Purpose
Established as a registered charity in 1984, the Law for the Future Fund provides financial support for legal research conducted under the auspices of the Canadian Bar Foundation. The Fund was established by donations from individual lawyers, law firms, legal organizations and foundations, as well as corporations.
The Fund has supported many worthwhile initiatives since it was established in 1984. Examples include systems of justice, racial equality, court reform, law and ethics in health care, gender equality and conflict of interest.
Scope
The Law for the Future Fund sponsors projects that are of national interest and/or are of benefit to the general public. Projects must be in one of the following fields:
- Legal research
- Legal education
- Legislation and law reform
- Administration of justice
Only Canadian projects will be considered.
Criteria
Applications are assessed according to the following criteria:
- Innovativeness of the project
- Anticipated impact
Exclusions
Any project costs must be directly related to the proposed initiative. For clarity, the following costs are not eligible for funding and must not be included in the application:
- Personnel costs (salaries and benefits) that are not specific to carrying out the project
- Portions of salary for individuals who are supervising direct project staff
- Indirect costs: expenses for general operations/research support, facilities (rent or lease), building maintenance, utilities and administrative services.
- Budget deficits
- Sabbaticals
- General operating costs
- Capital expenditures unless they are one-time costs directly related to the implementation of the project
- Sponsorships of fundraising activities or awards events
- Attendance at or holding of conferences, seminars, workshops
No permanent commitments are made to support any type of project. Individuals applying for grants must do so under the auspices of organizations which are qualified donees under the Income Tax Act. No grants are made to projects which would result in financial gain to an individual or organization.
Additional Conditions
Grants are awarded subject to the availability of funds. The Law for the Future Fund and its related organizations have all the rights and privileges to use the results of all research funded. Each project must be on an annual basis. Grantees are required to agree to the terms and conditions of their grant before any portion of the grant is paid.
The first installment of 50% of the total approved funding will be issued by September 30, 2026. A second installment of 30% will be issued once the complete interim report (due March 15, 2027) is received and reviewed. The final installment of 20% will be released once the complete final report and related materials/outputs as outlined in the application (due August 31, 2027) are received, reviewed, and approved by LFFF. The final holdback payment will not be unreasonably withheld.
Deadline
Deadline for application for this year is May 1, 2026. Further information can be obtained by e-mailing LFFF@cba.org or by calling toll-free at 1-800-267-8860.
Address application to:
The Law for the Future Fund
The Canadian Bar Association
66 Slater Street, Suite 1200
Ottawa, ON K1P 5H1
