KBF Awards $475,000 in Grants at 2026 Annual Convention, Marking Historic Investment in Justice

The Kentucky Bar Foundation announced today that it will award $475,000 in grants to support civil legal aid and justice initiatives across the Commonwealth, a record-breaking investment that reflects both growing need and extraordinary support for the Foundation’s mission. 

This year’s grant awards, presented at the Kentucky Bar Association’s Annual Convention, represent a significant increase from $311,900 awarded in 2025 and $287,000 in 2024. The announcement aligns with the Convention’s theme, “Beyond Precedent: Law’s New Frontier,” underscoring the legal community’s evolving role in addressing critical gaps in access to justice.

“These grants are a powerful example of what it means to go beyond precedent,” said Emily E. Walters, Immediate Past President and Chair of the Grants Committee of the Kentucky Bar Foundation. “As the legal profession continues to navigate new frontiers, we are seeing increased collaboration, innovation, and commitment to ensuring that all Kentuckians, particularly the most vulnerable, have access to legal support.”

The Foundation’s grants fund programs addressing a wide range of urgent needs, including child advocacy, domestic violence prevention, housing stability, veteran services, and civil legal assistance for low-income individuals and families. 

This year’s funding reflects a deliberate and strategic approach by the Foundation’s Grants Committee. With increased resources available, the Committee strengthened support for existing high-impact programs, expanded funding to organizations previously underfunded, and provided select new grants to promising initiatives, all while maintaining a balanced investment across priority areas. 

While the 2026 grant cycle represents a historic milestone, Foundation leaders emphasized that this level of funding was made possible by a unique convergence of factors and may not be indicative of future years.

“This was an extraordinary year,” Duncan noted. “We are incredibly proud of what we were able to accomplish, but we also want to be thoughtful stewards of expectations. Sustaining and growing this level of grantmaking will depend on continued support from Kentucky’s legal community and partners.”

This record level of funding is made possible through the generosity and commitment of our donors, including the Foundation’s 31 new Fellows and our major donors: John E. Selent, Wilbert L. Ziegler, George E. Meng, James Park and Katherine Randall Park, Dinsmore & Shohl LLP, and Margo L. Grubbs. We also received support from the Judge Johstone Award dinner in Paducah and YLD’s Honor a Colleague Campaign. Their leadership and generosity are helping expand access to justice and strengthen communities across Kentucky. The Foundation extends its deepest gratitude to each of these supporters for making this important work possible.

The Kentucky Bar Foundation remains committed to advancing justice through strategic grantmaking, stewardship, and engagement with attorneys and donors across the Commonwealth.