San Francisco - December 13, 2005 - The Foundation of the State Bar of California has awarded $292,103 in grants to nonprofit organizations, courts, local, specialty, and minority bar associations, and the State Bar of California as part of its Annual Fund and State Bar Fund grant programs. The grants will fund 39 projects that help educate Californians about their rights and responsibilities under the law, increase access to the justice system, and promote the rule of law.
"By investing nearly $300,000 in an array of worthy and innovative law-related projects, the Foundation acts as a catalyst for building a better justice system for all Californians," said Leslie Hatamiya, the Foundation's executive director. "We are proud to support the efforts of so many dedicated organizations across the state that are working to provide legal services to those in need, reaching out to communities that often face barriers in accessing the justice system, and educating youth, seniors, and others about their legal rights and obligations."
Projects funded by the Foundation's grants include Legal Services of Northern California's Legal Services Language Outreach project, Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles' Legal Assistance for Torture Survivors, and AIDS Legal Referral Panel's Immigrant HIV Assistance Project. Grants will benefit programs taking place across the state, from the Siskiyou County Superior Court's Community Legal Assistance Project to pro-bono legal clinics hosted by the Korean American Bar Association of Southern California to a Teen Court program in Sonoma County. This year's grants range in size from $1,000 to $25,000, and grant recipients include 17 legal service organizations, three universities and affiliated entities, five community education organizations, five courts, and three bar associations.
The State Bar is receiving six grants totaling $73,000. These grants include support for the Bar's new Law Student Division, which was launched this fall, and a new task force examining ways to increase diversity in the legal profession and improve the pipeline for individuals from underrepresented communities to become lawyers.
Since the Foundation began its grants program in 1991, it has distributed more than $3 million in grants for law-related service, education, and outreach projects to community organizations, legal aid agencies, courts, bar associations, and the State Bar. The Foundation funds projects designed to educate the public about its rights and responsibilities under the law; champion full and equal access to our system of justice by all people; foster confidence in the rule of law, the role of lawyers, and the function of the judiciary; and encourage altruism among members of the legal profession and the general public.
For a complete list of 2005-2006 grant recipients, click here.
About the Foundation of the State Bar of California
The Foundation of the State Bar of California is committed to building a better justice system for all Californians. Founded in 1990, the Foundation annually awards grants to dozens of California organizations conducting law-related education and service projects and scholarships to California law school students with financial need and a demonstrated commitment to public service. The Foundation also runs the Legal Heritage Institute, a legal literacy summer camp and college-scholarship program for high school students. As a nonprofit affiliated with the State Bar of California, the Foundation provides opportunities for California lawyers to support community projects that improve access to the justice system and promote the public good. For more information, please visit our website at www.calbarfoundation.org.