The Delaware Bar Foundation’s mission is to improve the administration of justice in Delaware by providing funding for legal services for those less fortunate; promoting study and research in the field of law; fostering knowledge of citizenship rights and responsibilities; and enhancing public respect for the rule of law.
The Delaware Bar Foundation centers its grantmaking on civil legal aid and the administration of justice in Delaware, with most recent grants going to legal service providers in Wilmington. In 2024, its largest listed grant was $1,099,725 to Community Legal Aid, followed by $691,000 to Legal Services of Delaware and $450,720 to Delaware Volunteer Legal Services. Those awards show a clear emphasis on organizations that deliver direct legal help rather than general operating support alone. The foundation also supports legal education and civic education, including grants tied to public understanding of the law and legal ethics. Its recent grant list shows repeated support for the same core legal aid organizations across 2023 and 2024, which suggests an ongoing relationship with established Delaware providers. Alongside the larger awards, it also backs smaller grants to organizations such as Delaware Law Related Education and Delaware Community Reinvestment, indicating attention to both service delivery and public legal education. The foundation’s work aligns with a mission to improve the administration of justice in Delaware by funding legal services for people with fewer resources and by promoting respect for the rule of law.
Civil legal aid is the foundation’s main funding lane. It gave $450,000 to Community Legal Aid in 2023 and another $450,000 in 2024 for legal aid, while also supporting Legal Services of Delaware with $300,000 in 2024 for legal aid. Delaware Volunteer Legal Services received $250,000 in 2024, also for legal aid. The foundation also funds legal education and civic education. Delaware Law Related Education received $174,730 in 2024 for legal education, showing that the grantmaker supports work beyond direct client representation. Public-facing legal access shows up in smaller awards too. Delaware Community Reinvestment received $50,000 in 2024 for legal aid, and Pro Bono Net received grants in New York for legal aid technology and support, reflecting interest in tools that help people connect with legal services.
Typical grant size clusters around a p25 of $150,000, a median of $180,000, and a p75 of $300,000. The recent grant list shows repeated awards to the same Delaware legal aid providers in both 2023 and 2024, indicating ongoing support rather than one-off giving. Delaware Bar Foundation is a regular funder, not a fund that makes program-related investments, and its active grant programs include annual IOLTA allocations and community grants. Unsolicited applications are accepted for several listed programs, including community grants and IOLTA allocations.
$4.5M
$19.1M
$10.5M
$4.7M
Most grants fall between $150K and $300K, with a median of $180K.
25th Percentile
$150K
Median
$180K
75th Percentile
$300K
MEGAN GREENBERG
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Grantmaking is overwhelmingly local: 84% of grants go to recipients in Delaware. Wilmington is the main recipient city in the recent grants list, including Community Legal Aid, Legal Services of Delaware, Delaware Volunteer Legal Services, and Delaware Law Related Education. New York is the top state by grant count outside Delaware, with grants to Pro Bono Net in New York, NY and Partners for Justice in Brooklyn, NY. All listed recent grants are in the United States.
The foundation funds organizations that provide civil legal services, legal education, civic education, and pro bono support. Its active programs also include community grants and IOLTA allocations for eligible Delaware nonprofit organizations that advance access to justice and the administration of justice in Delaware.
Yes. The recent grant list shows repeat support across 2023 and 2024 for organizations such as Community Legal Aid, Legal Services of Delaware, and Delaware Volunteer Legal Services. That pattern points to ongoing relationships with established legal aid providers.
The foundation’s typical grant size is $150,000 at the 25th percentile, $180,000 at the median, and $300,000 at the 75th percentile. Several recent awards fall within that band, especially for Delaware-based legal aid organizations.
Yes. The active program list states that unsolicited applications are accepted for Community Grants, IOLTA Grant Allocations, the IOLTA Grant Program, and Community Grants Program. One special IOLTA grant category listed for discrete purchases and pilot projects is marked as not accepting unsolicited applications.
Most grants go to recipients in Delaware, with 84% of grants in the foundation’s headquarters state. Wilmington appears frequently among recipients, while New York is the top state by grant count outside Delaware.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Current and upcoming funding from Delaware Bar Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Eligible nonprofit Delaware organizations. The foundation allocates IOLTA-generated funds to organizations providing legal services to those affected by poverty and related public-interest legal work.
Deadline: FY2027 grant cycle closed; next cycle will reopen in February 2027.
