President Richard A. Riggs announced that 2009 Oklahoma Bar Foundation (OBF) Grant Applications Packets are now available for distribution to law-related charitable organizations.  The grant application submission deadline has been extended to Friday, July 31, 2009.  President Riggs added that applications will be accepted in advance of the deadline and early submission is encouraged.  Grant awards will be announced during the fourth quarter of 2009.

The Oklahoma Bar Foundation was founded in 1946 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.  It is the third oldest state bar foundation in the nation.  OBF serves as the charitable arm of the Oklahoma Bar, and all licensed lawyers in Oklahoma are members of the Foundation.  OBF is funded through the generous contributions of Oklahoma attorneys and by their participation in OBF programs such as the Fellows and IOLTA.  OBF awards annual grants to law related organizations with a view toward fulfilling its purpose - Lawyers Transforming Lives through the Advancement of Education, Citizenship and Justice for All

The specific purposes of OBF grant funding are:
            1)         To provide for the delivery of civil legal services to the poor and elderly;
            2)         To promote quality education regarding the law and legal issues;
            3)         To improve and promote the administration of justice and support law-related programs for the benefit of the public.

Grants totaling $912,000 were approved during 2008 by the Foundation Board of Trustees.  President Riggs reported that 2009 funding will likely be in a lesser amount due to general economic conditions, including dramatically reduced interest rates.  The 2008 awards were made to:

1. Provide delivery of civil legal aid services to the poor and elderly throughout Oklahoma and to improve the administration of justice. Grants totaling $470,000 were awarded to Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma, Inc. and the Oklahoma Indian Legal Services Low Income Taxpayer Clinic, and a total of $222,500 was awarded for legal aid and advocacy services for children, the elderly and victims of violence to Tulsa Lawyers For Children Inc., Oklahoma Lawyers For Children Inc., Center for Children and Families Inc., Domestic Violence Intervention Services, Inc., The Family Shelter of Southern Oklahoma, Marie Detty Youth and Family Services Center, Native American Legal Resource Center Wills Legal Services Project, Oklahoma CASA Association for Children, Oklahoma CAAVA Association for Vulnerable Adults, Trinity Legal Clinic, University of Oklahoma Law Student Access to Justice Program, and University of Tulsa Boesche Legal Clinic Immigration Rights Program;
2. Fund educational programs in the total amount of $118,000.  Awards were made to the OBA Law-Related Education Teacher’s Summer Workshop, benefiting school children in grades K through 12; the OBA Young Lawyers Division High School Mock Trial Program; the statewide YMCA Oklahoma Youth & Government Program; Teen Court Inc. of Comanche County; the Senior Law Resource Center, Inc for educational outreach, and Barnes Children’s Advocacy Center in Rogers, Mayes and Craig counties. An additional $54,500 in scholarships was awarded by the Foundation;
3. Promote administration of justice through programs for the judiciary in the total amount of $4,000 for the American Council for International Education and Open World Leadership Center for Oklahoma Rule of Law Program.  An additional $43,000 was awarded for courthouse improvements under the new OBF Court Grant program.

Nonprofit organizations interested in making application can obtain 2009 OBF Grant Application Packets on-line, by e-mail request to foundation@okbar.org or by phone at (405) 416-7070.