The Positivity Spectrum’s Free Legal Clinic provides families with essential advocacy and guidance they could not otherwise afford. The project addresses two critical needs: helping families secure appropriate services through the IEP process and assisting caregivers with end-of-life planning, including guardianship and special needs trusts. By combining pro bono attorney oversight with law student volunteers, TPS delivers sustainable, high-quality legal support that transforms outcomes for autistic individuals and their families.

OCLRE will deliver high-quality, experiential civics education to students across Ohio by expanding teacher training and outreach to new schools. The project aims to foster informed, active citizenship by helping young people understand how law and government impact their lives.

Ohio Legal Help will assist families who navigate confusing resources and financial assistance with greater clarity and confidence. By reducing confusion and delays, the project will lower caregiver stress, support workforce participation and family stability, and improve access to critical supports.

The Hamilton County Clerk of Court will provide same day, limited representation to otherwise unrepresented Hamilton County citizens who are scheduled to appear in eviction court. In a matter of minutes, attorneys can analyze viable defenses for a tenant while also providing them with access to rent assistance made possible through partnerships with the City of Cincinnati and the United Way. This fellowship will allow hundreds of tenants to have access to an attorney who would otherwise proceed pro se.

The Ohio State Bar Association, Ohio State Bar Foundation, Ohio Northern University Claude W. Pettit College of Law and the University of Toledo College of Law are launching “Lawyers = Justice: A Northwest Ohio Legal Collaborative,” a new initiative designed to bring more legal help directly to rural communities and build a stronger pipeline of attorneys committed to serving them. Lawyers = Justice is designed to respond to that challenge in a practical and community-centered way. By supporting new lawyers, training law students and expanding local legal clinics, the initiative will help residents address legal problems earlier, closer to home and before those problems become more disruptive and costly.

$50,000 to Ohio Alliance of YMCAs Foundation for the Ohio YMCA Youth and Government Program which provides leadership training and civics education to middle and high school students. Serving all 88 counties.

By focusing on OIP-u chapters serving rural communities, funding will improve outreach and programming in underserved parts of the state. The project will reach students interested in law professions and innocence work, connecting them with resources to attend law school and eventually serve their home communities.

The Center for Law, Justice & Culture at Ohio University will prepare rural, financially disadvantaged students from Appalachia for a career in law. The project will integrate liberal arts curriculum development, alumni mentorship, financial support, and experiential learning. It will serve as a replicable model for increasing legal equity in underserved regions across the nation.

ASIA will create an accessible pathway for newcomers to become citizens actively involved in democracy. This project will equip and amplify prospective citizens’ voices, which will improve the representation of marginalized communities.

The organization will create and translate a Nepali-language, culture-specific legal education toolkit, deliver statewide education, and conduct additional outreach. The current need is urgent: a lack of access to legal clinics, an interpretation gap, and the rising threat to the Bhutanese community increase risks of misunderstood rights and can result in dire consequences. This project can help prevent avoidable mistakes and crises.