The Illinois Equal Justice Foundation (IEJF) awards grants to organizations to provide legal services to help people clear cannabis convictions off their record as part of New Leaf Illinois
Donor Name: Illinois Equal Justice Foundation
State: Illinois
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 04/14/2023
Size of the Grant: $1.44 million
Grant Duration: 1 year
Details:
New Leaf Illinois is a statewide network of nonprofit organizations who are committed to equal justice for all those who were previously arrested or convicted for cannabis use, production and sale.
The Illinois Equal Justice Foundation will make New Leaf Illinois grants in four categories:
- Telephone Advice & Referral Services: The IEJF makes grants to provide legal advice and referral services in civil matters to Illinois residents via statewide legal services hotlines.
- Legal Services: The IEJF makes grants to provide legal assistance to low-income Illinois residents who cannot afford to hire an attorney.
- Community Outreach: IEJF makes grants to help Illinois residents understand how to access and use the legal system to resolve a problem. In the Community Outreach category, the IEJF will consider support for projects and organizations that are designed to operate as a “starting point” for people to learn about cannabis expungement, New Leaf Illinois’ statewide services, and register for legal assistance. Preference will be given for efforts to expand or launch new community outreach programs serving communities disproportionately impacted, as identified by the R3 areas.
- Technical Assistance: IEJF makes grants to help Illinois residents understand how to access and use the legal system to resolve a problem. In the Technical Assistance category, the IEJF will consider support for proposals that increase the capacity of network organizations in providing cannabis expungement services.
Available Funding
- The budget for FY 23 New Leaf Illinois grants is approximately $1.44 Million.
Grant Period
- The grant period will be 06/01/2023 – 05/31/2024.
Eligibility Criteria
Organizations are eligible to apply for a grant from the Illinois Equal Justice Foundation if they:
- Are tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code;
- Provide services to Illinois residents in one or more of the four areas set forth in the “Purposes” section.
- Provide free legal representation, advice, or information to low-income clients seeking expungement of cannabis convictions under the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act.
- Adhere to income guidelines that includes people whose households have an income of up to 80% of the current Chicago Area Median Income (AMI). The City of Chicago and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development update AMI calculations annually. Current AMI can be found on the City of Chicago.
- Engage in a network model for service delivery. This requires organizations to take and make referrals from other organizations via secure electronic portal, share data, collaborate, and report on activities using standardized methods.
- Demonstrate expertise in providing services to individuals with arrest or conviction records through criminal records legal relief or legal education efforts.
For more information, visit New Leaf Illinois Grant.
