- Last Updated 01/06/2010 -

MISSION STATEMENT

The Minnesota State Bar Foundation recognizes that its existence and its ability to carry out its assigned mission are due to the cooperation and support that it receives from the Minnesota State Bar Association and its individual members, who are the primary source of all funds available to the Foundation. The Foundation therefore feels deeply obligated to pursue policies and make grants to such programs and causes as it believes would attract the special interest and support of the lawyers of the State of Minnesota.

In awarding grants in response to written applications, the Foundation believes that it can carry out this broad objective by generally adhering to the guidelines stated as follows:

1. The Foundation has been interested in the past and continues to be interested in programs of law-related education for students and adults, including, where appropriate, publications, workshops, and related programs.

2. The Foundation seeks to encourage and promote legal assistance to the poor and disadvantaged groups.

3. The Foundation seeks to support and to promote programs and projects having as their purpose the improvement of the administration of justice. Providing information to the public so that it might better understand the Courts and legal processes is included within this purpose.

4. The Foundation will give consideration to projects and programs supporting or promoting public interest legal work.

5. The Foundation will, in allocating its funds, attempt to maintain a proper balance between:

(a) those new and innovative programs which may be of an experimental nature and that need assistance in the form of "seed money"; and

(b) those projects of special concern to lawyers that are of a continuing nature and need periodic contributions to their operating budgets.

6. The Foundation does not preclude itself from awarding grants for scholarships and fellowships, but it will strive to make such grants primarily under such circumstances that will promote the general public welfare rather than the personal benefit of the individual donees.

7. Since Continuing Legal Education Programs for lawyers are, in general, well supported by tuition charges, the Foundation feels obligated to consider support only for such Continuing Legal Education Programs that may be of an experimental nature or of general interest to the entire membership of the Bar and are not self-supporting.

8. The Foundation does not provide funds to be used for propaganda or lobbying activities.