More Funds Available to Invest in the RI Non-Profit Community!

We are pleased to report that the Rhode Island Bar Foundation is in a position to enhance our support for nonprofit organizations in Rhode Island that provide legal services to those in need, promote legal knowledge, and improve the administration of justice. 
  
Since its inception, the Foundation has awarded over $26 million to Rhode Island organizations that provide legal services to the poor, as well as to organizations that improve the administration of justice. This year, we’re able to increase grants to current grantees and are seeking new applicants that meet our criteria. 

The current Foundation grantees are:

• Center for Mediation & Collaboration Rhode Island
• Day One
• Disability Rights RI
• Dorcas International Institute of RI
• Justice Assistance
• Kids in Need of Defense
• Phoenix Odyssey
• Rhode Island Bar Association Pro Bono Project
• Rhode Island Center for Justice
• Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence
• Rhode Island Coalition to End Homelessness
• Rhode Island Legal Education Foundation
• Rhode Island Legal Services 
• Rhode Island Parent Information Network
• RIBA Legal Information & Referral Service for the Elderly
• Sojourner House

If you represent or are involved with a nonprofit that meets our grant criteria, I urge you to encourage the organization to apply for a 2026 IOLTA grant. The application deadline is October 10, 2025, so please act quickly.

Eligible organizations must primarily focus on providing legal services to the poor in Rhode Island, improving the delivery of legal services, promoting knowledge of the law, or enhancing the administration of justice in the state. Priority is given to programs offering direct client representation, particularly through pro bono services. Please note, funds are not awarded for legal assistance in fee-generating cases.

All applications are carefully reviewed by the Foundation's Grants Committee to ensure compliance with our criteria, and awards are subject to the availability of funds.

We are eager to distribute these funds to maximize their positive impact in the community and appreciate your help spreading the word to nonprofits that qualify. For more information on eligibility and to access the application, visit the Rhode Island Bar Foundation section of the Bar Association website or click here.

Don’t miss this opportunity—the deadline is October 10, 2025. If your organization misses this deadline, you may apply for a 2027 grant, though future funding levels are not guaranteed.