Pro Bono Innovation Fund
The Pro Bono Innovation Fund (PBIF) provides grants to LSC grantees for efforts that support new, robust pro bono partnerships through collaboration, innovation, and replication of effective practices.
Mission
The Pro Bono Innovation Fund (PBIF) offers grants to creatively engage more lawyers and non-legal professionals in pro bono service to address gaps in legal services and persistent challenges in pro bono delivery systems. Since 2014, PBIF has invested more than $50,000,000 in 180 grants in 38 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands. PBIF currently offers three grant categories: Project, Project Incubation and Sustainability.
Overview
In March 2011, LSC’s Board of Directors formed the Pro Bono Task Force (Task Force) to address the current crisis in legal services, where at least 50 percent of eligible low-income individuals seeking help from our grantees are turned away due to insufficient resources and 80 percent of civil legal needs are unmet.
After a year of research, the Task Force released the Report of the Pro Bono Task Force. This report included recommendations to increase the number of pro bono attorneys and other volunteers who are available to provide legal aid for low-income people. One key recommendation from the report was a request for LSC to create PBIF to encourage new ideas for engaging pro bono assistance and to narrow the justice gap.
On January 17, 2014, the President of the United States signed P.L. 113-76, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2014, which included $2.5 million for LSC to establish PBIF. The fund has received increased funding almost every year since its creation and most recently received $5 million.
PBIF Grant Types
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Project Grant Description
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Sustainability Grant Description
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Transformation Grant Description
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Planning Grant Description
Project Grants leverage volunteers to meet a critical, unmet, and well-defined client need.
Sustainability Grants provide another 2 years of funding to Project Grants to replicate, adapt, or create enhancements to prior effective pro bono projects.
Transformation Grants are targeted towards LSC grantees whose leadership is committed to restructuring an entire pro bono program and incorporating pro bono best practices into core, high-priority client services with an urgency to create a high-impact pro bono program. Each Transformation Grant will support a rigorous and extensive assessment of an LSC grantee’s pro bono program, the identification of best practices in pro bono delivery that are best suited to that grantee’s needs and circumstances, and the development and implementation of short- and long-term improvements to organizational policies, management, and operations. PBIF will not be accepting Transformation Grant applications for FY26.
Planning Grants provide six months of funding to assess an organization’s pro bono program. Pro bono program assessments provide organizations the opportunity to identify challenges and develop a long-term vision for pro bono. The Planning Grant allows organizations to complete an assessment of their pro bono program, without the requirement of engaging in a long-term transformation effort through a PBIF Transformation grant. PBIF will not be accepting Planning Grant applications for FY26.
View Reporting and Compliance Requirements
View guidelines on reporting and compliance requirements.
Check out the links below to learn more about PBIF’s current grant cycle, past awards, and model practices.
Current PBIF Funding Cycle
Learn more about the PBIF application process for the current fiscal year funding cycle.
PBIF Awards
View some of the recent awards of the 180 projects in 38 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands funded by PBIF.
PBIF Program Description
See more details about the PBIF Program and available grant opportunities.
Should you have any questions or need assistance, please reach out to the PBIF team.