Who funds legal aid in Pennsylvania
From 2022 to 2025, 249 foundations and charities reported 944 grants to 45 legal aid organizations in Pennsylvania. The typical grant was $25,000.
The funders that paid the most of them: Pennsylvania Interest on Lawyer Trust Account Board (18), The Pittsburgh Foundation (10) and Philadelphia Foundation (10).
From IRS grant records. Counts nonprofits with budgets under $5,000,000.
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The 15 funders that paid the most legal aid organizations in Pennsylvania
| Funder | Nonprofits paid | Typical grant | Latest year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania Interest on Lawyer Trust Account Board Harrisburg, PA | 18 | $125,000 | 2024 |
| The Pittsburgh Foundation Pittsburgh, PA | 10 | $50,300 | 2024 |
| Philadelphia Foundation Philadelphia, PA | 10 | $30,000 | 2024 |
| Philadelphia Bar Foundation Philadelphia, PA | 9 | $12,945 | 2025 |
| United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey Philadelphia, PA | 6 | $33,333 | 2023 |
| The Heinz Endowments Pittsburgh, PA | 6 | $53,000 | 2024 |
| Independence Foundation Philadelphia, PA | 4 | $15,000 | 2025 |
| Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network Harrisburg, PA | 4 | $1,320,916 | 2024 |
| Cozen Oconnor Foundation Inc Philadelphia, PA | 4 | $10,000 | 2024 |
| Opportunity Foundation Pittsburgh, PA | 4 | $22,500 | 2024 |
| Tides Foundation San Francisco, CA | 3 | $32,500 | 2024 |
| National Court Appointed Special Advocate Association Seattle, WA | 3 | $53,500 | 2023 |
| Independence Public Media of Philadelphia Inc Philadelphia, PA | 3 | $75,000 | 2024 |
| Bread & Roses Community Fund Philadelphia, PA | 3 | $10,000 | 2024 |
| Scranton Area Foundation Inc Scranton, PA | 3 | $31,742 | 2024 |
Recent grants
- Pennsylvania Interest on Lawyer Trust Account Board paid Pennsylvania Bar Foundation $393,613 in 2024. Purpose: Admin of lrap.
- The Pittsburgh Foundation paid Juvenile Law Center $100,000 in 2024. Purpose: Children's rights.
- Philadelphia Foundation paid Amistad Law Project $45,000 in 2024. Purpose: Representation to people in pennsylvania's prisons.
- Philadelphia Bar Foundation paid Justice at Work $38,000 in 2025. Purpose: Non-profit legal aid.
- United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey paid Campaign for Working Families $921,000 in 2023. Purpose: Operating grant.
- The Heinz Endowments paid Fair Shake Environmental Legal Services $175,000 in 2024. Purpose: To provide environmental legal services in the region.
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Other causes in Pennsylvania
- Who funds food banks and food pantries in Pennsylvania (392 funders)
- Who funds homeless shelters and services in Pennsylvania (255 funders)
- Who funds animal rescue and shelters in Pennsylvania (478 funders)
- Who funds veterans in Pennsylvania (140 funders)
- Who funds youth development in Pennsylvania (832 funders)
- Who funds youth sports and recreation in Pennsylvania (653 funders)
- Who funds arts and culture in Pennsylvania (1295 funders)
- Who funds K-12 education in Pennsylvania (1013 funders)
- Who funds health clinics and health care in Pennsylvania (862 funders)
- Who funds mental health in Pennsylvania (418 funders)
- Who funds disability services in Pennsylvania (233 funders)
- Who funds domestic violence shelters and services in Pennsylvania (270 funders)
- Who funds child care and early childhood in Pennsylvania (118 funders)
- Who funds job training and employment in Pennsylvania (258 funders)
- Who funds community development in Pennsylvania (705 funders)
- Who funds family and children's services in Pennsylvania (445 funders)
Legal aid in other states
Questions people ask
Who gives the most grants to legal aid in Pennsylvania?
By the number of nonprofits paid from 2022 to 2025, the leading funders were Pennsylvania Interest on Lawyer Trust Account Board (18), The Pittsburgh Foundation (10), Philadelphia Foundation (10). The count in parentheses is how many legal aid organizations in Pennsylvania each one paid.
How big is a typical grant to legal aid in Pennsylvania?
The median grant was $25,000 across 944 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.