The Illinois Equal Justice Foundation makes grants to provide legal assistance to low-income Illinois residents who cannot afford to hire an attorney.
Donor Name: Illinois Equal Justice Foundation
State: Illinois
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 04/14/2025
Size of the Grant: Not Available
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
Priority Areas
The IEJF grants will focus on the provision of civil legal services in disproportionately-impacted jurisdictions with the highest rates of arrest and conviction for cannabis offenses, as designated by the R3 Board by data provided through the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (ICJIA).
R3 grants fund programs in five areas:
- Civil Legal Aid
- Economic Development
- Reentry
- Violence Prevention
- Youth Development.
Uses of Funds
Grants will be made to support direct service staff positions at eligible legal services providers, including attorneys, paralegals and/or pro bono coordinators. Grant funds can be used to pay for salaries, benefits, and limited overhead, including administrative costs (not to exceed 10%). The applicant must demonstrate how the proposed staff position(s) will help the organization provide efficient and effective legal assistance to persons seeking cannabis expungement. Grant funds may also be used for client costs associated with accessing cannabis expungement relief, such as criminal history reports, required court documents, or other necessary expenses to determine eligibility or file for relief. Grant funds may also be used to conduct follow-up assessments on outcomes of direct or pro se services delivered by the organization.
Eligibility Criteria
In the Civil Legal Assistance category, the IEJF will only consider applications from Illinois-based not-for-profit organizations that:
- Serve persons in one or more R3 identified disproportionately-impacted jurisdictions.
- Have been in continuous operation for at least two years prior to the date the application is submitted to the IEJF.
- Employ two or more full-time, licensed attorneys who provide civil legal assistance to low-income persons at the time the application is submitted to the IEJF.
For more information, visit IEJF.
