ABA Leans Into Grant Funding in Face of Declining Membership

The American Bar Association is in “a handsome place, financially,” despite dwindling membership rolls, according to its new executive director.

The nearly 150-year-old organization has tapped into grant money to fill the gap created by steep declines in member dues, said Alpha Brady, who took over the top operations role in July. Mary Smith, the group’s president and public-facing leader, began her one-year term in August.

The ABA brought in $227 million in gross revenue over the last fiscal year, which ended Aug. 31—a record tally. Just over half of the total came from grants, largely from the federal government, ...