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GENERAL SUPPORT GRANTS

  • Formal name: DC Legal Services Grants Program

  • Awarded annually since 1978

  • Source of funding: private contributions and IOLTA revenue

  • Grant year: January 1 to December 31

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The DC Legal Services Grants Program (General Support grants), which began in 1978, the year after DCBF was founded, has provided $35 million in critical operating support to DC legal aid providers. General Support grants provide unrestricted funds support to help cover overhead costs, such as rent and client record databases, which are not always covered by other grants these organizations receive. These grants are funded by private contributions and revenue received through the IOLTA program.

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APPLICANTS

The application for the 2025 General Support Grants Program will open on July 29, 2024. The Foundation hosted a grants information session in mid-July that provided an overview of the grant programs, funding for the FY25 grant cycle, the grants timeline, and the application process. The PowerPoint from that session can be found here.

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Awards will be announced mid-December 2024, with the grant year running from January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2025.

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Links to sample application materials for FY25 are provided below.

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SAMPLE APPLICATION MATERIALS

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  • FY25 General Operating Support Application Sample (PDF) | (Word)

  • FY25 General Project Support Application Sample (PDF) | (Word)

  • FY25 Application Organization Profile Sample (PDF) | (Word)

  • FY25 General Support Grants Program Overview and Instructions (PDF)

  • FY25 Client Eligibility Guidelines on Residency and Income (PDF)

  • FY25 Data Packet General Project Support Sample (Excel)

  • FY25 Data Packet General Operating Support Sample (Excel)

  • FY25 Budget Narrative Explanation and Notes (Word)​

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FY24 GRANTEES

Organizations that receive funding from the DC Legal Services Grants Program (General Support grants) are required to provide substantive midyear and year-end reports on their accomplishments and the use of the DC Bar Foundation funds. The reporting schedule for FY24 General Support grants (January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024) is below. 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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