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The District Of Columbia Bar Foundation

Annual Giving
$30.5M

The District Of Columbia Bar Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $30,500,000 (2025)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: Annual grant cycle
  • Grant Range: Varies by program
  • Geographic Focus: Washington, DC only

Contact Details

Address: Washington, DC
Website: https://www.dcbarfoundation.org
Email: grants@dcbarfoundation.org
Phone: Not publicly listed

Pre-Application Support: Information sessions held mid-July each year. Contact grants@dcbarfoundation.org to discuss project deliverables, budgets, or reporting deadlines before applying.

Overview

The DC Bar Foundation was established in 1977 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit to provide a vehicle for lawyers and law firms to contribute to legal services organizations in the District of Columbia. The Foundation manages a $34 million budget and has awarded more than $208 million in grants since its inception. In 2025, the Foundation awarded a record $30.5 million to 36 DC legal services organizations, up from $28.04 million to 35 organizations in 2024. The Foundation's mission is to fund, support, and improve legal representation of people who are financially disenfranchised or otherwise underserved in the District of Columbia. Revenue comes from three main sources: the Interest on Lawyers' Trust Accounts (IOLTA) program, private donations from individuals and law firms, and appropriations from the DC Council.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Foundation operates three annual grant programs:

1. General Support Grants
Provides unrestricted operating support to help cover overhead costs such as rent and client record databases that are not always covered by other grants. Since 1978, this program has provided over $34 million in critical operating support to DC legal service providers. Funding comes from individual, law firm, and corporate donations, as well as IOLTA revenue.

2. Access to Justice (ATJ) Grants
Established in 2007 when the DC Council designated DCBF as the administrator of these funds. ATJ Grants support organizations providing legal assistance in three specific areas:

  • Underserved areas in DC
  • Housing-related matters
  • Shared legal services interpreter bank

Since 2007, the Foundation has awarded over $123.6 million through this program. Funded by DC Council appropriations through the Office of Victim Services and Justice Grants.

3. Civil Legal Counsel Projects Program (CLCPP) Grants
Created through the Expanding Access to Justice Amendment Act of 2017. Supports legal service organizations that provide representation in eviction defense proceedings for DC residents with low income. In FY25, $9.5 million was made available to 7 legal services organizations. Since 2018, over $56 million has been awarded through this program. Funded by DC Council appropriations.

Priority Areas

The Foundation supports DC legal aid organizations working on civil legal issues including:

  • Housing and eviction defense
  • Employment
  • Immigration
  • Domestic violence
  • Access to public benefits
  • Consumer law
  • Family law
  • Disability law

Services reach more than 30,000 low-income residents each year. All grants must support organizations that provide free civil legal services to District residents with low incomes or who are underserved.

What They Don't Fund

  • Organizations not based in Washington, DC
  • Organizations without 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status
  • For-profit entities
  • Services outside civil legal aid
  • Organizations that do not serve DC residents with low incomes or underserved populations

Governance and Leadership

Executive Leadership

Kirra Jarratt, Chief Executive Officer
Joined DCBF in 2014 with over 20 years of experience in the District community. She oversees implementation of the Foundation's strategic direction, manages the $34M budget, and leads efforts to create a Coordinated Intake & Referral System. According to the Foundation's website, "Working hand-in-hand with DC's legal aid community and other key stakeholders, Kirra seeks to ensure that every individual, regardless of income, education, or power has access to justice."

Key Staff

  • J. Daryl Byler - Director of Development and Communications, oversees private fundraising from law firms and individuals with 20 years of donor development experience
  • Vida - Executive Assistant to the CEO, manages CEO's schedule, facilitates board relations, and oversees special projects
  • Aracelis - Brings over 20 years of experience managing programs supporting children, youth, families, and communities

The Foundation has expanded staff to include a full-time Development Director, Grants Manager, and Evaluation and Impact Manager.

Board of Directors

Benjamin Wilson, President
Former Chairman of Beveridge & Diamond PC

Advisory Committee Members

  • Tiana L. Russell
  • Murray J. Belman
  • Benjamin M. Dean
  • Cheryl A. Isaac
  • Matthew S. Watson (DC Contract Appeals Board)

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The DC Bar Foundation uses an online Grant Management System (GMS) to manage all applications, grant awards, grantee reporting, grant adjustments, and grant closeout.

Application Steps:

  1. Review Program Materials: Before beginning an application, read the Program Overview and Instructions specific to the grant program you plan to apply for. Information regarding the application process and sample application materials are provided in the APPLICANTS section for each grant program.

  2. Request GMS Account: Contact grants@dcbarfoundation.org to request a GMS account. The Foundation provides resources to help walk applicants through using the system.

