June 24, 2026 – Lansing, MI
The Michigan State Bar Foundation (MSBF) has awarded nearly $588,000 in project grants to legal aid organizations improving the administration of justice and advancing access to justice.
“We are proud to support the important work of these legal aid organizations,” said Mary Gladstone-Highland, MSBF Director of Grants. “These investments strengthen the administration of justice and help ensure more Michigan residents can access the legal support they need.”
The grants were approved by the Foundation’s Board of Directors at its June meeting.
About the grant recipients:
- Disability Rights Michigan ($187,500) – Grant to match funding and expand services to help individuals with disabilities, specifically Medicaid beneficiaries receiving services through the mental health system.
- Dispute Resolution Center of Washtenaw & Livingston Counties ($75,000) – This project is a partnership with Wayne Dispute Resolution Center and the Dispute Resolution Center of West Michigan to support the development of a robust volunteer management program, cross center evaluation, and an outreach campaign to expand and build capacity for restorative justice programs.
- Michigan Statewide Advocacy Services ($247,425) – This first-phase investment supports the development of a centralized, AI-enabled knowledge base that would help ensure accurate, updated information for legal aid programs and the statewide triage system.
- Wayne State University Center for Behavioral Health and Justice ($78,000) – Funding to develop a pilot project to test two Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT) eligibility guidance tools designed to support judicial decision making.
The Michigan State Bar Foundation awards Administration of Justice grants in multiple cycles each year to support innovative programs that expand access to legal services, promote understanding of legal rights, and strengthen Michigan’s justice system.
For more information, visit www.msbf.org
The Michigan State Bar Foundation provides leadership and grants to improve access to the justice system, including support for civil legal aid to low-income individuals, law-related education, and conflict resolution.
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