The Massachusetts Bar Foundation represents the commitment of the lawyers and judges of Massachusetts to improve the administration of justice, to promote an understanding of the law, and to ensure equal access to the legal system for all residents of the Commonwealth.
The Massachusetts Bar Foundation Inc. channels lawyer- and judge-led philanthropy into civil legal aid and access to justice across Massachusetts. Its recent awards show a dual pattern: large operating support for nonprofit legal services organizations and dedicated funding for the legal system itself, including judicial education. In 2025, the biggest listed grant went to Flaschner Judicial Institute for education programs and publications for judges, underscoring that the foundation supports both frontline representation and the institutions that shape court practice. Several other major awards point to a statewide civil legal aid network. Greater Boston Legal Services received $452,000 in 2025, while Community Legal Aid Inc. received $400,000 the same year for general support in Central and Western Massachusetts. South Coastal Counties Legal Services, Northeast Legal Aid, MetroWest Legal Services, and De Novo Center for Justice and Healing also appear among the larger recent recipients. The pattern suggests sustained support for organizations handling housing, domestic violence, immigration, and other legal needs affecting low-income residents. The foundation also funds targeted legal access programs, including immigration law work and public-interest legal pathways, through grants to organizations such as Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Fall River and Ascentria Community Services Inc.
Housing stability and eviction prevention are visible in grants to legal aid providers serving regional Massachusetts communities. Community Legal Aid Inc. received $400,000 in 2025 for general support in Central & Western MA, and South Coastal Counties Legal Services received $275,000 in 2025 for a general support grant. These awards align with the foundation’s stated interest in housing instability and eviction prevention. Immigration legal assistance is another recurring area. Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Fall River M received $136,764 in 2025 for Immigration Law Programs, while Ascentria Community Services Inc received $125,000 for its Immigration Legal Assistance Program (ILAP). Political Asylum/Immigration Representation Project also appears among recent grantees. The foundation also supports legal infrastructure and training. Flaschner Judicial Institute received $578,900 in 2025 for education programs and publications for judges, and the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth received $225,000 for Justice Bridge Legal Center.
$6.3M
$20.3M
$10.7M
$7.3M
Most grants fall between $15K and $50K, with a median of $25K.
25th Percentile
$15K
Median
$25K
75th Percentile
$50K
ANGELA C MCCONNEYESQ
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Typical grants cluster around a moderate institutional-support range: the 25th percentile is $15,000, the median is $25,000, and the 75th percentile is $50,000. The recent grants list also includes larger awards for legal aid providers and judicial education, indicating that the foundation combines many smaller awards with fewer high-dollar grants. The pattern is recurring rather than one-off: organizations such as Community Legal Aid Inc, Greater Boston Legal Services, South Coastal Counties Legal Services, Northeast Legal Aid, De Novo Center for Justice and Healing, and Flaschner Judicial Institute appear in multiple years. It is a regular funder, not a DAF or program-related investor. Unsolicited applications are accepted for the IOLTA Grants Program, Special Grants Projects, Legal Intern Fellowship Program, and the Law Firm & Corporate Partners Program.
Grantmaking is entirely in Massachusetts: 100% of grants go to recipients in the headquarters state, and the top state by grant count is MA. Recent awards land in Boston, Worcester, Fall River, Lawrence, Cambridge, Framingham, Dartmouth, Springfield, Salem, and across regional legal aid service areas such as Central & Western MA. The recipient-country distribution is exclusively U.S.-based, with 214 grants to U.S. organizations.
Its stated focus areas include civil legal services for low-income clients, administration of justice, housing stability and eviction prevention, domestic violence survivor legal services, immigration legal services, education advocacy and special education, and veterans legal services. Recent grants also show support for judicial education and public-interest legal training.
The typical grant size is $15,000 at the 25th percentile, $25,000 at the median, and $50,000 at the 75th percentile. Recent awards include larger grants for established legal aid organizations and judicial education programs, alongside smaller stipend and scholarship awards of $8,000 in named programs.
Yes. The geographic scope of giving is local, the top state by grant count is Massachusetts, and 100% of grants in the recipient-country distribution go to U.S. organizations. Recent grantees are located in Massachusetts cities including Boston, Worcester, Fall River, Lawrence, Cambridge, Framingham, Dartmouth, Springfield, and Salem.
Yes for several programs. The IOLTA Grants Program, Special Grants Projects, Law Firm & Corporate Partners Program, and Legal Intern Fellowship Program all accept unsolicited requests. The Chief Justice Ralph D. Gants Judicial Scholarship Program does not accept unsolicited applications.
