IOLTA Grant

The Tennessee Bar Foundation administers the Interest on Lawyers' Trust Accounts (IOLTA) Grant Program to support law-related organizations throughout Tennessee. The IOLTA program was established by the Tennessee Supreme Court in 1984 to utilize interest earned on lawyers' trust accounts for public benefit. The Foundation distributes these funds in the form of grants to support legal services for low-income populations, promote access to justice, and fund scholarships for students at Tennessee’s public law schools. The IOLTA Grant Program plays a central role in strengthening legal service infrastructure and improving justice delivery across the state. The primary goal of the IOLTA Grant Program is to support initiatives that offer direct civil legal services to underserved populations, improve the administration of justice, or fund legal education. In the 2025 grant cycle, over $3 million was distributed among 39 nonprofit organizations that work in areas such as legal aid, mediation, domestic violence support, and housing advocacy. The 2026 cycle is expected to maintain a similar level of funding and support both new applicants and prior recipients. Projects supported in the past include direct representation, legal education initiatives, and structural improvements in service delivery. To be eligible for the IOLTA grant, organizations must either be classified as tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or agree to use the funds solely for charitable or educational purposes as defined under the same code. Furthermore, all applicants must operate as equal opportunity employers, not discriminating based on race, religion, marital status, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. The program explicitly excludes entities involved in political campaigning, lobbying, or activities already funded by government obligations. Faith-based organizations may apply, but only for non-religious initiatives. The application process begins with submission of an interest form, after which applicants receive a link to the full online application. The full application requires comprehensive information including project descriptions, objectives, timelines, expected outcomes, and budget breakdowns. Supporting documents such as the IRS Determination Letter, most recent Form 990, and a financial audit or review are also required. Applicants are advised to prepare their responses offline before copying them into the application portal, as progress may not be saved automatically. Applications will be evaluated by the Grant Review Committee based on alignment with one or more of the program’s three purposes, as well as the clarity of narrative responses, organizational track record, sustainability of the funding plan, and compliance with submission instructions. The application must be submitted online by 11:59 PM CST on Monday, September 29, 2025. If technical issues occur near the deadline, exceptions may be considered on a case-by-case basis. For questions or technical issues with the grant portal, applicants should contact the Foundation via email at info@tnbarfoundation.org. The Foundation encourages early submission to ensure all questions are addressed ahead of the deadline. The program is anticipated to recur annually, and applicants are encouraged to monitor the Foundation’s website for future opportunities.

Draft responses offline to prevent data loss. Carefully follow character/word count limits in narrative responses. Clearly link proposal to one of the three IOLTA funding purposes.