Ohio Legal Assistance Foundation Inc

“The Foundation's Audit Committee, as charged by the Foundation Board, reviews and approves a final draft of the 990. The full Board receives and reviews the 990 prior to the 990 being signed and filed with the IRS. The Foundation's most recently filed 990 is posted on its website.”

“The Foundation's conflict of interest policy and procedures extends to all Directors and Officers, who must annually complete and sign "The Ohio Access to Justice Foundation Annual Business Relationship and Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form." Determinations of whether an actual conflict exists are made by the Board through a majority vote which excludes the vote of a potentially conflicted Director. No Director or Officer may preside over, vote on, or participate in any deliberation of any matter in which such Director or Officer has a conflict or potential conflict of interest.”

“The Executive Committee of the Board reviews the Executive Director's performance and compensation annually. As a basis for comparison, the committee reviews executive director compensation for comparable nonprofit organizations in Ohio and nationally through composite salary surveys. The Board meets in executive session at a duly called meeting and, per the recommendation of the Executive Committee, approves any salary increases for the Executive Director.”

“The Foundation makes its governing documents available to the public on its website, https://www.ohiojusticefoundation.org, including the annual business relationship and conflict of interest disclosure policy and procedure, annual report, and latest Form 990. The Foundation makes other documents available upon request.”

“As the official, statewide entity recognized by the Supreme Court of Ohio for advancing access to justice, the Foundation collaborates with the Court and other statewide justice partners including the Ohio Judicial Conference, the Ohio State Bar Association, and Ohio legal aids to make Ohio more just and equitable. The Foundation is the largest funder of civil legal aid in Ohio. Civil legal aid provides skilled lawyers to assist Ohioans who are low-income or lack access, helping them address critical civil legal matters that impact their ability to live safe, stable, and financially secure lives. Through its grantmaking, the Foundation funds efforts that help veterans secure benefits they have earned through their service; enable seniors to maintain their independence and financial security; empower survivors of domestic violence to achieve safety and security; support families impacted by substance abuse disorders; and ensure children receive the supports they need to succeed in school. Additionally, Foundation funding advances legal assistance for record sealing and drivers' license reinstatement efforts, which not only help individual Ohioans, but which strengthen Ohio's workforce. In FY25, the Foundation oversaw distribution of $38.8 million in Interest on Lawyer's Trust Accounts (IOLTA), Interest on Trust Accounts (IOTA), and filing fee revenue, and granted out an additional $11.5 million from the Ohio Access to Justice Foundation Fund, thereby supporting legal services in Ohio with $50.3 million in funding. Over $1.7 million in grants was directed to helping newly arrived Ukrainians who fled the war in Ukraine stabilize themselves and their families in Ohio. As a result of the Foundation's funding, Ohio's civil legal service nonprofits succeeded in providing legal information, advice, or representation in over 65,000 civil matters and assisted over 153,000 Ohioans, including 64,016 children, 20,485 persons with disabilities, 4,400 veterans, and 20,822 seniors. The Foundation also furthers its mission to improve access to justice by developing and supporting innovative services to help Ohioans who face legal challenges. The Foundation is the single, largest funder of Ohio Legal Help, an independent nonprofit organization which operates a state-of-the-art web portal that provides all Ohioans with meaningful access to reliable legal information and trustworthy legal referrals. Ohio Legal Help is available 24 hours a day in all 88 counties. During FY25, Ohio Legal Help served over 767,000 Ohioans across the state. The Foundation also operates the Ohio Justice Bus; a mobile civil legal office and technology hotspot that delivers brief advice clinics to low-income Ohioans in rural and other areas with limited access to civil legal services. See Schedule O, Part III, 4c, Pro Bono and Ohio Justice Bus for additional details. Through Neighborhood Stabilization Grants, the Foundation promotes both development and redevelopment in targeted Ohio communities. Since 2017, the Foundation has awarded $14.9 million to support transactional legal work that empowers Ohioans and community groups to revitalize their neighborhoods. Neighborhood Stabilization grants have historically supported new business development, the implementation of solar power, and the restoration of affordable housing. Beginning in FY25, Ohio Attorney Unclaimed Funds received from the Ohio Department of Commerce, Division of Unclaimed Funds, have allowed this program to further address housing needs statewide by supporting affordable and healthy housing initiatives, and promoting homeownership in partnership with legal aid and community organizations. In addition, the Foundation offers two-year Justice for All Fellowships to outstanding law graduates who are passionate about public service and determined to address emergent legal needs. These young lawyers serve at civil legal service organizations across Ohio. Fellows focus their work on civil legal issues which adv”

“Through a generous grant from the Supreme Court of Ohio, the Foundation works at the statewide level to increase pro bono participation in delivering civil legal services to low-income Ohioans. One of the successful statewide pro bono initiatives developed by the Foundation is the Ohio Justice Bus. During FY25, the Ohio Justice Bus held 102 clinics serving over 650 Ohioans. Seventy percent of the Bus' clinics were held in Ohio's most underserved counties where the ratio of attorneys to the county population is less than 1:700. The clinics provided brief advice and information for communities in need of civil legal services. The Bus operates across the state, including regularly recurring clinics in Adams, Ashtabula, Brown, Clermont, Delaware, Franklin, Hamilton, Montgomery, Sandusky, and Summit counties. Volunteer attorneys provide legal advice at these events, addressing legal issues including divorce, custody, record sealing, certificates of qualification for employment, and driver's license reinstatement. In its effort to increase pro bono engagement in Ohio, the Foundation publicly promotes and recognizes pro bono efforts throughout the state to encourage and grow pro bono involvement. The Foundation works to find meaningful ways to engage the legal community starting at law school and continuing through retirement from active law practice. In collaboration with the Supreme Court of Ohio, the Foundation recognizes graduating law students for their pro bono efforts with certificates of achievement and recognition at the bar admissions ceremony. The Foundation also administers and publishes an annual pro bono report which champions the successes of Ohio's pro bono lawyers. To simplify access to volunteer opportunities, in FY25 the Foundation launched Pro Bono Ohio, a free and user-friendly website to locate statewide pro bono opportunities. The new site, which is maintained by the Foundation, allows attorneys to filter pro bono opportunities by area of law, level of service, and time commitment, so that attorneys can find an opportunity that fits their interests and schedule. Each year, the Foundation presents an annual Presidential Award to recognize outstanding efforts to improve access to justice in Ohio. In 2025, the Foundation award went to Thomson Hine's Dayton office for its work with the Greater Dayton Volunteer Lawyers Project to address the legal needs of individuals facing landlord-tenant disputes. The firm serves nearly 100 people every year and has significantly improved housing stability for low-income individuals and families in the greater Dayton area. During FY25, the Foundation also presented the Elam Award, which recognizes an attorney who selflessly donates their time and talent to pro bono causes. In 2025, the Elam Award went to the Honorable Mary Jane Trapp, who devoted her career to public service and encouraged pro bono volunteerism throughout the community.”