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- Last Updated 01/06/2010 -
Minnesota State Bar Foundation 2009 Annual Report
The Minnesota State Bar Foundation exists for the express purpose of providing monetary grants to law-related programs and activities. These programs include legal assistance to the disadvantaged, improvements in the administration of justice, law-related education, and public interest legal work.
The Minnesota State Bar Foundation is organized as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation in the state of Minnesota and operates independently of the MSBA. The members of the Assembly of the MSBA serve as the members of the Foundation and elect the Foundation’s directors. The directors of the Foundation for 2008-2009 were Linda C. Barbe, Duluth; James P. Barone, St. Paul; Edward J. Blomme, Minneapolis; Bruce P. Candlin, St. Paul; Robert F. Enger, Bemidji; Richard Hendrickson, Osseo; Juan G. Hoyos, St. Paul; Warren Ortland, Minneapolis; Erin E. O’Toole-Tomczik, Elk River; Jill LeBow Prohofsky, Minneapolis; Alan K. Ruvelson, Jr., St. Paul; Patricia A. Trask, Baxter; Gary L. Voegele, Faribault; Pamela J. Waggoner, Minneapolis; and the Hon. Lloyd B. Zimmerman, Minneapolis.
The Foundation Board meets to consider grant requests in March, June, September and December. The grant application form, on which all requests for funding must be submitted, is available from the MSBA office or at http://www2.mnbar.org/barfoundation/. Grant applications are due no later than 5:00 p.m. in the MSBA office on the first working day of the month in which a Foundation Board meeting is held.
MSBA members and others are encouraged to promote applications to the Foundation for law-related bar and community projects. Those interested in pursuing funding for bar projects should contact their MSBA staff liaisons in advance to discuss whether the proposed project is of the type the Foundation is likely to support. To discuss proposed community projects, contact Foundation staff.
The Foundation’s ability to fulfill its charitable purposes depends on the generosity of its donors. MSBA members are encouraged to contribute to the Foundation through the annual check-off on the MSBA dues statement and most of the Foundation’s contributions come through this source. Only 27% of MSBA members contributed last year. A gift to the Foundation is a thoughtful way to commemorate the work, value or retirement of another lawyer. In memoriam gifts are excellent tributes. All gifts are tax deductible as charitable contributions. Contributions can be made to the Minnesota State Bar Foundation, 600 Nicollet Mall, Suite 380, Minneapolis MN 55402.
Inquiries regarding the Foundation and grant application requests can be made to Sue Bores, the MSBA Bar Foundation staff liaison, at (612) 278-6325 or sbores@mnbar.org. Guidelines and an application form are available online at http://www2.mnbar.org/barfoundation/.
From July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2009, the Foundation received 95 grant requests totaling $415,900. Of those requests, the Foundation awarded 55 grants totaling $84,766. Of those receiving grants, one received a grant of the full amount requested. The average grant was $1,579.66; the largest grant was $7,500 and the smallest $500. A more detailed listing of the grant awards for 2008-2009 is listed below.
Fulfillment of the Foundation’s mission also depends on wise stewardship of our endowment resources. The Foundation has developed, adopted and implemented a prudent investment policy.
Examples of programs supported by the Foundation include the following:
Legal assistance to the disadvantaged, including support for:
- General operating funding to agencies whose purpose is to give legal assistance to the disadvantaged.
- To provide legal assistance to low-income Native Americans.
- Elder Law Advice, representation and community education seminars to adults with disabilities and adults 55 and older whose incomes do not exceed 150% of the federal poverty guidelines and whose assets do not exceed $10,000.
Law-related education efforts, including support for:
- MSBA Mock trial program
- Family and Children’s service to conduct outreach to educate low-income tenants on MS 504B and the other legal avenues available to tenants with housing-related problems.
- Funding legal education and resources to better represent low income refugee and immigrant clients.
Administration of justice efforts, including support for:
- Implementing an Anoka County Early Neutral Evaluation program to help divorcing parties resolve child custody and financial disputes more effectively and efficiently.
I want to express sincere thanks not only to our donors and the MSBA staff, but also to the Foundation Board members who have given generously of their time and talents during the past year. Particular thanks go to retiring Board Members The Honorable Lloyd Zimmerman, Robert Enger, Juan Hoyos, and Pamela J. Waggoner.
