[District of Columbia, December 18, 2024] – The DC Bar Foundation will award a record $30.5 million in 2025 to 36 DC legal services organizations that provide free or low-cost legal assistance to thousands of DC residents facing life-altering legal issues but who cannot afford an attorney.
“We are delighted to make grants to these 36 organizations,” says Kirra Jarratt, CEO of the DC Bar Foundation. “The Foundation remains a steadfast partner in its efforts to meet the civil legal needs of District residents, which include access to general information about legal rights, advice and counsel, brief services, and full representation.”
Aracelis Gray, director of programs at the DC Bar Foundation, reported an increase in applications this year and several new applicants. “Networks and collaborative projects remain a priority in legal service delivery,” she said.
The DC Bar Foundation’s grants offer critical support to DC legal aid organizations that assist clients with various civil legal issues such as housing, family, and consumer law. The majority of funds will go toward supporting residents in Wards 5, 7, and 8, where there is a concentration of families of four living on an annual income of less than $25,000.
The Foundation tapped three funding sources for the record-breaking $30.5 million awarded. Appropriations from the Council of the District of Columbia through the Office of Victim Services and Justice Grants fund the District’s Access to Justice Initiative, which the Foundation administers. This program includes the Access to Justice Program and the Civil Legal Counsel Projects Program. Private fundraising and revenue from the DC Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Accounts Program support the Foundation’s General Support Grants Program.
“I want to acknowledge the DC Council for its significant access to justice commitment for all District residents,” Ms. Jarratt said, “as well as the generosity of our individual and corporate donors who support our various campaigns and events. Together, we are fighting to dismantle harmful systems and ensure that every District resident has a fair and equal experience in our local civil legal aid system, regardless of education, wealth, or power.”
To read about the DC Bar Foundation’s impact across the District, visit www.dcbarfoundation.org.
About the DC Bar Foundation: We are committed to transforming DC’s legal aid network so all District residents have a fair and equal legal experience. Through our network approach, we actively bring together all invested stakeholders to identify and address the unmet civil legal needs of DC residents with low incomes, create solutions with a critical eye for racial justice and equity, and demonstrate meaningful impact.
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