Grant Policies & Application Process

The mission of the Fayette County Bar Foundation is to raise and distribute charitable funds for law-related projects and education in Fayette County, Kentucky; for improvement of the judiciary, the administration of justice; the legal profession and access to the justice system; and for the encouragement of FCBA members' involvement in the charitable activities of the community.

Funding Priorities

The Fayette County Bar Foundation will accept grant applications for projects that address the Foundation's mission and fulfill one or more of the following objectives:

  • Projects that improve access to the legal system by persons of limited financial means.
  • Projects that promote better access to legal information and the improved perception of the justice system by minorities.
  • Projects that improve the operation of, and public confidence in, the Fayette County courts.
  • Projects that provide public education about our legal system and promote a positive image of the legal profession.
  • Projects that stimulate volunteer participation by Fayette County area attorneys.

Eligible Applicants

Grant applications will be accepted for organizations that are recognized by the IRS as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or similar exempt organizations. Grants will not be made to individuals.

Grant applications must be "sponsored" by an attorney who is a current member of the Fayette County Bar Association. The sponsoring attorney must agree to be an active volunteer participant in the project.

Ineligible Projects

Absent extraordinary circumstances, the Foundation will not fund grant requests for capital construction projects or endowment campaigns, nor does it purchase tickets or sponsorships for charitable dinners, golf tournaments or other special events, regardless of the nature of the work of the requesting organization.

While the Foundation will consider requests by eligible organizations for multi-year funding, selecting such an organization for such a grant will be the exception and not the rule.

Criteria for Selection

Grant applications will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

  • Does the project meet our eligibility requirements?
  • Is the project law-related? While the Foundation will consider grant applications which are not strictly law-related as long as they fulfill one of our listed objectives, those which are law-related will receive a priority.
  • How significant is the scope and impact of the project? How many people will the project reach or serve, and can the impact of those served be measured or tracked? Does the proposal include a clear, detailed plan of action for implementation of the project within the time frame allowed?
  • Does the applicant have other sources of funding? The Foundation is inclined to make grants to stable organizations with other funding sources, as it is more likely that the money will have the desired impact and fulfill our objectives.
  • Will the project generate or encourage significant volunteer activity by attorneys?
  • Is this project part of a "bigger story"? Will it catch the attention of the bar or the public, or does it advance a significant issue within the legal community?

Grant Application Process

Grant applications can be submitted online, or by downloading a mail-in form. Applications will be accepted at any time. If applying online, applications should be accompanied by: 1) a letter of endorsement from the sponsoring FCBA attorney; 2) if applicable, copies of the audited or unaudited financial statements of the applicant organization. If mailing in an application, applications should be accompanied by: 1) a letter of endorsement from the sponsoring FCBA attorney; 2) a project budget; 3) if applicable, copies of the audited or unaudited financial statements of the applicant organization; and 4) a roster of the Board of Directors of the organization. The Foundation will acknowledge in writing the receipt of each application.

If the application meets the minimum requirements established by the Foundation, the application will be reviewed by the Grants Committee. Applicants may be contacted for additional information or a site visit. Based upon the review of the Grants Committee, a recommendation regarding funding will be made to the Fayette County Bar Foundation Board of Directors. The Board approves all grant awards. Notification of grant awards will be made in writing.

Grants will be awarded annually and announced each year by December 15th and announced at the subsequent Law Day banquet in May. Completed application packets must thus be received by September 15th each year to be eligible for a grant.