Ohio State Bar Foundation

The Franklin County Municipal Court aims to provide justice and resolve disputes in a fair, accessible, and courteous manner.

As part of the OSBF’s 2026 Spring Grant Cycle, the court received $39,000 to establish a GPS Monitoring Subsidy Fund to dismantle barriers to pretrial release for indigent defendants. Covering electronic monitoring costs, the initiative addresses racial and economic disparities in the pretrial system, where minority populations are disproportionately detained. Subsidized monitoring offers a fiscally responsible alternative to incarceration, significantly reducing costs while preserving public safety, employment, and community stability.

The OSBF has granted $19M+ since 1992. To learn more about our grants program, visit osbf.org/grants.

It’s a milestone year for the OSBF—75 years—and we’re looking to refresh our brand during this exciting period in our history. Want to be our partner in branding, messaging, or web design? We are accepting responses to our RFQ through July 17.

For a copy of the RFQ, please contact Danika Stahl at [email protected]

DID YOU KNOW 👉 Citizens returning to the workforce upon release from prison face a 70% unemployment rate. Prospera Reentry—which received a $15,000 Foundation grant in the fall—is addressing that figure through a pre-release workforce empowerment program.

The OSBF team had a chance to visit the Grafton Reintegration Center for a tour to see firsthand how this program functions, including their screen-printing apprenticeship and more.

The program gives incarcerated individuals the chance to participate in an externship with private companies during their last three years in prison, equipping participants with new skills and job experience, ultimately reducing barriers to employment.

Thank you to Prospera Reentry and the Grafton Reintegration Center for sharing more about this important program!