The mission of the Onondaga County Bar Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Onondaga County Bar Association, is to improve and promote:
- the administration of justice;
- service to the public and the legal community;
- equal access to the legal system for all;
- professional ethics and responsibility;
- legal research and education; and
- dissemination to the public of information about the legal system and the rule of law.
Established in 1975, the Foundation is a 501(c)(3) tax exempt corporation. To fulfill its mission, the Foundation depends on individual donations (which are tax deductible as charitable contributions) and grants from other funding sources. The Foundation welcomes grant applications for projects consistent with this mission statement.
In 2011, the OCBF added to its mission: “to aid members of the legal profession in Onondaga County who may be ill, incapacitated, indigent or otherwise in need, and/or their dependents who are in need as a result of the member’s illness, incapacity, indigence or death.”
The Bar Foundation hosts several annual activities. The annual Law Day program is held each May 1. In June, our very popular Fifty-Year Luncheon will honor attorneys who contributed to the legal profession and community for 50 years. The proceeds from the annual Daniel F. Mathews, Jr. Golf Outing support our Foundation and fund the assistance for lawyers in need of counseling and other support.
Application for Individual Financial Assistance
For use by an attorney or family member seeking financial assistance due to illness or other limiting factors impacting their practice of law.
Application for Funding for Organizations
For use by qualified organizations seeking support for a program or project aligned with OCBF’s mission as stated above.
