Program areas at DCBF
Access to justice grants -in 2007, The dc Bar Foundation (DCBF) began awarding grants under The access to justice (atj) when The dc council designated DCBF as The administrator. Atj supports legal assistance in three areas: (a) underserved areas, (b) housing-related matters, and (c) a shared legal services interpreter bank. Since 2007, The Foundation has administered $96.9 million in atj funding to provide critical legal assistance to underserved dc residents with low incomes. In 2020, The dc Bar Foundation launched an effort to establish a user-centered coordinated intake and referral system that will make it easier for dc residents to get free civil legal aid assistance. When fully launched, a District resident will be able to call a dedicated line or submit a form via a website to get help on legal matters related to housing, employment, public benefits, family law, and other critical areas.in 2021, DCBF launched The dc social justice transformations network with The goal of building an anti-racist and anti-poverty civil legal aid system that is centered around The needs of District residents and focused on their well-being. The network convenes quarterly, with a diverse membership that spans well beyond legal aid and includes stakeholders from health and social services organizations, government, philanthropy, media, The arts, academia, and The business community.
The dc Bar Foundation's private grants program began in 1978 when The dc Bar Foundation was founded and provided critical operating support to dc legal aid providers. These private grants provide unrestricted funds to help cover projects and overhead costs, not always covered by other grants these organizations receive. These grants are funded by private contributions, gifts from other foundations and organizations, and revenue received through The interest on lawyers trust accounts (iolta) program, a program created by The District of Columbia court of appeals in 1985. DCBF provides loan repayment assistance to qualified attorneys working for eligible employers in civil legal aid under its private lrap.
Civil legal counsel projects program grants -The council of The District of Columbia established The civil legal counsel projects program (clcpp) through The expanding access to justice amendment act of 2017, which designates The dc Bar Foundation as administrator. Clcpp supports legal aid organizations providing representation in eviction defense proceedings for District residents with low income. The dc Bar Foundation has administered $46.5 million in clcpp funding since The program's inception.