Recent awards repeatedly go to nonprofit legal services providers and court-adjacent organizations. Examples include Greater Boston Legal Services, Community Legal Aid Inc, South Coastal Counties Legal Services, Northeast Legal Aid, MetroWest Legal Services, De Novo Center for Justice and Healing, and Flaschner Judicial Institute.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Current and upcoming funding from Massachusetts Bar Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Funding requests must fall outside the eligibility requirements of the IOLTA Grants Program or outside the traditional grant cycle but be consistent with MBF’s mission; applicants should contact the grants office first to discuss eligibility.
Deadline: No formal deadline stated; prior to submitting a request, contact the MBF Grants Office.
Who can apply: Nonprofit organizations in Massachusetts whose programs either provide civil legal services to low-income clients or improve the administration of justice.
Deadline: The MBF’s grant cycle runs from September 1 to August 31 of each year. The application process for the 2027/2028 IOLTA Grant cycle will open on January 15, 2027.
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Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flaschner Judicial Institute | Boston, MA | $578,900 | 2025 | EDUCATION PROGRAMS AND PUBLICATIONS FOR JUDGES |
| Greater Boston Legal Services | Boston, MA | $452,000 | 2025 | Various |
| Community Legal Aid Inc | Worcester, MA | $400,000 | 2025 | General Support Grant - Central & Western MA |
| South Coastal Counties Legal Services | Fall River, MA | $275,000 | 2025 | SCCLS General Support Grant |
| University of Massachusetts Dartmouth | Dartmouth, MA | $225,000 | 2025 | Justice Bridge Legal Center |
| Northeast Legal Aid | Lawrence, MA | $214,000 | 2025 | NLA General Support Grant |
| De Novo Center for Justice and Healing | Cambridge, MA | $203,000 | 2025 | General Support Grant |
| Political AsylumImmigration Representation Projec | Boston, MA | $191,000 | 2025 | VARIOUS |
| MetroWest Legal Services | Framingham, MA | $180,000 | 2025 | MWLS General Support Grant |
| Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Fall River M | Fall River, MA | $136,764 | 2025 | Immigration Law Programs |
| Ascentria Community Services Inc | Worcester, MA | $125,000 | 2025 | IMMIGRATION LEGAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (ILAP) |
| Hampden County Bar Association | Springfield, MA | $115,000 | 2025 | VARIOUS |
| Prisoners' Legal Services | Boston, MA | $111,000 | 2025 | VARIOUS |
| Essex County Bar Association | Salem, MA | $102,100 | 2025 | VARIOUS |
| Massachusetts Law Reform Institute | Boston, MA | $98,000 | 2025 | VARIOUS |
| Massachusetts Advocates for Children | Boston, MA | $98,000 | 2025 | VARIOUS |
| Veterans Legal Services Inc | Boston, MA | $90,000 | 2025 | VETERANS LEGAL SERVICES |
| Immigrant Family Services Institute Inc (IFSI-USA | MATTAPAN, MA | $90,000 | 2025 | Haitian Immigration Legal Assistance Program |
| Housing Families Inc | Malden, MA | $85,000 | 2025 | Homelessness Prevention & Legal Services Program: Immigration Attorney |
| Massachusetts Bar Association | Boston, MA | $84,404 | 2025 | Superior Court Lawyer for the Day Program |
| Casa Myrna Vazquez Inc | Boston, MA | $80,000 | 2025 | LEGAL ADVOCACY PROGRAM |
| Children's Law Center of Massachusetts Inc | Lynn, MA | $80,000 | 2025 | CHILD & ADOLESCENT LEGAL SERVICES PROGRAM |
| Rian Immigrant Center | Boston, MA | $77,380 | 2025 | IMMIGRATION LEGAL SERVICES |
| Western New England University School of Law Cente | Springfield, MA | $75,000 | 2025 | Center for Social Justice Pro Bono Programs |
| Health Law Advocates Inc | Boston, MA | $75,000 | 2025 | Improving Health Care Access and Affordability |
| Volunteer Lawyers Project of the Boston Bar Associ | BOSTON, MA | $74,374 | 2025 | Various |
| Safe Passage | Northampton, MA | $66,682 | 2025 | VARIOUS |
| Jeanne Geiger Crisis Center | Newburyport, MA | $65,960 | 2025 | DOMESTIC VIOLENCE FAMILY LAW PROGRAM |
| The Women's Center | New Bedford, MA | $65,000 | 2025 | LEGAL ADVOCACY PROGRAM & EMPOWERMENT THROUGH INNOVATION |
