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Colorado Lawyer Trust Account Foundation

Annual Giving
$9.7M
Grant Range
$6K - $0.3M

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $9.7 million (2024-2025 grant cycle)
  • Total Revenue: $20.2 million (2024 fiscal year)
  • Total Assets: $27.5 million (2024)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed (applications due April 1st annually)
  • Grant Range: $5,500 - $300,000
  • Geographic Focus: Colorado statewide

Contact Details

Address:
COLTAF
1120 Lincoln St., Ste. 701
Denver, CO 80203

Phone: (303) 863-7221

Email:

Website: https://coltaf.org

Pre-application contact: Applicants are encouraged to contact Jessica Clark-Daugherty before applying to discuss whether their organization is a good fit for COLTAF funding.

Overview

The Colorado Lawyer Trust Account Foundation (COLTAF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit established in 1982 by the Colorado Supreme Court in response to dramatic cuts in federal funding for civil legal aid. With total assets of $27.5 million as of 2024, COLTAF operates as an IOLTA (Interest on Lawyers' Trust Accounts) foundation, collecting interest from lawyers' pooled client trust accounts and redistributing these funds to support civil legal services across Colorado. In the 2024-2025 grant cycle, COLTAF distributed $9.7 million: $7.54 million to Colorado Legal Services (the state's primary civil legal aid provider), $1.155 million through competitive discretionary grants, and approximately $990,000 through pro bono program grants. Since its inception, COLTAF has awarded over $55 million to legal aid and pro bono programs. The foundation is governed by a sixteen-member volunteer Board of Directors comprised of lawyers and bankers, and shares staff with the Legal Aid Foundation of Colorado. In January 2024, Jordan Bates-Rogers joined as Executive Director, bringing experience from leading the Arkansas Access to Justice Commission & Foundation.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Colorado Legal Services Core Funding (approximately 80% of grant funds)

  • $7.54 million awarded in 2024-2025
  • Provides core operational support to Colorado's statewide staffed legal aid program
  • CLS operates as a "legal emergency room," prioritizing the poor and elderly in greatest social and economic need

Discretionary Grants (competitive, approximately 15% of grant funds)

  • $1.155 million distributed in 2024-2025
  • Range: $55,000 - $300,000
  • Support legal aid organizations providing programs aligned with COLTAF's purposes
  • Can be for general operating support or specific projects
  • Applications due April 1st annually
  • Note: This program may be suspended during years when interest revenue is lower

Pro Bono Program Grants (competitive, approximately 5-10% of grant funds)

  • $989,921 distributed in 2024-2025
  • Range: $5,500 - $300,000
  • Support development and mobilization of pro bono resources
  • Help recruit, train, and support volunteer lawyers

Priority Areas

COLTAF's Pro Bono and Discretionary Grant Programs advance one or more of the following purposes:

  1. Assist in providing legal services to the disadvantaged - Particularly low-income Coloradans and those facing barriers to accessing the legal system
  2. Improve knowledge and awareness of the law in the community - Legal education and community outreach
  3. Improve the administration of justice - Systemic advocacy and policy work

Specific Focus Areas:

  • Basic needs legal issues: income, food, shelter, utilities, necessary medical care
  • Freedom from domestic violence and abuse
  • Immigration legal services
  • Homelessness prevention
  • Elder law
  • Consumer protection
  • Family law for vulnerable populations

What They Don't Fund

While COLTAF does not publish explicit exclusions, their mission is specifically focused on:

  • Civil legal aid (not criminal defense)
  • Services for low-income and disadvantaged Coloradans
  • Colorado-based organizations serving Colorado residents

COLTAF does not fund organizations outside Colorado or programs that do not directly serve Coloradans in need of civil legal assistance.

Governance and Leadership

Executive Staff

Jordan Bates-Rogers, Executive Director (since January 2024)
Previously served as Executive Director of the Arkansas Access to Justice Commission & Foundation. Holds a management degree (summa cum laude) and JD (cum laude). On his priorities, Bates-Rogers stated: "I look forward to working with the legal community to ensure every low-income Coloradan gets the legal help they need when facing a potentially life-altering crisis. By advocating for robust funding for legal services, COLTAF and the Legal Aid Foundation provide help and hope to Coloradans in need."

Jessica Clark-Daugherty, Associate Director
Over 20 years of nonprofit sector experience. Former Executive Director of Denver Urban Debate League. Holds an MFA from NYU and BFA from University of New Mexico. Primary contact for grant inquiries.

Mike Lee, Program & Finance Manager
Manages program administration and financial operations. Former librarian with degrees from University of South Carolina.

Maria Rentzios, Administrative Assistant
BA in Political Science from University of Montana.

