Grants

FOUNDATION GRANT APPLICATION

Fiscal Year 2026 Grant Application Information & Guidelines

The South Carolina Bar Foundation is now accepting grant applications for Fiscal Year 2026. Applications opened on Monday, December 2, 2024. Funding for Fiscal Year 2026 will cover the period from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026.

Our mission at the SC Bar Foundation is to promote justice by funding legal access and education with the goal of providing grants to non-profit organizations that support those in need in South Carolina. In order to be eligible for funding, the grant request must meet at least one of the criteria listed:

  1. Civil Legal Services
  2. Law-Related Education
  3. Administration of Justice
  4. Provide services that meet the above criteria in Horry County
FY 2026 Grant Application

FY 2026 Grant Cycle Timeline:

The projected timing for the 2026 cycle is as follows. Dates are subject to change.
  • Applications will be posted on our website on Monday, December 2, 2024.
  • Applications are due 5:00 PM on Friday, January 31, 2025.
  • Review of applications, including interviews/phone calls with Board members will take place in February, March, and April 2025.
  • Funding notifications will be sent out the last week of May.
  • Grant funding will begin the week of July 1, 2025.

Grant Application Submission Information:

    • Please note that applicants and organizations must refrain from lobbying individual members of the Board of Directors or Foundation staff during the evaluation process. If there are any questions, you may be contacted by the Foundation.

    Eligibility

    • Applicants must qualify as a tax-exempt non-profit organization pursuant to Section 501(c)(3) or related section of the Internal Revenue Code.
    • Provide civil legal service to indigents in South Carolina.
    • Provide law-related education to the public in South Carolina.
    • Improve the administration of justice in South Carolina.
    • Eligible applicants will be assessed pursuant to the factors set forth below.

    General Factors:

    • Advance the Foundation’s mission to promote justice by funding legal access and education.
    • Priority may be given to applicants requesting funds for the direct representation of clients or client groups.
    • Demonstrated plan to carry out the program for which funds are requested.
    • Must provide financial statements required by the grant agreement as well as IRS 990 forms.
    • Grant applications should be made for no more than a 12-month budget period. There is no assurance of funding in subsequent grant cycles.
    • The Foundation may deny any grant applications or award less than the total amount of funds requested.

    Civil Legal Aid Factors:

    • Must provide free legal representation or access to free or low-cost legal representation to the poor or disadvantaged persons within a geographical area in the State of South Carolina
    • Employ a needs test consistent with income eligibility requirements of 125% of the official poverty guidelines, defined annually by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Applicants need not apply this needs test to all clients served by their organizations. However, delivery of legal aid supported by Foundation grant must be restricted to clients eligible under those poverty guidelines.

    Administration of Justice Factors:

    • Demonstrate how legal services to the poor are enhanced through innovative or cost-effective means.
    • Provide civil legal aid either to groups of clients currently underserved, such as the elderly or the disabled, or in an area of representation (whether substantive or geographical) that cannot be or is not effectively served by individual qualified legal aid providers; or, provide legal management or operational training, or legal, management, support service, or technical assistance, or direct legal assistance, informational advocacy, or litigation support to qualified legal aid providers.
    • Promote the improvement of the administration of justice.

    Law-Related Education Factors:

    • Demonstrate how the program provides educational opportunities for students to learn about the practice of law and develop an interest in the law.
    • Demonstrate how law students’ legal education is enhanced and how legal nonprofits benefit through the program.

    Other Factors:

    • Multiple Funding Sources: The Foundation recommends that all applicants have income in addition to Foundation funds requested. Priority will be given to requests from applicants who leverage Foundation funds with multiple other funding sources.
    • Cooperative Efforts: Applicants are encouraged to collaborate with other service providers. Joint proposals from multiple, qualified applicants will be accepted as well.

    Rent and Equipment: Requests for equipment purchases may be eligible for funding. If seeking funds for equipment, applicants should demonstrate that the new equipment will result in significant productivity enhancements and increased services, and other avenues of funding for equipment purchase have been pursued without success. Rent is an eligible funding category.  

    Ineligible Funding Categories:

    The Foundation will not award funds for grants to:

    • Individuals
    • Political campaigns
    • Capital or endowment campaigns
    • Building/renovation projects

DISCRETIONARY DISTRIBUTION:  The grant cycle is annual and based on the Foundation’s fiscal year (July 1-June 30).  That said, the Foundation Board of Directors has the discretion to create special grant cycles for various areas of interest that fall outside of the normal grant priorities. When such cycles take place, the Foundation will detail the guidelines that govern the process and distribution. Further, the Board reserves the right to make grants on an emergency basis (catastrophes, natural disasters, etc.), to request out-of-cycle applications from organizations that conduct a project/program of interest or award funds for a one-time specific project.