Grant Making Policies
Funding Priorities
The Louisville Bar Foundation will accept grant applications for projects that fulfill one or more of the following objectives:

• Projects that improve access to the legal system by persons of limited financial means and, if possible, produce a tangible product that can be distributed to the public.
• Projects that promote better access to legal information and improved perception of the justice system by minorities.
• Projects that improve the operation of, and public confidence in, the Jefferson County courts.
• Projects that provide public education about our legal system and promote a positive image of the legal profession.

Funding Cycle
Grant applications must use the LBF Application Form and will be accepted at any time. You will have the opportunity to print an online form at the end of this document.

The Board of the Foundation will make funding decisions on a quarterly basis. The following deadlines have been established for 2007:

Eligible Applicants
Grant applications will be accepted from organizations that are recognized by the IRS as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or similar exempt organizations. Grants will not be made to individuals.

Endorsement of Grant Application
All grant applications must be "sponsored" by an attorney who is a current member of the Louisville Bar Association. The sponsoring attorney must agree to be an active volunteer participant in the proposed project. A letter of endorsement from the sponsoring attorney must accompany the application. The LBF will give preference to projects with significant volunteer involvement by attorneys.

Grant Amounts
The LBF will distribute approximately $100,000 in grants during the 2007 calendar year. The typical grant has been in the $2,500 to $15,000 range.

Ineligible Projects
Absent extraordinary circumstances, the LBF does not fund grant requests for capital construction projects or endowment campaigns, nor does it purchase tickets or sponsorships for charitable dinners, golf tournaments or other special events, regardless of the nature or work of the requesting organization. Board support for otherwise qualified multi-year projects and staff positions will be considered, but the applicant must provide specific, detailed information about plans to secure future funding for the project or position. Multi-year funding from the LBF is rare, and is restricted to several pre-selected organizations which have a long-standing relationship with the Foundation. Successive annual requests for funding by an organization may be viewed by the LBF as a multi-year request.

Application Review and Notification Process
The average time for a funding decision is 1-3 months from receipt of the application. If the application meets the minimum requirements established by the Foundation, the application will be reviewed by the Grants Committee. Applicants may be contacted for an interview and possibly a site visit. Based upon Committee review, a recommendation regarding funding will be made to the Board. The Board approves all grant awards.

The LBF will acknowledge in writing the receipt of each grant application. Notification of awards will be made in writing.

To download and print a grant application form, click here.