Civil Legal Assistance Grant Program

The Illinois Equal Justice Foundation (IEJF), a state-established nonprofit based in Chicago, supports access to civil legal aid for low-income Illinois residents through a variety of funding programs. Since its inception, IEJF has played a central role in allocating state appropriations to nonprofit legal service providers. Its funding supports organizations that assist vulnerable residents in resolving life-changing legal issues related to family safety, financial stability, and access to basic needs. For Fiscal Year 2026, IEJF will disburse $4.75 million in civil legal assistance grants to support eligible nonprofit organizations serving Illinois residents. This particular funding opportunity supports civil legal assistance under IEJF’s broader Civil Legal Aid Grants umbrella. The funding is intended to enhance legal assistance for low-income individuals in two defined priority areas: (1) Legal Assistance to Families in Crisis and (2) Legal Assistance to Older Illinoisans. The first priority area encompasses legal help in family law cases such as orders of protection, guardianships, child custody, divorce, and school disciplinary hearings, as well as consumer law and access to veterans or disability benefits. The second category addresses the needs of residents 65 years and older, including legal services to prevent financial and physical abuse, and legal assistance related to healthcare, housing, and public benefits like Medicare and Social Security. Grants awarded under this opportunity are designed to fund direct service staff positions, including attorneys, paralegals, pro bono coordinators, or social/caseworkers directly supporting legal services. Eligible expenses include salaries, benefits, and up to 10% of overhead costs directly supporting the funded position. Applicants must demonstrate how the staff position enhances their delivery of efficient and effective legal aid in one or both of the outlined priority areas. Each applicant must submit a separate proposal for each staff position requested under this category. Eligible applicants must be Illinois-based not-for-profit organizations that (1) provide services within one or both of the specified priority areas; (2) have operated continuously for at least two years; (3) have spent at least $200,000 on civil legal aid in their most recently completed fiscal year; and (4) either employ at least four full-time, licensed attorneys or have served at least 200 low-income clients through pro bono attorneys in the same period. Additional organizational eligibility requirements include having 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status and providing legal services free of charge or on a sliding scale to clients earning up to 150% of the federal poverty level. Applicants must also submit an Organizational Assurances application for FY26. Applications open on June 27, 2025, and are due by July 25, 2025. The grant period runs from September 1, 2025, through August 31, 2026. Site visits and application review will occur in August, and award decisions will be announced in October 2025. Grant reports are due mid-cycle by March 20, 2026, and a final report is due by September 30, 2026. All funds must be spent by August 31, 2026. Failure to submit timely reports may result in loss of future funding. Application materials and the Organizational Assurances form must be submitted through the IEJF’s grantmaking portal on its website. Applicants with questions should contact Leslie Corbett, Executive Director, at lcorbett@iejf.org or 312-463-9134. Additional information, including guidelines and technical resources, is available under the Grantee Resources tab on the IEJF website. Public review of the program guidelines took place from April 4 through May 2, 2025. The IEJF Board approved the final guidelines on June 10, 2025.

Review Grantee Resources prior to applying; ensure separate proposals per request