DC Bar Foundation Awards $30.5 Million for Legal Assistance in DC

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                 CONTACT: J. Daryl Byler

December 23, 2025                                         byler@dcbarfoundation.org

          202.853.9025

[District of Columbia, December 23, 2025] – The DC Bar Foundation will award $30.5 million in 2026 to 38 DC legal services organizations that provide free or low-cost legal assistance to thousands of DC residents facing life-altering civil legal issues, but who cannot afford an attorney.

“The Foundation is committed to ensuring that District residents have access to justice and we believe wholeheartedly that the extraordinary work of these 38 grantee partners on the frontline of delivering legal services will move that vision forward,” says Kirra Jarratt, CEO of the DC Bar Foundation. “These grants will complement the Foundation’s investments in systems change, like the DC Resource Bridge, a coordinated intake system that provides a simple path to legal help with a single phone call.” 

Aracelis Gray, director of programs at the DC Bar Foundation, reported that 109 applications were approved for projects expected to provide legal assistance to nearly 47,500 – 1 out of every 15 – District residents in 2026. About 40% of the grants will support residents in Wards 7 and 8, where a concentration of families of four live on an annual income of less than $25,000. An additional 39% will benefit residents in Wards 1, 4, and 5.

Ms. Gray noted that 54% of the grants will fund housing law projects that are foundational for family and community stability. Other funding priorities include family law, consumer law, and public benefits. The Foundation also funds a Community Legal Interpreter Bank that offers access to legal services in many languages, including Spanish, Amharic, French, Vietnamese, and American Sign Language. 

The Foundation has three funding sources for the $30.5 million awarded. Appropriations from the DC Council through the Office of Victim Services and Justice Grants fund the District’s Access to Justice Initiative, which the Foundation administers. This program includes the Access to Justice Program and the Civil Legal Counsel Projects Program. Private fundraising and revenue from the DC Interest on Lawyers’ Trust Accounts Program support the General Support Grants Program.

“I want to especially acknowledge the DC Council for its steadfast support for the Access to Justice Initiative, which provides a significant portion of the Foundation’s funding,” Ms. Jarratt said, “as well as the generosity of the Prime and Benchmark Partner Banks who support a robust IOLTA program, and our individual and corporate donors who support our various campaigns and events. Only by working together can we build a civil justice system that ensures every District resident has a fair and equal experience, regardless of education, wealth, or power.”

To read about the DC Bar Foundation’s impact across the District, visit www.dcbarfoundation.org.

About the DC Bar Foundation: For DC residents who are financially disenfranchised, we make strategic investments to strengthen and expand our civil legal aid network, addressing critical needs and improving our community. As the District's largest funder of civil legal aid, we are a steadfast community partner committed to protecting access to justice in life's most pivotal moments.

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