What Michigan State Bar Foundation does

The Michigan State Bar Foundation (MSBF) is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization established in 1947 and headquartered at the Michael Franck Building in Lansing, Michigan. It operates as Michigan's largest funder of civil legal aid, administering a portfolio of programs designed to improve access to the justice system for low-income residents. Core programs include the Interest on Lawyers Trust Accounts (IOLTA) program, which pools interest from attorney client trust accounts held at participating financial institutions (with rates ranging from 0.01% to 1%, incentivized upward through the Leadership Bank program); the Access to Justice Campaign, a statewide fundraising initiative; the Banking on Justice program; and the Fellows Program, a distinguished membership recognition initiative established in 1984 with 1,497 active members. The Foundation also supports Michigan Legal Help (michiganlegalhelp.org), a self-help web platform, and operates a statewide triage and referral system connecting low-income residents with appropriate legal aid resources.

MSBF distributes grants to a network of 40+ nonprofit civil legal aid organizations across all 83 Michigan counties, funding services in housing, family law, public benefits, disability rights (including Medicaid beneficiaries), estate planning, foster care prevention, special education rights, and tribal court representation, among other civil legal areas. Recent grant rounds include nearly $588,000 awarded in June 2026 and $102,500 in December 2025. Since establishment, the Foundation has made over 2,300 grants totaling more than $255 million, with funded programs delivering services that impacted more than 131,000 people annually (including more than 59,000 children) out of approximately 1.69 million low-income Michigan residents eligible for civil legal aid.

The Foundation's revenue model is diversified across three primary streams: IOLTA program interest income (subject to prevailing interest rates and attorney participation rates), grants and charitable contributions, and the Access to Justice Campaign. As a nonprofit, MSBF does not sell products or services; all programs for low-income residents are free of charge, and pricing is not applicable. The Foundation is governed by a Board of Directors and led by a small professional staff headed by Executive Director Jennifer Bentley, with recent capacity additions including Director of Grants Mary Gladstone-Highland and Board President Craig Lubben. There is no parent company, no private equity or institutional investor involvement, and no M&A activity, consistent with its independent charitable structure.

Name

Michigan State Bar Foundation

Legal name

Michigan State Bar Foundation

Website

https://msbf.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1947

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Michigan State Bar Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit established in 1947 and Michigan's largest funder of civil legal aid. It administers the IOLTA program, Access to Justice Campaign, Banking on Justice initiative, and Fellows Program, distributing grants to legal aid organizations serving low-income residents statewide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Civil Legal Aid Grantmaking

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Professional Organizations (81392), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Philanthropic & Charitable Trust Services (FSAAANAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Corporate Foundations & CSR Grantmaking (BPAGAKAC), Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC)

Keywords

• Civil legal aid
• Grantmaking foundation
• Access to justice
• IOLTA program
• Nonprofit philanthropy

Headquarters

HQ city

Lansing

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Others, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. IOLTA Program Revenue: Interest on Lawyers Trust Accounts (IOLTA) generates revenue from attorney client funds held in trust. Financial institutions pay interest which is remitted to fund civil legal aid. Interest rates vary between 0.01% and 1% with most waiving fees. The Leadership Bank program incentivizes higher rates.
2. Grants and Charitable Contributions: The Foundation receives grants and charitable donations to support its grant-making activities and access to justice initiatives.
3. Access to Justice Campaign: Statewide fundraising campaign to generate resources for civil legal aid programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The Michigan State Bar Foundation is a nonprofit grantmaking organization that administers Michigan's Interest on Lawyers Trust Accounts (IOLTA) program and provides grants to civil legal aid organizations serving low-income residents. It also operates the Access to Justice Campaign, the Fellows Program for distinguished lawyers, and the Michigan Legal Help online self-help platform with a statewide triage and referral system.