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Create a free accountDeadlines and eligibility are summarized from public sources and may change — always confirm the details on the funder's official application page before applying.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| COMMUNITY LEGAL AID | WILMINGTON, DE | $2,227,822 | 2026 | LEGAL AID |
| LEGAL SERVICES OF DELAWARE | WILMINGTON, DE | $980,000 | 2026 | LEGAL AID |
| DELAWARE VOLUNTEER LEGAL SERVICES | WILMINGTON, DE | $632,744 | 2026 | LEGAL AID |
| COMMUNITY LEGAL AID | WILMINGTON, DE | $270,000 | 2026 | LEGAL AID |
| LEGAL SERVICES OF DELAWARE | WILMINGTON, DE | $180,000 | 2026 | LEGAL AID |
| DELAWARE VOLUNTEER LEGAL SERVICES | WILMINGTON, DE | $150,000 | 2026 | LEGAL AID |
| DELAWARE LAWYERS ASSISTANCE FUND | WILMINGTON, DE | $20,000 | 2026 | LEGAL AID |
| PRO BONO NET | NEW YORK, NY | $8,250 | 2026 | LEGAL AID |
| DELAWARE STATE BAR ASSOCIATION | WILMINGTON, DE | $7,532 | 2026 | LEGAL AID |
| COMMUNITY LEGAL AID | WILMINGTON, DE | $1,099,725 | 2024 | LEGAL AID |
| LEGAL SERVICES OF DELAWARE | WILMINGTON, DE | $691,000 | 2024 | LEGAL AID |
| DELAWARE VOLUNTEER LEGAL SERVICES | WILMINGTON, DE | $450,720 | 2024 | LEGAL AID |
| COMMUNITY LEGAL AID | WILMINGTON, DE | $450,000 | 2024 | LEGAL AID |
| LEGAL SERVICES OF DELAWARE | WILMINGTON, DE | $300,000 | 2024 | LEGAL AID |
| COMMUNITY LEGAL AID | WILMINGTON, DE | $270,000 | 2024 | LEGAL AID |
| COMMUNITY LEGAL AID | WILMINGTON, DE | $270,000 | 2024 | LEGAL AID |
| DELAWARE VOLUNTEER LEGAL SERVICES | WILMINGTON, DE | $250,000 | 2024 | LEGAL AID |
| LEGAL SERVICES OF DELAWARE | WILMINGTON, DE | $180,000 | 2024 | LEGAL AID |
| LEGAL SERVICES OF DELAWARE | WILMINGTON, DE | $180,000 | 2024 | LEGAL AID |
| DELAWARE LAW RELATED EDUCATION | WILMINGTON, DE | $174,730 | 2024 | LEGAL EDUCATION |
| DELAWARE VOLUNTEER LEGAL SERVICES | WILMINGTON, DE | $150,000 | 2024 | LEGAL AID |
| DELAWARE VOLUNTEER LEGAL SERVICES | WILMINGTON, DE | $150,000 | 2024 | LEGAL AID |
| DELAWARE COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT | WILMINGTON, DE | $50,000 | 2024 | LEGAL AID |
| PRO BONO NET | NEW YORK, NY | $8,250 | 2024 | LEGAL AID |
| PRO BONO NET | NEW YORK, NY | $7,500 | 2024 | LEGAL AID |
| DELAWARE STATE BAR ASSOCIATION | WILMINGTON, DE | $5,740 | 2024 | LEGAL AID |
| COMMUNITY LEGAL AID | WILMINGTON, DE | $450,000 | 2023 | LEGAL AID |
| LEGAL SERVICES OF DELAWARE | WILMINGTON, DE | $300,000 | 2023 | LEGAL AID |
| COMMUNITY LEGAL AID | WILMINGTON, DE | $279,000 | 2023 | LEGAL AID |
| DELAWARE VOLUNTEER LEGAL SERVICES | WILMINGTON, DE | $250,000 | 2023 | LEGAL AID |
| LEGAL SERVICES OF DELAWARE | WILMINGTON, DE | $180,000 | 2023 | LEGAL AID |
| DELAWARE VOLUNTEER LEGAL SERVICES | WILMINGTON, DE | $160,000 | 2023 | LEGAL AID |
| PRO BONO NET | NEW YORK, NY | $10,800 | 2023 | LEGAL AID |
| PARTNERS FOR JUSTICE | BROOKLYN, NY | $7,747 | 2023 | — |
COMMUNITY LEGAL AID
$2,227,822LEGAL AID
LEGAL SERVICES OF DELAWARE
$980,000LEGAL AID
COMMUNITY LEGAL AID
$270,000LEGAL AID
LEGAL SERVICES OF DELAWARE
$180,000LEGAL AID
LEGAL AID
DELAWARE LAWYERS ASSISTANCE FUND
$20,000LEGAL AID
DELAWARE STATE BAR ASSOCIATION
$7,532LEGAL AID
COMMUNITY LEGAL AID
$1,099,725LEGAL AID
LEGAL SERVICES OF DELAWARE
$691,000LEGAL AID
COMMUNITY LEGAL AID
$450,000LEGAL AID
LEGAL SERVICES OF DELAWARE
$300,000LEGAL AID
COMMUNITY LEGAL AID
$270,000LEGAL AID
COMMUNITY LEGAL AID
$270,000LEGAL AID
LEGAL SERVICES OF DELAWARE
$180,000LEGAL AID
LEGAL SERVICES OF DELAWARE
$180,000LEGAL AID
DELAWARE LAW RELATED EDUCATION
$174,730LEGAL EDUCATION
DELAWARE STATE BAR ASSOCIATION
$5,740LEGAL AID
COMMUNITY LEGAL AID
$450,000LEGAL AID
LEGAL SERVICES OF DELAWARE
$300,000LEGAL AID
COMMUNITY LEGAL AID
$279,000LEGAL AID
LEGAL SERVICES OF DELAWARE
$180,000LEGAL AID
