September 2025 News of Note

Register for the DCSJTN’s October Convening

Registration is open for the upcoming DCSJTN Convening on October 14th; signup is available here: October 2025 Convening Registration Form  

Update: DC Resource Bridge Full Launch

On September 22nd, 2025, the DC Resource Bridge (DCRB) will officially launch, expanding its referral services to include three new legal areas: Consumer Law, Public Benefits, and Appellate Law, alongside its existing Family Law referral offerings. 

Sept. 24: DC Resource Bridge Chat

The DC Bar Foundation is hosting our monthly DC Resource Bridge  Chat (formerly known as CIR Chat) on September 24th, from 2:00 to 2:30 PM.

In this month's DC Resource Bridge Chat, we will share how applicants will be able to access the DC Resource Bridge and what applicants and legal services organizations can expect when engaging with the DCRB. In this chat, we will also share information to assist organizations in making referrals to the DCRB, including how to best prepare applicants for when they contact the DC Resource Bridge. Following the 15–20 minute presentation, there will be a Q&A session lasting for 10-15 minutes.               

Registration is required to attend, and you can register here. 

DC Walk for Justice 5K: Sponsor and Register Today!

The DC Walk for Justice 5K is just over one month away on October 23 at Nationals Park! We hope you will join us!

There are multiple ways to get involved:

• Sponsor. There are multiple sponsorship levels with varying benefits, sure to meet your firm or organization’s needs. All proceeds from the DC Walk for Justice 5k benefit the DC Bar Foundation, which works to make civil legal aid more accessible for all District residents through grantmaking, network coordination, community engagement, and more. 

• Register to Attend. Registration is cost-free and takes just a few minutes to complete. Once you finish registering, you will be prompted with the option to create a fundraising team or join an existing one!

Update: FY26 Grants Cycle

The FY26 Grant Application closed on August 29, 2025. Over the next two months, the DC Bar Foundation will review applications for our three grant programs—Access to Justice, Civil Legal Counsel Projects Program, and General Support Grants—and present their grant recommendations to the Board of Directors for approval in December.

Nominations for the DC Access to Justice Commission Due Oct. 31

The DC Access to Justice Commission was established in 2005 by the DC Court of Appeals with the responsibility of "assuring high-quality access for low- and moderate-income residents and others in the District of Columbia, who suffer disparate access barriers to the civil justice system, and with raising the profile in our community of the need for equal access to justice." Nominations for a three-year appointment starting in March 2026 are due by 5:00 PM on Friday, October 31, 2025.

More information about the nominations process will be available soon.