Emily Tow, Executive Assistant
Nearly a decade of nonprofit experience in program coordination. BA in English Literature and Secondary Education from University of Iowa.

Board of Directors

COLTAF is governed by a sixteen-member volunteer Board of Directors comprising lawyers and bankers. The Board meets quarterly (generally the last Thursday of January, May, August, and October). Recent board leadership included:

  • Chuong M. Le, President (who stated Jordan Bates-Rogers "brings with him the right skill set, as well as new energy and ideas to move both organizations forward")
  • David M. Johnson, Vice President
  • Erin M. Eiselein, Secretary
  • David Schafer, Treasurer

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

  1. Pre-application consultation (Required first step): Contact COLTAF staff before applying. Jessica Clark-Daugherty (jessica@legalaidfoundation.org) encourages organizations to set up a meeting to discuss whether they are a good fit for COLTAF funding.

  2. Application submission: Complete application due April 1st annually. Application available on the COLTAF website.

  3. Eligibility: Any organization is welcome to submit a full grant application. Organizations must help Coloradans access the legal system and protect their rights.

  4. Application types: Applications can be for general operating support or specific projects.

Decision Timeline

COLTAF does not publish specific decision timelines. Applicants should inquire about expected notification dates when consulting with staff during the pre-application phase.

Success Rates

COLTAF does not publish application statistics or success rates. In the 2024-2025 grant cycle, 9 organizations received discretionary grants and 11 organizations received pro bono program grants.

Reapplication Policy

COLTAF does not publish a formal reapplication policy. However, many organizations appear on the grantee list year after year, suggesting that unsuccessful applicants can reapply in subsequent years. Applicants should discuss reapplication strategy with COLTAF staff.

Application Success Factors

COLTAF-Specific Strategies

1. Contact staff before applying (explicitly required)
COLTAF states: "If you are considering applying for funding, the first step is to contact COLTAF staff." This pre-application consultation helps ensure alignment and may provide valuable guidance for your proposal.

2. Align with COLTAF's stated purposes
Applications must clearly advance one or more of COLTAF's three purposes: (1) assisting in providing legal services to the disadvantaged, (2) improving legal knowledge and awareness in the community, or (3) improving the administration of justice.

3. Focus on basic needs legal issues
Review the types of organizations COLTAF currently funds - they prioritize programs addressing "basic needs" including income, food, shelter, utilities, necessary medical care, and freedom from domestic violence. Successful proposals demonstrate how legal intervention prevents or resolves crises.

4. Demonstrate service to low-income Coloradans
COLTAF's mission centers on helping "Coloradans who cannot afford an attorney protect their rights." Clearly articulate your target population and how you determine income eligibility.

5. Understand revenue volatility
COLTAF's funding comes entirely from interest on lawyer trust accounts, which fluctuates with interest rates. Executive Director Jordan Bates-Rogers noted that "grant funds vary, sometimes dramatically, from year to year" and the discretionary grant program "is suspended from time to time to preserve resources." Applications demonstrating flexibility or multi-year sustainability may be viewed favorably.

6. Review current grantees
Study COLTAF's 2024-2025 grantee list to understand the types of organizations and programs they fund. Current grantees include direct legal service providers (Alpine Legal Services, Colorado Legal Services), policy/systemic advocacy organizations (Colorado Center on Law and Policy, Colorado Poverty Law Project), specialized services (Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network, TESSA for domestic violence), and pro bono coordination programs.

7. Pro bono mobilization emphasis
For pro bono program grants, demonstrate concrete strategies for recruiting, training, supporting, and mobilizing volunteer lawyers. Show measurable outcomes in terms of volunteers engaged and clients served.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Pre-application contact is not optional - COLTAF explicitly requires contacting staff before applying. Use this opportunity to test your concept and get feedback.

  • Be prepared for funding uncertainty - COLTAF's revenue varies with interest rates. Don't rely on COLTAF as your sole funder, and be prepared for grant amounts to fluctuate year to year.

  • 80% goes to Colorado Legal Services - Only about 20% of COLTAF's grant funds are available through the competitive process, making discretionary and pro bono grants highly competitive.

  • Focus on crisis intervention and basic needs - Successful applications demonstrate how legal services prevent life-altering crises related to housing, safety, income, and family stability.

  • Statewide vs. regional scope - COLTAF funds both statewide organizations (like RMIAN) and regional/local programs (like Alpine Legal Services in western Colorado, Pro Bono Project of Mesa County). Geographic coverage gaps may present opportunities.

  • Multi-year relationships - Many grantees receive funding year after year. View COLTAF funding as a potential long-term partnership rather than one-time grant.

  • April 1st deadline is firm - Plan ahead for this annual deadline. The review and decision process timeline is not publicly disclosed, so factor in potential uncertainty for budget planning.

References

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