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ACCESS TO JUSTICE GRANTS

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  • Formal name: Access to Justice (ATJ) Grants Program

  • Awarded annually since 2007

  • Source of funding: public funding through a grant from the District

  • Grant year: January 1 to December 31

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In 2007, the DC Bar Foundation began awarding grants under the Access to Justice (ATJ) Grants Program when the Council of the District of Columbia designated the Foundation as the administrator of these funds. ATJ grants support organizations that provide legal assistance in three areas: (a) underserved areas in DC; (b) housing-related matters; and (c) support for a shared legal services interpreter bank. Since 2007, the Foundation has awarded more than $143.4 million via ATJ grants to provide critical legal assistance to DC’s underserved residents.

 

APPLICANTS

Applications for the 2026 Access to Justice Grants Program closed on August 29, 2025. The Foundation hosted a grants information session mid-July that provided an overview of the grant programs, funding for the FY26 grant cycle, the grants timeline, and the application process. The PowerPoint from that session can be found here.​​​​​​

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Links to sample application materials for FY26 are provided below.​​

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FY26 SAMPLE APPLICATION MATERIALS

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  • FY26 Access to Justice Grants Program Overview and Instructions (PDF)

  • FY26 Application Organization Profile Sample for Legal Service Providers (PDF) | (Word)

  • FY26 Application Organization Profile Sample for Non-Legal Service Providers (PDF) | (Word)

  • FY26 ATJ Application Sample for Legal Service Providers (PDF) | (Word)

  • FY26 ATJ Application Sample for Non-Legal Service Providers (PDF) | (Word)

  • FY26 ATJ Interpreter Bank Application Sample (PDF) | (Word)

  • FY26 Client Eligibility Guidelines on Residency and Income (PDF)

  • FY26 Data Packet Sample for Legal Service Providers (Excel)

  • FY26 Data Packet Sample for Non-Legal Service Providers (Excel)

  • FY26 Budget Narrative Explanation and Notes (Word)

  • FY25 Statutory Language, Access to Justice Initiative​ 

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FY26 GRANTEES

Organizations that receive funding through the publicly funded ATJ are required to provide quarterly financial reports and semi-annual programmatic reports. The reporting schedule for FY26 ATJ Grants (January 1, 2026, to December 31, 2026) is below and a Sample Grant Adjustment Request Form. Grant managers will receive an email notification when these reporting forms are ready to be completed.

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At any time, please contact us at grants@dcbarfoundation.org if you would like to discuss your project deliverables, budgets, or reporting deadlines.

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  1. Sample Grant Adjustment Request (GAR) Form (Word)

  2. ABArray Survey: Due date to be confirmed; please check back for updates

    • For more information, please see this page on the American Bar Association website.​

  3. Due April 24, 2026 by 5pm: 1st Quarter Project Budget covering January 1, 2026 – March 31, 2026

  4. Due Friday, July 31, 2026 by 5pm: Semiannual Programmatic Report with OVSJG Metrics covering January 1, 2026 - June 30, 2026. Note each organization will provide OVSJG Metrics via one report for ALL the organization’s ATJ and CLCPP grants.

  5. Due Friday, July 31, 2026 by 5pm: 2nd Quarter Project Budget covering April 1, 2026 - June 30, 2026

  6. Due Friday, October 30, 2026 by 5pm: 3rd Quarter Project Budget covering July 1, 2026 – September 30, 2026

  7. Due Friday, January 29, 2027 by 5pm: 4th Quarter Project Budget covering October 1, 2026 - December 31, 2026

  8. Due Friday, January 29, 2027 by 5pm: Final Programmatic Report with OSVJG Metrics and Client Story covering January 1, 2026 - December 31, 2026. Note each organization will provide OVSJG Metrics via one report for ALL the organization’s ATJ and CLCPP grants.

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