Investing in Justice

FAQs

 

What Types of Grants Does the CBF Award?
Thanks to the generous financial contributions of thousands of dedicated individuals, more than 150 law firms and corporations and other committed supporters from throughout the Chicago area, The Chicago Bar Foundation (CBF) awarded over $2 million in grants in fiscal year (FY) 2009. The CBF has three major grant cycles - Organizational Support Grants, Advancing Justice Grants, a grant making partnership with the Chicago Area Foundation for Legal Services (CAFLS), and Special Project Grants. More than 40 pro bono and legal aid organizations and related initiatives received these grants, which helped thousands of low-income and disadvantaged people, like the elderly, children, battered women, and the disabled, gain access to necessary legal help. The CBF’s grants provide critical and consistent general operating support for pro bono and legal aid organizations in our community and support a number of innovative special projects and systemic initiatives. The grants ensure access to justice for tens of thousands of low-income and disadvantaged Chicago area residents in most critical need of the protections of our civil legal system and strengthen our community’s pro bono and legal aid system for the longer term.

 

What Kind of Organizations and Initiatives Does the CBF Fund?
The CBF generally funds 501(c)(3) legal aid and pro bono organizations (as well as fellowships and scholarships that are subject to separate guidelines) that work to improve access to justice for significant numbers of people in the Chicago metropolitan area, particularly the low-income and disadvantaged people who are in the most critical need of the protections of our civil legal system. 

Examples of the type of work funded by the CBF include
•    Providing legal services, including advice, brief service or extended legal representation
•    Educating the public about their legal rights and responsibilities, including pro se guidance or assistance
•    Supporting mediation efforts
•    Engaging in efforts to promote and increase the involvement of the bar and legal community in access to justice
•    Working to improve the overall system of justice or the overall legal aid delivery structure

View a list of the CBF’s current grantees.

For more information, review the CBF’s grant guidelines or contact Dina Merrell at 312/554-1206 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

 

 

How Does the CBF’s Grantmaking Process Maximize Impact?
The CBF has a long history of working with and funding legal aid and pro bono organizations in Chicago and extensive knowledge of the pro bono and legal aid delivery system.  As a result, the CBF has developed a comprehensive grant screening and evaluation process that carefully vets pro bono and legal aid organizations before they receive grant funding.  A highly-regarded board of lawyers and judges who are broadly representative of Chicago’s legal community, with the assistance of CBF staff with widely recognized expertise on these issues, ensures accountability and strategically allocates grant funds.  The CBF seeks through the grants process to maximize impact; leverage additional support from government and other sources; and promote best practices on common issues and collective challenges facing pro bono and legal aid organization such as management, governance, pro bono and coordination with other organizations.

The CBF is committed to striving for excellence and transparency in all of our work, managing our resources effectively, and adhering to the highest ethical standards in our governance and management. We expect the same of the organizations that we fund and hold ourselves to the same standards as the organizations that we support.

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How Does the CBF’s Grantmaking Process Work?
The CBF uses a comprehensive process to evaluate grant requests and to determine which organizations will receive CBF grants and the amount of the grants. Each year, the CBF’s Board President appoints a Grants Committee, which is comprised of attorneys who are members of the CBF Board of Directors, a liaison from the CBF Young Professionals Board and a few other attorneys from Chicago’s legal community.
The CBF Grants Committee, with support from the CBF staff:

1. Screens and reviews grant proposals (which includes making a visit to each applying organization’s office) to make sure that the work of the applying organizations meets the CBF’s grant guidelines and is consistent with the CBF’s mission;

2. Develops funding recommendations for the CBF’s Board of Directors; and

3. Makes recommendations to the CBF Board about the CBF’s grant guidelines, policies and procedures.

Members of the CBF’s Grants Committee, Board of Directors and members of the CBF’s Young Professionals Board participate in site visits to organizations applying for funding from the CBF. The CBF generally makes site visits to each organization applying for a grant. If the CBF has awarded a multi-year grant to an organization and has received a satisfactory progress report from the grantee, the Foundation may elect not to make a site visit.

As part of our comprehensive due diligence process, the CBF requires our grantee organizations to regularly report progress on grants, which assists the CBF staff in determining if grantee organizations are meeting the terms and conditions of the grant from year to year and are continuing to make a strong impact in our community. Throughout the grant year, CBF staff also maintain regular contact with our grantees to determine compliance with grant requirements and conditions, identify gaps in the legal aid delivery system and ascertain training needs shared across legal aid and pro bono organizations.

 


 

How Does the CBF Leverage Its Grants?
The CBF directly leverages our grants by partnering with other funders on special initiatives or projects. For example, the CBF formed a grantmaking partnership in 2007 with CAFLS, an affiliate of the The Chicago Community Trust. Through the joint Advancing Justice grants, the CBF and CAFLS together have awarded almost $1 million in the first two years of the grantmaking partnership to launch many innovative projects and support critical initiatives designed to address a gap in our justice system.

As a member of the greater philanthropic community, the CBF is in a position to educate a broad group of funders about the importance of legal aid as part of our community’s overall safety net. As a result, a growing number of local foundations are making grants to legal aid organizations to help them increase their capacity to address the legal needs of the most vulnerable people in our community.

 

How Does My Organization Apply for a CBF Grant?
The CBF has two grant cycles for which organizations can apply and the CBF has developed separate guidelines and application forms for each. Learn more...

The CBF also awards Special Project Grants at the discretion of the CBF Board. The CBF does not accept unsolicited proposals for Special Project Grants.

 

Who Should I Contact If I Have Questions about the CBF’s Grants?
If you have questions, please contact Dina Merrell, the CBF’s Associate Director, at 312-554-1206 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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