By Philip Kim, Marketing & Communications Manager
Columbus, OH – The Ohio State Bar Foundation (OSBF) is proud to announce funding for its Fall 2024 Grants Cycle, awarding $549,118 to 12 nonprofit organizations dedicated to improving access to justice, enhancing civic engagement, and addressing key legal issues in communities across Ohio.
“The grants in this round of funding reflect the Foundation’s commitment to ensuring justice in every corner of our state,” said Sarah Skow, OSBF Board President. “We are proud to support these impactful projects through our grant funding. By investing in these organizations, these awards strengthen the legal system and the individuals it serves.”
Central Region
Central Ohio Workers Center, $19,550
- Project Title: Summits for Racial Justice
- Description: Targeted events addressing racial and systemic discrimination against BIPOC workers in the workplace.
- Counties Served: Franklin, Fairfield, Hocking
The Ohio State University Foundation, $63,832
- Project Title: JusticeTech Program Research Initiative: Leveraging Data and Community Insights to Transform Eviction Processes
- Description: Enhancing eviction prevention tools through law students’ hands-on learning and real-world data integration. Focuses on improving accessibility and effectiveness for the public.
- Counties Served: Franklin
Northeast Region
Catholic Charities Corporation, $35,000
- Project Title: Legal Assistance for Unaccompanied Minor Children
- Description: Protecting children’s rights by providing legal representation in immigration proceedings to help navigate the complex immigration process.
- Counties Served: Cuyahoga, Lake, Mahoning
Portage County Juvenile Court, $24,000
- Project Title: Pre-Adjudicatory Child Protection Mediation
- Description: Implementing a mediation program to improve outcomes for families and reduce time to permanency for children in abuse, neglect, and dependency cases.
- Counties Served: Portage
Northwest Region
Crime Victim Services, $15,000
- Project Title: Victim Offender Dialogue
- Description: Revitalizing a dialogue program aiming for healing, accountability, restitution, and justice system improvement.
- Counties Served: Allen, Putnam
Central & Northeast Regions
Frederick Douglass Project for Justice, $50,000
- Project Title: Ohio Prison Visitation Program
- Description: Strengthening the Prison Visitation Program in Pickaway Correctional Institution and the Northeast Reintegration Center while expanding to other facilities in Ohio. Facilitates open dialogues to humanize incarcerated participants and support successful reentry into society.
- Counties Served: Pickaway, Cuyahoga
Statewide Initiatives
Health Policy Institute of Ohio. $35,000
- Project Title: Exploring the Mental Health & Well-Being of System-Involved Children & Youth
- Description: Developing a policy brief focused on the mental health and well-being of children involved in the juvenile justice system and other systems. Highlights treatment access challenges and potential policy changes.
Law & Leadership Institute, $160,000
- Project Title: Diversity in Leadership Fellowship
- Description: Empowering law students and pre-law students to explore diversity in the legal profession while mentoring high school students from underserved areas.
Mid-Ohio Psychological Services, $35,000
- Project Title: MOPS Ethics, Legal & Diversity Training Expansion
- Description: Expanding a training program for Ohio mental health professionals with a focus on system-based advocacy. Provides continuing education hours for legal system collaboration.
Ohio Legal Help, $25,000
- Project Title: Driving Justice: A Digital Guided Interview for Restoring Drivers’ Licenses in Ohio
- Description: Providing Ohioans with suspended driver’s licenses action plans to navigate reinstatement processes, including fee reduction eligibility screening.
Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA), $20,625
- Project Title: Racial Equity 101 Facilitator Training
- Description: Developing a “Train-the-Facilitator” program to help organizations deliver racial justice education. Focuses on systemic racism in housing, policing, and the legal system.
Ohio Victim Witness Association (OVWA), $66,111
- Project Title: Enhancing Access to Justice for Ohio’s Homicide Co-Victims
- Description: Educating courts, prosecutors, victim advocates, and support groups on legal rights and resources for co-victims of homicide.
If you’d like to learn more about any of the grantees, connect with one of the organizations directly, or know more about the OSBF’s grantmaking process, contact OSBF’s Grants Manager Michelle Hendricks at MHendricks@OSBF.org. The deadline for the 2025 Spring Grants Cycle is February 15, 2025. Click here for more information or to apply.
About the Ohio State Bar Foundation:
The Ohio State Bar Foundation (OSBF) is a 501(c)(3) grantmaking organization and the largest bar foundation in the U.S. Through our grants and programs, the OSBF promotes philanthropy and encourages service to create a more just and equitable legal system for all Ohioans. Since 1992, the Ohio State Bar Foundation has awarded over $17 million in grants statewide. The OSBF also hosts an annual statewide awards program to recognize attorneys who give back to their communities through service, as well as a Fellows program, featuring a group of attorneys who give their time, talent, and treasure to advance the OSBF’s mission.
For more information about the Ohio State Bar Foundation, please visit www.OSBF.org.