The ABA Law Student Division, through its Grant Program, provides financial and program support to student organizations of ABA-approved law schools to establish programs and other activities that emphasize diversity, ethics, professionalism training and public interest/service activities.

The Grant program is designed to assist law school groups that implement new programs. By helping student groups achieve a successful first-time event, the Grant Program anticipates that a law school dean, student bar association, or other organization will thereafter find financial support for the event in successive years. The Grant Fund is not intended to support fundraisers, to be used as a source for donating to charitable organizations or to be a source for funding student travel. ABA Law Student Division sponsored events should benefit a significant number of students. Requests for incidental costs such as travel, lodging, or other personal expenses generally do not fall within the program criteria.

Any entity or individual at an ABA-approved law school is eligible to submit a grant application. A school may submit more than one application a year. Due to the limited resources of the Grant Program, the maximum possible award is $500. However, the amount requested is not necessarily the amount granted by the review committee.

Law schools may apply for funding to conduct programs and activities taking place between September and May of each year. Applications should be submitted a minimum of four weeks prior to the date of the project. Applications must be submitted via email to the Chicago office and the Secretary-Treasurer and must contain all requisite information and accompanying materials. The Division expects that an application will have all available background detailed in the application, specific budgetary figures and detailed information to aide the committee in its review. Appropriate information to include would be the origin of the program, the purpose it seeks to fulfill, the means by which it will be accomplished, and all alternate funding that is being sought and that has been secured.

The application is available electronically and in pdf or MSWord formats.

All complete applications, including budgets, will be reviewed by the Division upon submission. Generally, notification is sent via email to the appropriate contact within two weeks of receiving the grant provided no additional information is requested by the committee.

Questions?
Please contact Division Director Patricia Brennan and/or the Secretary/Treasurer Jenna Moomau.