Cash Bail Funds (U.S. and Toronto)

Last updated:1/17/21

Purpose: I have been inspired to create a Bail Fund exclusiveGoogle Document with the kick start by a list Matthew A. Cherry, Oscar winning director, that was created on MAy 30th. I came across it and I thought, wow how informative and concise. Then, quickly commented that I’d work independently and help him update it w/ names and status’ of community organizations that are actively and immediately  bailing out protestors being arrested for protest-related b***sh*t charges! He has since thanked me for updating the list, and retweeted it, which has now spread like wildfire and I am immensely grateful.

Like many others who want to wish to be productive while protestors are protesting inhumane brutality and the senseless murders that cultivated the Black Lives Matter movement. Some lists are either now, inaccurate due to the duress and time it takes to keep these updated -and/or- are comprised of personal Venmo’s and Cash-tags that may be fraudulent / unable to verify -and/or- are comprehensive of other resources that make it hard for individuals to weed-out immediate cash bail programs versus other community-oriented programs, which of course are of equal importance.

I have emailed and direct messaged some additional programs that I will add as they respond with clarification that they are indeed bailing people out immediately, and doing general cash bail lobbying or general community work. I even asked one company to show receipts of recent bail-outs with the names redacted and they complied in a timely manner.  These Orgs can be questioned and scrutinized to ensure it’s going where they say it’s going! Lastly, I have not included “National Bail Out” Organization because the keyword here is immediate cash bail out orgs. We desperately need people on the ground, in local cities, waiting at the precincts to post individual bails. “National Bail Out” means they have a hidden, lengthy process of whom/how/when they give different organizations and companies receive donated contributions.

Final Disclaimer: I am not saying these are the ONLY credible or valuable resources in the continental US, nor am I saying this is where you should stop for information. Please continue to do your research and donate to whatever Orgs you desire! I wanted to compile a concise list of immediate bail.

About the creator: My name is Trae Higgs. I’m a legal professional, currently working at Fordham University Law School, and a future lawyer. I earned a BA in Criminology and Political Science from the University of South Florida in 2014.

Email me at Thiggs@law.fordham.edu if you have any questions, Orgs you want me add, Orgs you want me to investigate, and especially if a link provided below is not working!

The reason you’re here:

Please give as much as your pockets will allow, as frequently as you can, until your organization of choice closes down their donation link. Most of these organizations were pre-existing these protests. Meaning, they regularly post cash bail for other arrested individuals who cannot afford cash bail, so either way your dollars will be well-spent! Intentionally not in alphabetical, regional or state order! Scroll through, there are cities here that you may not know that need your help!

Los Angelos, CA: People’s City Council is not exclusively a bail fund, but is allocating funds to bail. https://www.gofundme.com/f/peoples-city-council-ticket-fund

*As of 6/6, raised $2.2 million*

Black Lives Matter - LA, gofundme.com/f/blmla

*As of 6/6, raised 1.6 million*

Oakland, CA: Bay Area Relief ttps://www.gofundme.com/f/bay-area-bail-fund

*As of 6/7, raised $100K*

Sacramento, CA: NoCal Resist, https://www.norcalresist.org/donate.html 

*No longer accepting donations* Philadelphia, PA: Philly Bail Fund, phillybailfund.org

Philadelphia, PA: Philadelphia Community Bail Fund, https://www.phillybailout.com/donate.html

Pittsburg, PA: Bukit Bail Fund https://www.bukitbailfund.org/donate

Chicago, IL: Chicago Bond, chicagobond.org

*As of 6/5, has raised $3.5 million*

Minneapolis, MN: MN Freedom Fund, Reclaim the Block and Black Visions Collective

*No longer accepting donations*

Atlanta, GA: Action Network - Atlanta https://actionnetwork.org/fundraising/support-justiceforgeorgefloyd-protesters-in-atlanta

*No longer accepting donations*

New York City: @freethemall2020 and BK Community Bail Fund has asked that funds be sent elsewhere! DO NOT donate to libertyfund.nyc, which is a city program w/ ample private and government funds.

New York City LGBTQ+: Emergencyreleasefund.com, https://secure.actblue.com/donate/rikers-covid

New York and New Jersey: First Friends of New York and New Jersey, Immigrant Fund, https://firstfriendsnjny.org

Buffalo, NY: SURJ Buffalo Bail Fund is no longer accepting donations, https://fundrazr.com/11fcAd?ref=ab_e8vImf_ab_Aj7S5U6r7vwAj7S5U6r7vw

Albany, NY: Organized by Center for Law and Justice’s Amy Cooper https://www.paypal.com/pools/c/8pAK2AzvDg

Columbus, OH: Columbus Freedom Fund https://www.paypal.me/columbusfreedomfund (has reached their $10K goal but is still accepting donations)

Cleveland, OH: paypal.me/blmcle

Louisville, KY: Action Network - Louisvile https://actionnetwork.org/fundraising/louisville-community-bail-fund?source=twitter&

