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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 $123.6 million via ATJ grants to provide critical legal assistance to DC’s underserved residents.

 

APPLICANTS

The Foundation will host a grants information session on July 16 to provide an overview of the grant programs, funding for the FY26 grant cycle, the grants timeline, and the application process. The PowerPoint from that session will be made available here.​​​​

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Organizations that receive funding through the publicly funded CLCPP are required to provide financial reports and ongoing data reports to inform the evaluation of the program. 

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FY26 applicants can begin submitting grant applications on August 1, 2025. FY26 applications are due 5:00 p.m. on August 29, 2025.

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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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FY25 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 FY25 ATJ Grants (January 1, 2025, to December 31, 2025) is below, along with the outline for programmatic reporting, the Grant Adjustment Request Form, and its attachments. 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. Due April 25, 2025 by 5:00 pm: FY25 Sample Q1 Financial Report​ (PDF) and Sample Data Packet (Excel)

  2. Due July 25, 2025 by 5:00 pm: Quarterly Financial Report (Excel) and Semiannual Programmatic Report (PDF)​

  3. Due early October 2025 (date to be confirmed): ABArray Survey

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

  4. Due October 31, 2025 by 5:00 pm: Quarterly Financial Report

  5. Due January 30, 2026 by 5:00 pm: Quarterly Financial Report, Client Story, and Final Programmatic Report​

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