The North Carolina Mock Trial Program creates engaged citizens through its statewide programming for high school students centered on the hands-on learning activity of mock trial.
2025 Grantee Highlights: Programs Fostering Public Education and Understanding About the Law
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In 2025, NC IOLTA’s Board of Trustees awarded $12M in grants to more than 40 organizations dedicated to providing legal aid to low-income residents across the state and improving the administration of justice in North Carolina.
The organization highlighted here, the North Carolina Mock Trial Program, received $35,000 in funding under our Administration of Justice grants, which seek to improve the administration of justice in North Carolina through a variety of programs that have a statewide impact or provide seed funding to pilot an innovative program in a local area.
The North Carolina Mock Trial Program fosters public education and understanding about the law. Read more about this grantee below.
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The North Carolina Mock Trial Program creates engaged citizens through programs for high school students centered on the hands-on learning activity of mock trial, enabling participants to gain greater civic understanding, self-confidence, analytical reasoning and communications skills.
In 2025, the NCMTP was awarded a $35,000 Administration of Justice grant to support operating expenses to expand the statewide program for high school students to include teams from rural counties.
The program’s work in 2025 to foster public education and understanding about the law resulted in:
Read more:
- Find highlights of other 2025 NC IOLTA grantees on our Grantees page.
- Explore the impact NC IOLTA grantees make for their clients and communities on our Stories page.
- Learn about the importance of civil legal aid on our Media Resources page under “FAQs About Civil Legal Aid in NC.”
At top, Mock Trial participants are shown in a photo originally featured in the 2022 State Bar Journal article “High School Mock Trial: Investing in Our Future Leaders — 30 Years and Beyond.”
Legislation passed by the North Carolina General Assembly on July 9, 2025, bars NC IOLTA from grantmaking from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026. Consistent with the legislation, our 2026 funding cycle has not been opened.
Learn more about NC IOLTA and find our most recent updates on this issue on our Media Resources page.
The NC State Bar and NC IOLTA continue to seek a resolution to preserve funding for civil legal aid, which plays a critical role in building a legal system that works for everyone, breaking down barriers and creating strong communities across North Carolina.