DC Resource Bridge

Here you will find information about how the DC Resource Bridge (DCRB) was developed, along with an overview of what the system is, who is involved, how the community has shaped this initiative, and how it will serve clients.

Looking for Legal Help? Click here to connect to the DC Resource Bridge

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Monthly DC Resource Bridge Chats

The DC Resource Bridge (DCRB) is a user-centered system designed to help residents navigate civil legal services with ease and efficiency. We recognize that the success of this platform depends on the expertise of the DC legal services community. To ensure the DCRB truly meets the needs of those it serves, we host the monthly DCRB Chat as a dedicated forum for collaboration. These sessions provide a regular space to share development milestones, solicit your technical feedback, and refine our strategy based on your insights. We value your partnership in building a more accessible legal landscape for all DC residents.

These DC Resource Bridge Chats typically include a 15–20 minute presentation, followed by a Q&A session lasting for 10-15 minutes.

Click Here to See our Upcoming DC Resource Bridge Chats and to Register to Attend

DC Resource Bridge receives the Partnership for Success Award - 2025

The National Conference of Bar Foundations honored the DC Bar Foundation with its 2025 Partnership for Success Award for our work on the DC Resource Bridge. The award honors bar foundation initiatives that make a significant impact in their communities on issues for which lawyers are uniquely positioned to lead, provide a replicable framework that other bar foundations can adopt, and engage in collaborative efforts with other stakeholders, such as law firms, courts, legal organizations, and foundations involved in law-related programs.

In presenting the award on August 15, Carl Butkus, a retired judge from New Mexico’s 2nd Judicial District Court, said, “The DC Bar Foundation has worked with community members, legal aid providers, technology experts, and other key stakeholders to ensure the DCRB is responsive, inclusive, and effective. DCRB’s success lies not only in its efficient intake and referral workflows, but also in its potential to transform access to justice.”

This is a collective win for every organization, service provider, and community member who partnered with us, offered feedback, and supported the idea of reimagining access to justice for DC residents.

Public Launch of the DC Resource Bridge and Service Provider Directory

The DC Resource Bridge (DCRB) is available for DC residents in need of civil legal assistance. District Residents can call (202) 933-HELP (4357) or visit dcresourcebridge.org to speak with trained navigators who will guide them through the process and connect them to appropriate legal services at no cost. In addition to calling the DC Resource Bridge, District residents can access civil legal help by completing this online application form.

The DC Resource Bridge helps District Residents access legal help by reviewing each applicant’s legal needs and eligibility to receive services from providers across the District, and then referring applicants to a legal services organization equipped to provide assistance.

Organizations across the District can also refer residents to the DC Resource Bridge to connect residents with legal assistance. The DC Resource Bridge can refer residents to legal help in almost all areas of civil law, except for rental housing and immigration-related matters. The DC Resource Bridge plans to support referrals across all areas of law in 2027.

In addition to accessing the DC Resource Bridge, the public can access a comprehensive Provider Directory that covers all areas of civil law. This Directory is a central hub for with descriptions of legal issues to help residents identify their legal issue and a regularly updated hub for District residents to find organizations that provide the legal help they need across Washington, DC.

Questions or Comments?

If you have questions or comments about the DC Resource Bridge, please send an email to innovation@dcbarfoundation.org.

HOW DID WE GET HERE?

For decades, the District’s civil legal aid community has struggled with how to create a more fair and just system. The Foundation approached earlier efforts through our grants program. Then, in 2020, we tried something different: we partnered with Joseph Schieffer, a consultant with expertise in developing coordinated legal aid systems in other parts of the country, to research our community and past efforts and recommend a strategy. His work resulted in a December 2020 concept paper that became the basis for this current effort.

Following the release of the concept paper, the DC Bar Foundation has continued to seek feedback from various stakeholders throughout the civil legal aid system and refine the concept as we learn more. Recognizing the impossibility of relying solely on individual and small group conversations, in late 2021, we sought input and feedback from stakeholders about the structure and design of the anticipated Coordinated Intake and Referral System. More than 20 organizations and individuals responded to the request.

CLICK TO READ OUR REPORTS ABOUT THE BUILDING OF THE DC RESOURCE BRIDGE

CLICK HERE TO VIEW A TIMELINE OF THE DC RESOURCE BRIDGE

Many DC residents facing significant legal challenges often struggle to access the help they need. The civil legal aid system can be difficult to navigate, with processes that are often slow and complex. Common barriers include being referred to organizations that cannot address their issue, discovering they are ineligible for services, or having to repeatedly share personal information. With more than 40 civil legal aid organizations in the District, varying eligibility criteria and limited system-wide coordination can make it difficult for individuals to identify and access a legal service provider suited to respond to their legal needs.

The DC Bar Foundation is committed to building an accessible, coordinated, and client-centered Civil Legal Aid System.

Our work is rooted in the belief that access to justice should not depend on wealth, knowledge, or power. Guided by these values, we have developed and continue to improve the DC Resource Bridge, a Coordinated Intake and Referral System designed to streamline access to civil legal services for DC residents. This system enhances coordination among providers, streamlines intake processes, and make it easier for residents to access timely and appropriate legal support.

DC RESOURCE BRIDGE FAQs

What is DC Resource Bridge?

A streamlined process for DC residents to access legal aid through a single phone number or website. It does not replace existing intake structures; it supplements them.

Community Engagement, Input, and Consideration Helped Make the DC Resource Bridge what it is today.

The DC Resource Bridge was built on the direct input of District residents. To ensure a user-centered design, the DC Bar Foundation conducted 13 focus groups between December 2021 and April 2022. These sessions engaged over 70 participants who had previously navigated the District’s civil legal aid system. The groups consisted of individuals from populations with particular vulnerabilities with respect to accessing the legal system. Groups included older adults, domestic violence and sexual assault survivors, people with limited proficiency, and other individuals. During each focus group, participants shared the challenges they experienced trying to access civil legal help services and how they would like to see this new system work for people in similar situations.

Community contributions remain the cornerstone of this project. To facilitate ongoing improvement, the Foundation hosts monthly DC Resource Bridge Chats. These forums allow stakeholders to receive project updates and provide direct feedback.

In May 2025, the DC Bar Foundation conducted focus groups with District residents, predominantly from Wards 5, 7, and 8, with some to minimal knowledge of the civil legal aid system. These participants selected the official logo and provided critical insights into the branding and communication preferences of District residents from the Wards with the highest demonstrated need.

What is the DC Social Justice Transformations Network, and how is it connected to the DC Resource Bridge?

A major component of the DCRB process is the DC Social Justice Transformations Network (DCSJTN), which launched in June 2021. It is a community of activists, health and social service organizations, academia, government, philanthropy, media, banking, faith-based, arts, business, and other stakeholders whose work impacts the civil legal aid system in DC.

DCSJTN meets three times annually to promote District wide multi-sector collaboration across the District and identify how, as a community, we can transform the delivery of civil legal aid in the District. Within the DC Social Justice Transformations Network, we have encouraged the formation of project workgroups, such as the intake specialist subnetwork. Project workgroups seek to identify opportunities for community action, education, or advocacy. For more information or if you would like to join, please email Michanda Myles, the Network Manager for the DC Social Justice Transformations Network.