Funding Amount

Varies by organization

Deadline

Rolling / Open

Grant Type

foundation

Overview

Civil Legal Aid Grants

Funder: Illinois Equal Justice Foundation (IEJF)

Geographic Scope: Illinois (statewide and regional)

Focus Areas:

  • Civil legal representation for low-income individuals

  • Family law

  • Housing law

  • Consumer law

  • Foreclosure assistance

  • Special education legal issues

  • Mediation services

  • Record expungement and sealing

  • Elder law

  • Health-related legal issues

  • Immigration-related legal assistance

  • Domestic violence legal services
  • Eligibility:

  • Nonprofit organizations providing civil legal representation, mediation, and legal information

  • Illinois-based organizations
  • Funding Source: State appropriation for civil legal aid housed in the Office of the Attorney General

    Background: On December 10, 2019, the Board of Directors unanimously approved grants to 21 non-profit organizations totaling $1,330,106. Past grantees include Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance Foundation, Prairie State Legal Services, Legal Aid Chicago, Equip for Equality, Center for Conflict Resolution, and numerous other civil legal aid organizations serving Illinois communities.

    Contact: Tyrina Newkirk, Program Officer

  • Email: tnewkirk@iejf.org

  • Address: 24 E. Washington St., Suite 875, Chicago, IL 60602

  • General email: info@iejf.org
  • How to Apply

    How to Apply

    1. Contact the Program Officer for application materials and guidelines
    2. Submit application by the stated deadline
    3. Provide information on your organization's civil legal aid services
    4. Describe the populations served and geographic areas covered
    5. Explain how grant funds will be used

    Contact for Application Materials:

  • Tyrina Newkirk, Program Officer

  • Email: tnewkirk@iejf.org

  • Phone/additional info available through IEJF contact page
  • What Illinois Equal Justice Foundation actually gave

    Source: IRS Form 990-PF, 2025

    Grants in 2025
    54
    Total given
    $13.89M
    Median grant
    $50K
    Range
    $10K–$4.07M
    • By dollars: Illinois 100%. Top recipient cities: Chicago, IL; St Louis, IL; Rockford, IL.
    • 0% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
    • 11% of recipients were new grantees, not repeat recipients.

    Example grants

    • Land of Lincoln Legal Aid · St Louis, IL

      To provide legal information, advice and representation to low-income people in 65…

      $4.07M

    • Prairie State Legal Services · Rockford, IL

      To provide legal information, advice and representation to low-income people in 36…

      $3.3M

    • Coordinated Advice & Referral Program for Legal Services · Chicago, IL

      To provide coordinated legal information, advice and referrals to low-income people in…

      $1.03M

    • Legal Aid Chicago · Chicago, IL

      To provide legal information, advice and representation to low-income people, veterans…

      $743K

    • Dispute Resolution Institute · Carbondale, IL

      To provide mediation services for familiies in the 1st judicial circuit and to…

      $579K

    IRS Form 990-PF, 2025. Amounts as reported by the funder. Full 990 history →

    Focus Areas & Funding Uses

    Fields of Work

    human-rightsimmigrationdomestic-violencecriminal-justice

    Categories

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