Seattle, WA: NW Community Bail Fund https://donorbox.org/ncbf

Houston, TX: Restoring Justice Community Bail Fund, restoringjustice.org/bail

Dallas, TX: Faith In Texas, Not exclusively a bail fund but allocating funds to bailing out protestors faithintx.org/bailfund/

Colorado Freedom Fund: Colorado Freedom Fund, fundly.com/coloradofreedom

*As of 6/7, $946K*

Massachusetts: Mass Bail Fund posts bails of up to $2000 in Essex & Suffolk Counties in MA, massbailfund.org

Toronto: Toronto Bail Fund https://www.gofundme.com/f/toronto-protestor-bail-fund

*No longer accepting donations*

LGBTQ Freedom Fund: (both an immigration and bail freedom fund) https://www.lgbtqfund.org/donate-1/

Baltimore, MD: Baltimore Action Legal Team (BALT), https://baltimoreactionlegal.networkforgood.com/projects/60932-everyday-giving

Richmond, VA: Richmond County Bail Fund, https://rvabailfund.org/donate

*As of 6/2, has raised $700K*

Norfolk/Virginia Beach, VA: Tidewater Solidarity Fund has pledged donations in the immediate future will all go to bail protesters out of jail, Website: http://www.humanitiesbehindbars.org/home/donate/ Donate: https://www.paypal.me/HumanitiesBehindBars

Detroit, MI: Detroit Bail Fund, created by Detroit Rampage https://www.gofundme.com/f/detroits-bail-fund?utm_medium=sms&utm_source=product&utm_campaign=p_susi-sms-welcome

Nashville, TN: Nashville Community Bail Fund https://nashvillebailfund.org/

Milwaukee, WI: Milwaukee Freedom Fund is no longer accepting donations, https://fundrazr.com/mkefreedomfund?ref=ab_19CDk2_ab_Aj7S5U6r7vwAj7S5U6r7vw

*No Longer accepting donations*

Las Vegas, NV: Vegas Freedom Fund, https://secure.actblue.com/donate/vegasfreedomfund

Kansas City, MO: Kansas City Comm. Bail Fund, https://www.kccommunitybailfund.com/

Jacksonville, FL: Jax Community Action, https://www.gofundme.com/f/CommunitySupportFund

*As of 6/6, has raised $95K*

Tampa, FL: Tampa Bay Students for Democratic Society https://www.gofundme.com/f/tampa-bay-community-support-fund

*As of 6/6, has raised $65K*

Miami, FL: FempowerMia, https://www.paypal.me/freethemall 

Naples, FL: Collier County Bail Fund organized by Nia Jo, who is now collaborating with the NAACP in future protests, witnessed 4 men of color (3 Black and 1 Hispanic) get arrested while peacefully protesting in Downtown Naples, FL (a very racist, conservative and right-winged area of Southwest Florida). One of the men detained was a photographer, simply capturing pictures. The youngest male of the 4 got tagged with an excessive amount of charges. After these young men were arrested, and several other incidents of brutality and abuse of power in her city, Nia Jo researched and found there was a need for a fund in Collier County. https://bit.ly/CollierCountyBailFund 

*As of 6/7, has raised $700*

New Orleans, LA: @NOLAFreedomFund, https://donorbox.org/safety-freedom-fund-eoy

Omaha, NE: The Nebraska Left Coalition, PayPal.me/neleftcoalition

Durham, NC: NC Community bail fund, https://www.nccbailfund.org/donate

Hawai’i: Hawai’i Community Bail Fund is a project of the Dem. Socialists of Hawai’i Donate Now | Hawai'i Community Bail Fund by Hawaiʻi Community Bail Fund

Tuscson, AZ: Tucson Second Chance Community Bail Fund, https://secure.actblue.com/donate/tsccbf

Des Moines, IA: Eastern Iowa Community Bond Project, https://communitybondproject.networkforgood.com/projects/101939-free-our-protesters

*As of 6/7, has Raised $176K*

Washington, DC: DC eliminated cash bail in the 90’s so there’s no need for bail funds in DC. If you see a cash bail fund in D.C. it is a SCAM!

However, Black Lives Matter D.C. Chapter has a legal support fund (attorney’s fees, court fines, etc. NOT BAIL) up and running. Donate at https://www.gofundme.com/f/defendblmdc

Montgomery, AL: Montgomery Bail Out, https://givebutter.com/mgmbailout 

Connecticut: Connecticut Bail Fund, http://www.ctbailfund.org/donate *As of June 1, they do not currently need donations. 26 of the arrested protesters were released on ‘Promise to Appear’. Adding them here as a verified resource for the future.*

Portland, OR: Portland General Defense Committee Bail Fund, https://bit.ly/PortlandDefenseCommitte 

*As of 6/7, has raised $625K*

Fargo, ND and Moorehead, MN: Fargo Moorehead Mutual Aid Fund, https://www.paypal.com/pools/c/8oLGbaaeqf