Annual Fund

You can make a difference in our legal community with a gift to The Chicago Bar Foundation

The Chicago Bar Foundation is the one place you can come together with your colleagues throughout the legal community to make a collective impact that none of us could on our own. The CBF is your resource and support for pro bono and related access to justice issues, your powerful collective voice on these issues, and your innovation lab for new pro bono and access to justice initiatives. Donors like you make the CBF’s work possible.

How can you strengthen innovation in our legal system?

Community Leadership

Addressing systemic issues that impact the entire pro bono and legal aid environment, and creates innovative solutions like the new Online Pro Bono Opportunities Guide

Legislative and Policy Advocacy

Giving our legal community a strong collective voice on access to justice issues, helping to make possible groundbreaking programs like the new Illinois Armed Forces Legal Aid Network

Court System Advocacy

Providing key assistance to the many thousands of people coming into the courts on their own through initiatives like the Resource Center for People without Lawyers in the Circuit Court of Cook County

Consider a gift to The Chicago Bar Foundation today!

Other Giving Options

Investing in Justice Campaign

DID YOU KNOW 100% of all individual contributions made during the Campaign directly fund legal aid and other grantee organizations? Learn more on why your support of both the Campaign and larger systemic work with The Chicago Bar Foundation is so important!

Tribute and Memorial Gifts

Gifts can be made in recognition of a person or event. This can be a way to honor someone who has passed away, or a celebration of a special moment with a gift to the Chicago Bar Foundation.

Employer Matching Gifts

Many companies match donations that an employer makes to a charitable contribution. Ask if your employer will match your gift to the Chicago Bar Foundation today!

Gifts of Stock or Securities

Gifts of appreciated stock or securities can provide potentially significant tax benefits.  To make a gift of stock or securities, contact Maggie McEldowney at mmceldowney@chicagobar.org or (312) 554-1247.

IRA Charitable rollover—A Tax-Saving Way to Help the CBF from your IRA

If you are 70½ years or older, you can take advantage of a simple way to benefit the CBF and receive tax benefits in return. You can give up to $100,000 to the CBF without having to pay income taxes on the money.

All contributions to the CBF are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law and count towards the Illinois Supreme Court’s Pro Bono Reporting Rule.

The CBF respects the privacy of all of our donors and will not sell or share your personal information under any circumstances. View the CBF Privacy Policy.