Product overview

Michigan State Bar Foundation is a nonprofit foundation serving as Michigan's largest funder of civil legal aid. The organization operates a unified portfolio of programs including the IOLTA (Interest on Lawyers Trust Accounts) program, the Access to Justice Campaign, the Banking on Justice initiative, and the Fellows distinguished membership program. These programs work together to improve access to the civil justice system through grantmaking, public education, and strategic partnerships with financial institutions and the legal community. The Foundation also supports technology initiatives like Michigan Legal Help, an online self-help resource.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Access to Justice Campaign A statewide fundraising initiative that generates resources to support civil legal aid programs and access to justice efforts throughout Michigan.
• IOLTA Program Interest on Lawyers Trust Accounts program that generates funding for civil legal aid by pooling interest from client trust accounts held by attorneys at participating financial institutions.
• Banking on Justice A program that encourages financial institutions to pay competitive interest rates on IOLTA accounts, maximizing funds available for civil legal aid services.
• Fellows Program A recognition program for distinguished Michigan lawyers who demonstrate professional excellence and service to the community, supporting Foundation grants and access to justice initiatives through financial contributions.
• Grants Administration Strategic grantmaking to nonprofit legal aid providers and justice initiatives across Michigan, including project grants and annual operating support for civil legal services to low-income households.
• Michigan Legal Help Online resource providing legal information and self-help tools for Michigan residents to navigate civil legal issues, including DIY document assembly, interfacing with the statewide triage and referral system.

Quantifiable outcome

• 131,000+ people served annually including 59,000+ children
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Legal Aid Organizations (Grantees)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of nonprofit civil legal aid organizations receiving grants to provide free legal services to low-income Michigan residents. Partners include Legal Aid of Western Michigan, Lakeshore Legal Aid, Michigan Statewide Advocacy Services, and 40+ other organizations statewide.
• Access to Justice Campaign PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-stakeholder campaign to raise awareness and resources for civil legal aid, involving the legal community, judiciary, grantees, and philanthropy sector.
• Autism Alliance of MichiganminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAwarded $50,000 grant for statewide workshops educating families on special education rights under IDEA across Michigan's ten prosperity regions.
• Justice Speaks Legal AidminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAwarded up to $52,500 for the Bridging the Gap initiative to prevent unnecessary foster care placements in Oakland County through free legal representation and caregiver support.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• ABA Fund for Justice and Education: 501(c)(3) charitable arm of the American Bar Association funding legal aid, pro bono, and access-to-justice initiatives nationally. Adjacent mission at national scale.
• National Center for State Courts: National organization working to improve state court systems including access to justice. Shared mission focus and similar nonprofit governance structure.
• Legal Services Corporation: The federal funder of civil legal aid for low-income Americans. Operates nationally with a far larger budget as the dominant U.S. civil legal aid funder, providing systemic context for MSBF's role.
• National Legal Aid & Defender Association: National membership and advocacy organization supporting civil legal aid and public defense organizations. Comparable mission focus on access to justice for low-income populations.
• The Pew Charitable Trusts: Major nonprofit that funds social and civic causes including access-to-justice initiatives. Comparable in scale and grantmaking approach to a state legal aid foundation.

Direct peers

• Illinois Equal Justice Foundation: Illinois state-level foundation funding civil legal aid through IOLTA revenue. Operates a parallel state-focused grantmaking structure and access-to-justice mission.
• The Florida Bar Foundation: Florida's state bar foundation administering IOLTA and grantmaking for civil legal aid. Highly comparable mission, funding model, and structure as Michigan State Bar Foundation.
• Texas Access to Justice Foundation: Texas's largest funder of civil legal aid, administering IOLTA and basic civil legal services grants. Shares the IOLTA-driven grantmaking model serving low-income residents in a single state.

Emerging players

• Justice in Aging: National nonprofit legal advocacy organization focused on low-income seniors. Comparable legal aid service model and nonprofit grant-funded structure serving a vulnerable population.

Regional players

• Michigan Indigent Defense Commission: Michigan state agency responsible for indigent criminal defense funding and standards. Shares the Michigan-specific access-to-justice mission but covers criminal rather than civil legal aid.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/msbf_atjfund
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/msbf

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Michigan State Bar Foundation