Philanthropic Efforts
Grants
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The Impact Fund began in 2011 as a vehicle to maximize the financial generosity of Indianapolis Bar Foundation donors and to provide members of the Indianapolis Bar Association with compelling opportunities to donate their time through pro bono service. Renamed the Community Empowerment Grant in 2020, this grant is an important tool in the foundation’s efforts to fulfill its mission: to advance justice and lead positive change in Indianapolis through philanthropy, education and service. See additional information about this grant here.
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While in the beginning stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Indianapolis Bar Foundation Board of Directors converted the 2020 Community Empowerment Grant to the Crisis Empowerment Grant in order to assist members of the association and the community as they navigated the economic effects of COVID-19. The grant continued in 2021, but was restored to the Community Empowerment Grant in 2022.
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The Indianapolis Bar Foundation awards more than $100,000 to a variety of programs each year. Projects funded include the following:
Service to the Community (pro bono)
Community events aimed at connecting individuals with tools and resources to assist with their legal needs
Outreach: U.S. and Indiana Constitution books and voter registration information provided at Naturalization ceremonies
Indianapolis Bar Association Pro Bono Program Coordination
Service to the Profession
Attorney's Network and Mentor Connect program support to enhance opportunity to learn from other legal professionals
Publishing of Commonly Asked Questions about Indiana Law book utilized by attorneys providing pro bono service
Leadership Training / Scholarships
Bar Leader Series Pay it Forward Project Grants
Leadership development at National Conference of Bar Presidents and Bar Leadership Institute for diverse attendees
Scholarships for law school tuition at Robert H. McKinney School of Law and Maurer School of Law, Applied Professionalism Course, Bench Bar Conference, and Bar Leader Series
Educational Initiatives
Bench Bar Conference program content development funding
Inclusion training for legal community leaders and Indianapolis Bar Association/Foundation staff
Provide technology for distance education
Scholarships
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Rosalie F. Felton Scholarship - May 1, 2026
Neil E. Shook Scholarship - May 1, 2026
Hon. James E. Noland Scholarship - May 1, 2026
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$1500 | Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law
This scholarship is available to 2nd or 3rd year law students who demonstrate the following traits:
1. dedication to the practice of law
2. active involvement in community service
3. academic excellence
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$1,500 | Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law
This scholarship is available to 2nd year Robert H. McKinney School of Law students who exhibit the following characteristics:
1. academic proficiency
2. interest in creditors’ rights and bankruptcy law
3. financial need
4. exceptional leadership skills
5. demonstrated commitment to excellence
6. proponent of civility in the legal profession
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$600 | Four July and two February scholarships available annually.
These scholarships are available to Indianapolis Bar Association law student members enrolled in the current year’s IndiBar Review course for the Indiana Uniform Bar Exam. This scholarship is financial need-based, with consideration also given to the student’s activity with IndyBar’s Law Student Division.
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The following scholarships are available to 2nd or 3rd year law students at Indiana University’s Robert H. McKinney School of Law through the Steckler-Dillin-Noland scholarship fund. One $1,500 scholarship is awarded each year rotating among the three listed below and the award year is noted.
The Honorable S. Hugh Dillin Scholarship - Available 2023
The Dillin scholarship is targeted toward students who exhibit the following:
1. academic excellence (as determined by GPA and class ranking)
2. demonstrated commitment to civil rights
3. demonstrated commitment to the legal profession
The Honorable William E. Steckler Scholarship - Available 2025
The Steckler scholarship is targeted toward students who exhibit the following:
1. academic excellence (as determined by GPA and class ranking)
2. financial need
3. orientation toward public service.
The Honorable James E. Noland Scholarship - Available 2024
The Noland scholarship is targeted toward students who exhibit the following:
1. academic excellence (as determined by GPA and class ranking)
2. demonstrated commitment to advancing understanding of the law
3. orientation toward public service
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Actual monies will not exchange hands. Academic scholarship award checks will be forwarded to the IU Foundation in the name of the recipient. Scholarships are reserved for members of the Indianapolis Bar Association. To join IndyBar, log on to www.indybar.org.
For questions about the above scholarships, please call (317) 269-2000 to speak with the Associate Executive Director or email ibf@indybar.org.
The IndyBar Foundation Legacy Society
Your Profession. Your Foundation. Your Legacy.
With your planned gift, you ensure that the mission of the Indianapolis Bar Foundation—to advance justice and lead positive change in Indianapolis through philanthropy, education and service—will continue to positively impact our community and our profession for generations to follow.
The IndyBar Foundation Fellows Programs
Distinguished Fellows and Distinguished Life Fellows
Each year the Indianapolis Bar Foundation honors lawyers for their dedication to the law and bettering our legal community by bestowing on them the designation of Distinguished Fellow or Distinguished Life Fellow. Candidates to become an IndyBar Foundation Distinguished Fellow must have a long record of service, have an exemplary standing, and have made exceptional contributions to the Indianapolis legal community. Distinguished Life Fellows extend the commitment that they first made as Distinguished Fellows through continued support of the IndyBar Foundation.