| CASA Project Inc | Worcester, MA | $65,000 | 2025 | CHILD COURT ADVOCACY PROGRAM |
| The Second Step | Newtonville, MA | $60,500 | 2025 | Steps to Justice AND TRAINING |
| Women's Bar Foundation of MA Inc | Boston, MA | $55,000 | 2025 | FAMILY LAW & WOMEN'S PRISON AND RE-ENTRY PROJECTS |
| Lawyers Clearinghouse on Affordable Housing & Home | Boston, MA | $54,978 | 2025 | Massachusetts Legal Clinic for the Homeless & Low-Income Residents |
| Justice at Work | Boston, MA | $53,880 | 2025 | Legal Services and Training for Immigrant Workers in Low-Paying Jobs |
| DOVE Inc | Quincy, MA | $50,204 | 2025 | LEGAL ADVOCACY PROGRAM |
| Independence House | Hyannis, MA | $50,000 | 2025 | Legal Assistance for SDV Survivors |
| Berkshire County Regional Housing Authority | Pittsfield, MA | $50,000 | 2025 | HOUSING SERVICES & MEDIATION PROGRAM |
| Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy (MIRA | Boston, MA | $48,216 | 2025 | VARIOUS |
| KIND Inc | Boston, MA | $48,000 | 2025 | Pro Bono Legal Representation for Unaccompanied Immigrant Children in Massachusetts |
| YWCA of Central Massachusetts | Worcester, MA | $45,658 | 2025 | COURT ADVOCACY |
| Mabel Center for Immigrant Justice | Boston, MA | $45,000 | 2025 | VARIOUS |
| Family Services of the Merrimack Valley | LAWRENCE, MA | $45,000 | 2025 | Court Appointed Special Advocates & Outreach |
| Asian Task Force Against Domestic Violence | boston, MA | $44,990 | 2025 | LEGAL ADVOCACY AND REPRESENTATION PROGRAM |
| Franklin County Bar Association | Greenfield, MA | $44,500 | 2025 | Legal Aid Program |
| Dismas House of Central Massachusetts | Worcester, MA | $42,500 | 2025 | BAR NONE PROGRAM |
| Barnstable County Bar Association | Barnstable, MA | $41,772 | 2025 | Access to Justice Program |
| JRI Health Law Institute | Jamaica Plain, MA | $40,000 | 2025 | HIV Medical Legal Partnership |
| Third Sector New England | Boston, MA | $40,000 | 2025 | Family Law Project at the Mental Health Legal Advisors Committee |
| Berkshire Immigrant Center | Pittsfield, MA | $40,000 | 2025 | IMMIGRATION LEGAL SERVICES AND EDUCATION |
| Lawyers for Civil Rights - Boston | Boston, MA | $40,000 | 2025 | LCR | Health Justice |
Flaschner Judicial Institute
$578,900EDUCATION PROGRAMS AND PUBLICATIONS FOR JUDGES
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
$225,000Justice Bridge Legal Center
NLA General Support Grant
Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Fall River M
$136,764Immigration Law Programs
Ascentria Community Services Inc
$125,000IMMIGRATION LEGAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (ILAP)
Hampden County Bar Association
$115,000VARIOUS
Prisoners' Legal Services
$111,000VARIOUS
Essex County Bar Association
$102,100VARIOUS
Haitian Immigration Legal Assistance Program
Homelessness Prevention & Legal Services Program: Immigration Attorney
Massachusetts Bar Association
$84,404Superior Court Lawyer for the Day Program
Children's Law Center of Massachusetts Inc
$80,000CHILD & ADOLESCENT LEGAL SERVICES PROGRAM
Western New England University School of Law Cente
$75,000Center for Social Justice Pro Bono Programs
Health Law Advocates Inc
$75,000Improving Health Care Access and Affordability
Safe Passage
$66,682VARIOUS
The Women's Center
$65,000LEGAL ADVOCACY PROGRAM & EMPOWERMENT THROUGH INNOVATION
Women's Bar Foundation of MA Inc
$55,000FAMILY LAW & WOMEN'S PRISON AND RE-ENTRY PROJECTS
Lawyers Clearinghouse on Affordable Housing & Home
$54,978Massachusetts Legal Clinic for the Homeless & Low-Income Residents
Legal Services and Training for Immigrant Workers in Low-Paying Jobs
DOVE Inc
$50,204LEGAL ADVOCACY PROGRAM
Independence House
$50,000Legal Assistance for SDV Survivors
Berkshire County Regional Housing Authority
$50,000HOUSING SERVICES & MEDIATION PROGRAM
Pro Bono Legal Representation for Unaccompanied Immigrant Children in Massachusetts
YWCA of Central Massachusetts
$45,658COURT ADVOCACY
Court Appointed Special Advocates & Outreach
LEGAL ADVOCACY AND REPRESENTATION PROGRAM
Franklin County Bar Association
$44,500Legal Aid Program
Barnstable County Bar Association
$41,772Access to Justice Program
Family Law Project at the Mental Health Legal Advisors Committee
