The Florida Bar Foundation Fact Sheet

 

Mission
To provide greater access to justice through grant programs and initiatives that:

  • Expand and improve representation and advocacy for low-income persons in civil legal matters
  • Improve the fair and effective administration of justice; and
  • Promote service to the public by members of the legal profession by making public service an integral component of the law school experience.

IOTA
The Foundation is authorized by the Florida Supreme Court to administer the Interest on Trust Accounts Program

History
Established in 1956 to foster law-related public interest programs; a 501(c)(3) public charity.

Total Charitable Activities in FY 2020-21
$10.6 million

  • $9.9 million in grants (includes $2.5 million in Covid-19 conditional grants)
  • $701,000 in program-related expenses

Total Investments Since 1982
$536 million ($520.2 million in grants and $15.9 million in program-related expenses)

Fundraising
In 2020-21, more than 4,599 individuals, organizations and corporations contributed 5,436 gifts totaling $913,422.

Grants
At least 70,224 legal aid cases were handled by grantees in calendar year 2020.

  • The Florida Bar Foundation is the only funder linking more than 40 legal services programs in Florida.
  • Grant database
  • Organizations we fund
  • $1,113,075 was granted for 11 Children’s Legal Services projects.
  • 259 Loan Repayment Assistance Program loans were awarded to legal aid lawyers.

Economic Impact
A 2016 study found that civil legal assistance generated $7 of economic impact for every $1 spent on legal aid by federal, state and local governments, The Florida Bar Foundation, grants from community foundations and charitable donations. It also created 2,243 jobs outside of legal aid.

Improving Access to Justice
The Foundation’s Improvements in the Administration of Justice (AOJ) Grant Program has historically provided funding that:

  • Improves the operation and management of the court system
  • Improves and reforms the criminal, civil and juvenile justice systems
  • Facilitates education and understanding about the law, including law-related education
  • The Foundation currently funds the Innocence Project of Florida, which exonerates wrongly convicted people, and Florida’s Children First, which is dedicated to advancing the rights of at-risk children and youth.

Technology and Pro Bono

  • FloridaProBonoMatters.org, created and funded by the Foundation, has posted more than 3,500 pro bono cases from 34+ legal aid organizations. More than 500 interest forms were submitted by lawyers in FY 2020-21. The site displays pro bono opportunities statewide. Its spinoff, the Florida Pro Bono Law School Challenge, matched law students and lawyers on 177 unique cases in 2022.
  • FloridaNameChange.org, a free service to help Floridians update their legal name and gender marker, had 35,011 requests for documents in FY 2020-21, a 96% increase in one year.
  • Turning18.org helps foster children and those with developmental disabilities prepare for becoming legal adults.
  • OnePromiseFlorida.org encourages lawyers to pledge to take and work on a pro bono case each year.

 

Updated 8/16/22.