About the Foundation

The Iowa State Bar Foundation was established in 1944 to support the efforts of The Iowa State Bar Association (ISBA) to advance jurisprudence and the administration of justice through education and research. The Foundation is a separate legal entity from the ISBA. It is governed by a nine-person board of directors made up of attorneys from across the state of Iowa.

In all of its initiatives, the Foundation strives to be a catalyst, convener and collaborator for change that furthers its mission.  

The Foundation strives to accomplish this mission through: 

• Grant-making to government agencies and not-for-profit organizations. 
• Publications that further public understanding of the law. 
• Ongoing efforts to bring communities and courts together to improve the access and experience of the public with local courts.  

The ISBA Center for Law and Civic Education, Iowa Legal Aid and Kids First Law Center are a sample of the various programs which are supported through Foundation grants. Without this funding, these programs ability to assist clients and produce programming would be greatly reduced.