our-board-team (Accessed March 2026)
5. Candid Foundation Directory - Delaware Bar Foundation profile (Accessed March 2026)
6. GuideStar Profile - Delaware Bar Foundation (EIN 51-0259923) (Accessed March 2026)
7. Charity Navigator - Delaware Bar Foundation rating (96%, Four-Star Charity) (Accessed March 2026)
8. Inside Philanthropy - "What Types of Work Does the Delaware Bar Foundation Support?" (2022)
9. National Conference of Bar Foundations - Delaware Bar Foundation profile (Accessed March 2026)
10. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Delaware Bar Foundation (Accessed March 2026)
11. Cause IQ - Delaware Bar Foundation organizational data (Accessed March 2026)