  3. Attend Information Sessions: The Foundation hosts information sessions mid-July to provide guidance on the grant programs and application process.

  4. Submit Application: Complete the online application through the GMS before the deadline.

Application Methods: Online portal (fixed annual deadline)

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for grants, organizations must:

  • Be a nonprofit DC corporation located and operating primarily within the District of Columbia
  • Have tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code
  • Deliver (or support the provision of) civil legal services to District residents who are low-income or underserved

Expanded Eligibility: For the first time in 2023, nonprofit organizations that partner with legal services providers became eligible to apply, even if they don't provide legal services directly. This includes nonprofit organizations that apply jointly with a legal services provider meeting the above requirements.

Decision Timeline

Annual Grant Cycle:

  • July: Application materials released; information sessions held
  • Late August: Application deadline (FY2026 applications closed August 29, 2025)
  • Fall: Review and decision process
  • Fiscal Year (October 1): Grants awarded and payments begin

Resources for the FY27 application cycle will be available July 2026.

Success Rates

Success rate data is not publicly disclosed. However, in 2025, 36 organizations received funding, and in 2024, 35 organizations received funding, indicating a limited number of grantees are supported each cycle.

Reapplication Policy

No specific reapplication policy is publicly documented. Organizations should contact grants@dcbarfoundation.org for guidance on reapplication if an initial application is unsuccessful.

Application Success Factors

Strategic Priorities (2025)

The Foundation's overall strategic goal is to transform the civil legal aid network, working closely with all stakeholders, so District residents have a fair and equal legal experience. Key priorities include:

  1. Coordinated Intake and Referral System: The Foundation identifies barriers to accessing services and supports development of coordinated intake and referral systems to improve access to civil legal aid services. The DC Resource Bridge pilot launched in June 2024 and successfully facilitated 122 cases, with 70% of applicants being referred to legal services providers.

  2. Community Engagement: The Foundation continues to listen to the needs and priorities expressed by the legal services community as programs evolve.

  3. Anti-Racism and Equity: Internally, DCBF prioritizes anti-racism through training programs and racial equity recruiting efforts.

  4. Strategic Grantmaking: DCBF works with stakeholders and pilots interventions to identify and articulate what it wants to achieve through grantmaking.

What the Foundation Values

  • Investment in Greatest Need: "Our grants provide support to organizations projects that invest in District residents with the greatest need."
  • Operating Support Recognition: The Foundation recognizes that unrestricted general support grants help cover essential overhead costs like rent and databases that other grants may not cover.
  • Collaboration and Partnership: The 2023 expansion of eligibility to include nonprofit partners of legal services providers demonstrates commitment to collaborative approaches.

Foundation Support Beyond Grants

DCBF provides additional support to DC-based civil legal aid organizations through:

  • Multiple trainings every year
  • Tuition fees for staff attorneys to attend select legal skills trainings offered by other organizations in DC
  • One-time funding for peer evaluations and consultants when needed by grantees

Advice for Applicants

  • Contact grants@dcbarfoundation.org to discuss your project deliverables, budgets, or reporting deadlines before applying
  • Attend the mid-July information sessions to understand program requirements and application process
  • Ensure your organization meets all eligibility requirements, particularly the requirement to be based and operating primarily in DC
  • For partnership applications, clearly demonstrate the collaboration between the nonprofit and legal services provider
  • Focus proposals on serving DC residents with the greatest need

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • DC-Focused Only: You must be a DC-based 501(c)(3) organization operating primarily within the District to be eligible. Geographic focus is strictly limited to Washington, DC.

  • Annual Cycle with Mid-Summer Deadline: The application cycle opens in July with information sessions and closes in late August. Plan accordingly and attend information sessions for current guidance.

  • Three Distinct Programs: Understand which program(s) align with your work—General Support (unrestricted operating funds), ATJ (underserved areas, housing, interpreter bank), or CLCPP (eviction defense representation).

  • Partnership Opportunities: Since 2023, nonprofits that don't provide legal services directly can apply in partnership with legal services providers, opening opportunities for collaborative approaches.

  • Pre-Application Communication Encouraged: The Foundation welcomes questions and discussions about project deliverables, budgets, and reporting before application submission. Use grants@dcbarfoundation.org.

  • Beyond Grantmaking: The Foundation provides training, technical assistance, and consultant funding to grantees—this is a funder invested in organizational capacity building, not just project funding.

  • Strategic Transformation Focus: The Foundation is actively working to transform the civil legal aid network through initiatives like the DC Resource Bridge. Demonstrate how your work aligns with systemic change goals, not just individual case outcomes.

References

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