How do I know the grant money is being spent responsibly?
How much should my firm contribute?
What is IOLTA?
How do I open an IOLTA account?

How do I know the grant money is being spent responsibly?
Organizations that receive D.C. Bar Foundation funding undergo a rigorous qualifying process. We review applicants using a rational, business model- and outcomes-based assessment developed since 1977. This process includes a site visit to understand the mission and the quality of work of the applicant, and to determine if a program meets the real needs of District residents. In addition, they are required to submit substantive mid-year and year-end reports on their accomplishments.

How much should my firm contribute?
Any contribution is welcome, and contribution amounts are as varied as the size of the District of Columbia’s law firms. But billings and employees are not the only measure of giving. A real commitment to the ideal of equal access to justice drives the contribution levels of many of our donors. Please see the Our Donors section for a list of current contributors, and their contribution levels, from less than $1,000 to the $55,000 Diamond Donor level.

What is IOLTA?
The Interest on Lawyers Trust Accounts (IOLTA) Program was created by the District of Columbia Court of Appeals in 1985. An IOLTA account is a common-client trust account made up of pooled fee advances or settlements whose interest is forwarded to the D.C. Bar Foundation for charitable distribution.

How do I open an IOLTA account?
Download the notification form, fill it out and take it to a financial institution of your choice. It matters where you bank!  Financial institutions pay wildly divergent interest rates on IOLTA accounts.  Some pay rates close to 4%; many others pay rates at or below 0.5%.  When you are looking for a bank for your IOLTA account, make sure to ask abouat the IOLTA interest rate, and consider taking your banking business to a DC-IOLTA Preferred Bank.