Respectfully submitted,
James Patrick Barone, President
Minnesota State Bar Foundation
July 1, 2008 - June 30, 2009 Grants Awarded
Advocates for Family Peace |
to support legal advocacy services for domestic violence victims |
$1,000 |
Advocates for Human Rights |
to provide free legal services to indigent asylum seekers |
$1,500 |
All Parks Alliance for Change |
to support a statewide mobile home park tenant hotline and the Southern Minnesota Outreach Project |
$3,000 |
Anishinabe Legal Services |
to provide legal assistance to low-income Native Americans |
$1,500 |
Anoka County Bar Association |
to implement a program that will help divorcing parties resolve child custody and financial disputes |
$2,000 |
Asylum Law Project |
to provide first year law students an opportunity to work with refugees, asylees, and the attorneys representing them |
$1,000 |
Battered Women's Legal Advocacy Project Inc. |
to improve BWLAP’s capacity to appeal potentially dangerous court decisions regarding battered women and children |
$1,500 |
Breaking Free |
to support efforts to help end human trafficking and prostitution |
$1,000 |
Center for Homicide Research |
to develop a Law Student Internship Program |
$1,000 |
Civil Society |
to support work in providing immigration legal services to victims of international human trafficking |
$1,500 |
Community Mediation Services Inc. |
to support CMS’s work of diverting low-level juvenile offenders from Juvenile Court through a restorative mediation process |
$1,500 |
Community Stabilization Project |
to support the Tenant Stability program |
$1,000 |
Council on Crime and Justice |
to fund the Criminal Records Assistance Project |
$1,500 |
Domestic Abuse Project |
to support free legal advocacy services to victims of domestic violence |
$1,000 |
Farmers' Legal Action Group Inc. |
to provide legal services to farmers |
$1,000 |
HOPE Coalition |
to expand a legal outreach program for victims of domestic violence and child abuse |
$1,000 |
Immigrant Law Center of MN |
to provide legal services to low-income immigrant and refugee communities |
$2,000 |
Indian Child Welfare Law Center |
to provide legal services to low-income American Indian families |
$1,500 |
Innocence Project of Minnesota |
to provide legal services to potentially wrongfully convicted prisoners |
$1,500 |
Itasca Alliance Against Sexual Assault |
to help maintain IAASA's criminal/civil court advocacy program in Itasca County |
$1,000 |
Kids Voting Minnesota |
to help fund a judicial election education program for high schools |
$1,000 |
Koochiching County Sexual Assault Program |
to support a legal advocacy program for sexual assault and domestic abuse victims |
$1,500 |
Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers |
to advertise regularly in Bench and Bar and to contract with additional addiction professionals |
$2,000 |
Legal Assistance of Olmsted County |
to offer free Family Law Clinics |
$1,000 |
Legal Rights Center |
to support the Legal Rights Center's programs |
$2,000 |
LegalCORPS |
to connect pro bono business lawyers with low-income entrepreneurs and small nonprofits |
$1,500 |
LRAP Minnesota |
to support loan repayment assistance |
$4,000 |
Mediation Works North Inc. |
to support reduced fees for mediation and court ordered divorce/co-parenting education |
$1,500 |
Minnesota AIDS Project |
to support MAP's Legal Program |
$1,500 |
Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans (MACV) |
to support VETLAW |
$1,000 |
Minnesota Coalition for Battered Women |
to increase the availability of appellate legal assistance available to victims of battering |
$1,500 |
Minnesota Justice Foundation |
to support three summer law clerks during the Summer of 2009 |
$7,500 |
Minnesota Landmarks |
to support the Uncle Sam Worked Here lecture series |
$500 |
Minnesota Supreme Court Historical Society |
to hire the expertise to develop an interactive website |
$1,000 |
Minnesota Volunteer Attorney Program |
to provide substantive poverty law materials and other resources to attorneys providing legal services to low-income Minnesotans |
$3,000 |
MSBA Civic Education Committee |
to support the Lawyers in the Schools and Operation Mediation programs |
$500 |
MSBA Mock Trial Program |
to support the MSBA Mock Trial program |
$2,500 |
Neighborhood Involvement Program |
to provide services for victims of sexual assault or domestic violence |
$1,500 |
Neighborhood Justice Center |
to support the Legal Representation & Advice, Education and Expungement programs |
$1,500 |
Project FINE |
to educate newcomers to the U.S. about their legal rights and responsibilities |
$1,500 |
Range Women's Advocates |
to support court advocacy, staff education and training |
$1,500 |
Resource Center for Fathers & Families |
to fund services for low-income and illiterate clients through family law clinics |
$1,000 |
Restorative Justice Community Action |
to increase staff so that RJCA can offer services to any neighborhood with a demonstrated need |
$1,000 |
Rivers of Hope |
to provide legal advocacy to victims of family violence |
$2,000 |
Sexual Assault Program of Beltrami, Cass & Hubbard Counties |
to provide legal advocacy to sexual violence victims |
$2,000 |
Sexual Assault Program of Northern St. Louis County |
to support legal advocacy services and staff education |
$1,000 |
Sexual Violence Center |
to support SVC's Free Legal Clinic |
$1,000 |
Sojourner Project Inc |
to support the Community Advocacy Program |
$500 |
The Refuge Network |
to fund legal services and training for legal advocates |
$1,500 |
Tubman Family Alliance & Chrysalis |
to support the Legal Services Program |
$2,000 |
WATCH |
to monitor CHIPS cases in Hennepin County |
$1,000 |
Women in Need Depending on Other Women |
to provide legal support to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault |
$1,000 |
World Relief Minnesota |
for legal education and resources to complete full accreditation from the Board of Immigration Appeals |
$3,266 |
