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PUBLIC INTEREST LAW FOUNDATION AT
NEW YORK, NY · EIN 133007632 · Form 990EZ · FY2023 · NTEE B99Z · Education · Micro (<$100K) · cupilf.wordpress.com
revenue
$43K
expenses
$57K
net assets
$131K
employees
—
mission · from form 990

PILF gives grants to various public interest organizations that deliver legal services to underserved populations or that work on public interest legal issues. PILF conducts rigorous grant application and review processes.

profile · synthesized from sources

PUBLIC INTEREST LAW FOUNDATION AT (PILF) is a student-led nonprofit at Columbia Law School that funds public interest legal projects through grants. It supports organizations providing legal services to underserved communities and funds law student pro bono initiatives, including summer fellowships and spring break caravans. PILF raises money through an annual auction, book sales, and donations.

named programs · 5 · from sources

What they call their work

Bid For Justice Auction
Annual fundraising event that supports PILF’s grantmaking and student initiatives through ticket sales and donated auction items
Community Grants Program
Provides $5,000–$12,000 grants to nonprofit organizations delivering legal services to underserved populations, with a focus on innovative, time-bound projects
Law Student Pro Bono Caravans
Funds student-led spring break trips that deliver legal services to low-income communities domestically and internationally
PILF Book Sale
Semesterly sale of donated textbooks and study aids, with proceeds supporting community grants and student fellowships
Student Funded Fellowship Program
Provides financial support to Columbia Law School students working in public interest positions during their 2L summer
activities · 2 groups

What they do

  • General Operating Support Grants 1 activity
    • Funding public interest legal organizations
      Provides grants to nonprofit and public interest organizations that deliver legal services to underserved populations or advance public interest legal issues, with over $1 million in funding awarded nationwide since 1980.
  • Legal Education Scholarships and Fellowships 1 activity
    • Funding student pro bono legal initiatives
      Supports student-led pro bono activities, including spring break caravans that deliver legal services to low-income communities globally, and funds community grants to promote public interest engagement at Columbia Law School; supported 14 caravans during the 2022–2023 school year.
financials · form 990EZ · fy2023
revenue
Total revenue$43K
Contributions & grants$19K46%
Program service revenue——
Investment income$2K4%
Other revenue—
expenses
Total expenses$57K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits—
Grants paid out$24K
balance sheet
Total assets$131K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$131K
2 years on record · 2022–2023 · YoY revenue +563.7%
relationships · 7

Who they work with

  • Alliance of Families for Justice Partner — Recipient of a $10,000 grant from PILF in 2020 for a public interest legal project.
  • Columbia Law School Government — Hosts the organization's email domain and is referenced in the organizational context as the institutional home
  • Columbia Law School Network — Collaborates with Columbia Law School to support public interest engagement among students and alumni.
  • Columbia Law School Network — Host institution for PILF; supports law student pro bono caravans and public interest student initiatives.
  • Columbia Law School Partner — Hosts PILF book donation dropbox inside the law school near the back entrance connecting to SIPA.
  • Equal Justice Center Partner — Recipient of a $10,000 grant from PILF in 2020 for a public interest legal project.
  • Freedom House Detroit Partner — Recipient of a $5,000 grant from PILF in 2020 for a public interest legal project.
strategies · 3

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Lowering Barriers to Public Interest Legal Careers
    methodology: barrier-reduction for public interest participation
    By reducing structural and financial barriers, the organization increases law student and early-career lawyer participation in public interest work, because earlier and more accessible entry points lead to sustained engagement across legal sectors and greater workforce capacity for justice reform.
  • Rigorous Grant Review for High-Impact Legal Initiatives
    methodology: rigorous grant review
    By applying a rigorous grant application and review process, the organization identifies and funds high-impact public interest legal projects, because disciplined selection increases the likelihood of measurable systemic change and accountability in grantee performance.
  • Systemic Legal Reform Through Targeted Project Funding
    methodology: systemic_legal_reform
    By funding discrete, time-bound legal projects that target systemic injustice, the organization advances structural change in legal systems, because focused interventions with clear metrics enable accountability and scalable impact in expanding access to justice for underserved populations.