Giving
The American Bar Foundation is recognized as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The ABF's primary funding is provided by the American Bar Endowment, an organization established by the American Bar Association to advance research and education on the administration of justice. The ABF receives integral support from the Fellows of the American Bar Foundation.
Making a planned gift is a wonderful way to show your support and appreciation for the American Bar Foundation and its mission while accommodating your own personal, financial, estate planning, and philanthropic goals. Learn more about leaving a legacy here. The ABF is deeply grateful for the commitment of its Legacy Society members.
In addition to funding from many private foundations and individual benefactors, the ABF receives generous grants for individual research projects from national agencies such as the National Science Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Law School Admissions Council.
There are many opportunities for you to make an impact on the law and legal processes by supporting the ABF. Among our vital projects and programs that need your support are the following funds:
The Ruth Bader Ginsburg Endowed Fund for Research in Civil Rights and Gender Equality honors Justice Ginsburg’s lifelong work to ensure that all Americans receive equal protection under the law. It commemorates her legacy as a legal trailblazer by supporting significant and pathbreaking research and programming on civil rights and gender equality. This endowed fund is dedicated to preserving and upholding Justice Ginsburg’s legacy by championing scholarship that will engender a more fair, equitable, and just future.
The endowed fund pays tribute to Justice Ginsburg’s steadfast and generous support of the American Bar Foundation (ABF). As a part of her longstanding service to the American public and the legal profession, Justice Ginsburg served on the ABF Board of Directors for more than a decade prior to her nomination to the United States Supreme Court. She was a Patron Fellow of the ABF and played a key role in making the ABF the institution it is today. Donate here.
William C. Hubbard Law & Education Conference Endowment will fund conferences recognizing and disseminating innovative and significant scholarship on law and education. The conferences supported by this endowment will honor William C. Hubbard’s lifelong contribution to the legal profession and his enduring interest in law and education. Donate here.
The William H. Neukom Fellows Campaign for a Research Chair in Diversity and Law is pursuing the promise of full inclusion in the legal profession and equal justice under the law through cutting-edge empirical research. Visit our special campaign page for more information on the campaign and ways to give.
The Liz and
Peter Moser Research Fund in Legal Ethics, Professional Responsibility, and Access to Legal Services - The Moser Fund is dedicated to supporting path-breaking, empirical research central to the highest principles of the legal profession.
The Wm. Reece Smith, Jr., Research Fund - Designed to have global impact, the Wm. Reece Smith Jr. Research Fund will advance ABF research on professionalism, pro bono legal services, and the role of the legal profession internationally to advance human rights and access to justice.
The Robert O. Hetlage Scholarship Fund - This fund, in memory of past
President Robert O. Hetlage, supports the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program and the doctorate Fellowship Program.
Please visit our online donation form to make a contribution to any of the above funds.

Fellows who wish to make their regular contributions should visit the Fellows section of this site.
For more information on how to further support the American Bar Foundation, please contact Kathy Pace at kpace@abfn.org or 312.988.6511.