Grant and Funding Programs Offered by OBA Foundation (OBA)

The OBA Foundation is the charitable arm of the Ontario Bar Association. Established in 1987, it supports projects that strengthen the justice system in Ontario through public legal education and innovative legal research. As a grantmaking foundation, it provides financial support to individuals, community groups, charitable organizations and academics whose work aligns with its mission to improve access to justice and promote an Ontario bar that belongs to everyone.

The foundation focuses on funding initiatives such as public legal education programs in marginalized communities, high school mock trial and trial moot activities across the province, and fellowships in law, ethics and professionalism. It is particularly committed to equity, diversity and inclusion within the legal system and encourages applications serving historically excluded and equity-seeking groups.

The OBA Foundation administers several complementary funding tools. Its grant program invites applications for funding from individuals, groups and registered charities for projects that advance public legal education or legal research in line with its mission. Although the core grant page is concise, applicants are clearly directed to contact the foundation regarding the grant application process.

A flagship component is the OBA Foundation Chief Justice of Ontario Fellowships in Legal Research and in Ethics and Professionalism. These fellowships provide named financial awards (for example, grants of $5,000 and $15,000 cited in past years) to professors, practitioners and students undertaking empirical and theoretical research on lawyers’ roles, professional ethics and access to justice. The site highlights past recipients and links to their research papers, demonstrating transparent reporting on funded work.

The foundation is also building endowed scholarship support through the OBA Foundation Scholarship campaign, aiming to raise significant capital to assist deserving students in becoming lawyers and to expand access to public legal education.

Across its portfolio, the OBA Foundation prioritizes projects that advance equity, diversity and inclusion in the justice system and legal profession. It explicitly welcomes applications from organizations and individuals serving communities defined by race, ancestry, place of origin, faith, citizenship, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, family status, disability and other equity-related factors.

By combining grants, fellowships, scholarships and targeted public legal education initiatives, the OBA Foundation plays a specialized role within Ontario’s legal and philanthropic ecosystem. Its close connection to the Ontario Bar Association ensures that funded projects are well positioned to inform legal practice, enhance ethical standards and ultimately improve how the justice system serves the public.