Each year the Alabama Law Foundation makes grants for law-related charitable projects. A recent survey of Alabama’s low-income residents found that only 16% of poor people receive assistance with their legal problems. Eighty percent of grants are to groups that provide free civil legal aid to the poor.

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GENERAL GRANTS

The grant application process begins with the submission of an online grant application. The foundation awards IOLTA grants in three categories:

• Programs that provide free legal aid to the poor in civil cases
• Projects to improve the administration of justice
• Law related education

Grants are awarded each December for the following year beginning January 1.

The first round of 2025 Grants has been awarded. You can view the recipients by visiting our Grantees page.

Applications for a second round of grants will open APRIL 23, 2025 and close MAY 23, 2025, with selected recipients announced in July.

2025 Alabama Law Foundation Grant Cycle Guidance

Introduction

As of February 15, 2025, the Alabama Law Foundation (“ALF”) has new guidance as to the scope of its grants (“Scope”) under Alabama Rule of Professional Conduct 1.15 (l) and 1.15(m) (“Rules”).

Please closely review these Rules before drafting any grant requests to ALF. Even if your organization has activities outside the ALF Grants Scope, you may still submit a Grant application, provided that you clearly identify exactly the activities that are squarely within the Scope under the Rules. Your Grant Application will be closely reviewed by ALF as well as the Alabama Supreme Court.

Eligibility Requirements

• ALF only accepts grant applications from 501(c)(3) charitable organizations under the federal tax code. If you do not hold such a 501(c)(3) status, do not submit an application.
• ALF does not accept grant applications from individuals.
• ALF does not allow “pass through” grants, meaning that we do not accept grants from one organization that is, in turn, meant to be transferred or “passed through” to another organization. This means that we do not allow grants that are intended to be from a “fiscal sponsor” or “fiscal agent” for a third-party organization, even if that other organization is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
• All grant applications must clearly and plainly fit within the Scope of the Rules. Please note that the Scope that refers to “access to justice” is limited to access to civil justice, not criminal justice, and that access is focused on individual families and individuals at 125% of the federal poverty level.
• It is essential that your grant application focus specifically on the permissible Scope under the Rules. Do not simply cut and paste aspects of your organization’s activities that fall outside the permissible Scope under the Rules. Such surplus or overbroad grant application language will not help and will likely hurt your grant application.

Spreadsheets Needed for Grant Application

Download the Grant Budget worksheet.

If you are a legal provider, please fill out the CSR.

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