Who funds legal aid in California
From 2022 to 2025, 348 foundations and charities reported 1,083 grants to 85 legal aid organizations in California. The typical grant was $25,000.
The funders that paid the most of them: California Access to Justice Commission (28), Tides Foundation (10) and Silicon Valley Community Foundation (10).
From IRS grant records. Counts nonprofits with budgets under $5,000,000.
Find the funders for your nonprofit
Free. Uses your own cause code and budget, not just the state.
The 15 funders that paid the most legal aid organizations in California
| Funder | Nonprofits paid | Typical grant | Latest year |
|---|---|---|---|
| California Access to Justice Commission Carmichael, CA | 28 | $48,962 | 2024 |
| Tides Foundation San Francisco, CA | 10 | $20,000 | 2024 |
| Silicon Valley Community Foundation Mountain View, CA | 10 | $45,000 | 2024 |
| California Changelawyers San Francisco, CA | 8 | $8,174 | 2024 |
| California Community Foundation Los Angeles, CA | 6 | $75,000 | 2024 |
| Impactassets Inc Bethesda, MD | 5 | $80,000 | 2024 |
| Morrison & Foerster Foundation San Francisco, CA | 4 | $12,500 | 2024 |
| Firedoll Foundation Walnut Creek, CA | 4 | $27,500 | 2024 |
| Marin Community Foundation Novato, CA | 4 | $15,000 | 2024 |
| Leonard & Beryl Buck Foundation Saint Louis, MO | 4 | $97,688 | 2023 |
| Assets Under Movement Washington, DC | 4 | $138,750 | 2024 |
| Sierra Health Foundation Center for Health Program Management Sacramento, CA | 4 | $93,720 | 2024 |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospitals Oakland, CA | 4 | $25,000 | 2024 |
| Mcnabb Foundation Wilmington, DE | 4 | $1,000 | 2024 |
| The California Endowment Los Angeles, CA | 3 | $15,000 | 2024 |
Recent grants
- California Access to Justice Commission paid Immigration Project Inc $152,500 in 2024. Purpose: Program support.
- Tides Foundation paid Oasis Legal Services $248,940 in 2024. Purpose: Equity, human rights, and economic empowerment.
- Silicon Valley Community Foundation paid The Immigration Project $185,000 in 2024. Purpose: Public safety.
- California Changelawyers paid Legal Assistance for Seniors $10,000 in 2024. Purpose: Legal fellowship.
- California Community Foundation paid Public Interest Law Project $115,000 in 2024. Purpose: Housing.
- Impactassets Inc paid Mobile Pathways $150,000 in 2024. Purpose: General support.
Get the application written for one of these funders
- Drafted from the funder's guidelines and your documents
- Checked against every requirement before you submit
- Plus federal, state and local grants matched to you
One payment. It does not renew. The $100 counts toward your first month if you stay.
Other causes in California
- Who funds food banks and food pantries in California (658 funders)
- Who funds homeless shelters and services in California (564 funders)
- Who funds affordable housing in California (459 funders)
- Who funds animal rescue and shelters in California (1246 funders)
- Who funds veterans in California (257 funders)
- Who funds youth development in California (1996 funders)
- Who funds youth sports and recreation in California (1450 funders)
- Who funds arts and culture in California (3571 funders)
- Who funds K-12 education in California (2848 funders)
- Who funds health clinics and health care in California (1615 funders)
- Who funds mental health in California (1067 funders)
- Who funds disability services in California (528 funders)
- Who funds senior services in California (346 funders)
- Who funds domestic violence shelters and services in California (415 funders)
- Who funds child care and early childhood in California (239 funders)
- Who funds job training and employment in California (600 funders)
- Who funds environment and conservation in California (1998 funders)
- Who funds community development in California (1308 funders)
- Who funds family and children's services in California (1239 funders)
Legal aid in other states
Questions people ask
Who gives the most grants to legal aid in California?
By the number of nonprofits paid from 2022 to 2025, the leading funders were California Access to Justice Commission (28), Tides Foundation (10), Silicon Valley Community Foundation (10). The count in parentheses is how many legal aid organizations in California each one paid.
How big is a typical grant to legal aid in California?
The median grant was $25,000 across 1,083 grants. Half were smaller and half were larger. Each funder's own typical grant is in the table above.
Do these funders accept applications?
Not always. IRS records show who a funder paid, not whether it takes new applicants. Open the funder's website and read its guidelines before you reach out.
Where does this data come from?
From grants reported to the IRS on Form 990 Schedule I and Form 990-PF for 2022 to 2025, matched to each recipient's IRS record. It counts legal aid organizations with budgets under $5,000,000, by their IRS cause code. Donor-advised fund sponsors are left out.