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ACCESS TO JUSTICE GRANTS

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

  • Awarded annually since 2007

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

  • Grant year: January 1 to December 31

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In 2007, DCBF began awarding grants under the Access to Justice (ATJ) Grants Program when the Council of the District of Columbia designated DCBF 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) to support a shared legal services interpreter bank. Since 2007, more than $65 million has been awarded to provide critical legal assistance to DC’s underserved residents.

 

APPLICANTS

The application for the 2024 Access To Justice Grants Program will open in July 2023. Awards will be announced in mid-December 2023, with the grant year running from January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024.

 

Applications for the 2023 Access To Justice Grants Program are now closed.  The Foundation hosted a grants information session on August 10, 2022, and provided an overview of the grant programs, funding for the FY23 grant cycle (Jan 2023 – Dec 2023), the grants timeline, and the application process.  Click here to download a PDF of the presentation. Supplemental Information can be found below.

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  • The Foundation will make available up to $17.1 million in Access to Justice (ATJ) grants and $9.6 million in Civil Legal Counsel Projects Program (CLCPP) grants for the FY23 grant cycle.

  • Applicants proposing eviction efforts for housing-related matters were encouraged to apply for funding under the ATJ grant program.

  • Applicants proposing eviction efforts that fall within the definition of "covered proceedings" were encouraged to apply for funding under the CLCPP grant program.

  • The Foundation does not require joint applications by any applicant EXCEPT nonprofit organizations. To be eligible, a nonprofit organization must apply jointly with a legal services provider that meets the requirements outlined in the statutory language found below.

 

Links to the FY23 sample application materials are provided below.

 

EXAMPLES OF APPLICATION MATERIALS

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FY23 Access to Justice Grants Program Overview and Instructions

FY23 ATJ Application Sample (PDF) (Word Document)

FY23 ATJ Interpreter Bank Application Sample (PDF) (Word Document)

FY23 Application Organization Profile Sample (PDF) (Word Document)

FY23 Demographic Data

FY23 Attachment B Client Eligibility Guidelines on Residency and Income

FY23 Attachment 2B Data Packet Sample

Statutory Language, Access to Justice Initiative

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Awards will be announced mid-December, with the grant year running from January 1, 2023 – December 31, 2023. 

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FY23 GRANTEES

Organizations that receive funding through the publicly-funded ATJ Grants Program are required to provide quarterly financial reports and semi-annual programmatic reports. The reporting schedule for FY23 ATJ Grants (January 1, 2023, to December 31, 2023) is below, along with the outline for programmatic reporting and 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 28, 2023 by 5:00 pm: Required Signatures and Quarterly Financial Report

  2. Due July 28, 2023 by 5:00 pm: Required Signatures, Quarterly Financial Report, and Semiannual Programmatic Report​

  3. Due October 27, 2023 by 11:59 pm: Quarterly Financial Report

  4. Due January 26, 2024 by 5:00 pm: Quarterly Financial Report, Client Story, and Final Programmatic Report

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