The Illinois Equal Justice Foundation (IEJF) offers grants in the "Legal Information for the Public" category to help Illinois residents better understand and use the legal system to resolve their problems. The program aims to support legal information centers and projects that provide accessible and practical legal resources to the public, focusing on helping individuals who may not have legal representation navigate legal issues. The grants support initiatives that distribute legal information and self-help materials, facilitate understanding of court procedures, and inform people of their legal rights and responsibilities across various areas of civil law, including family law, consumer issues, housing, and immigration.
The program considers two types of projects for funding. Legal Information Centers serve as starting points for individuals contemplating legal action by offering information about court systems, legal rights, obtaining representation, and alternatives to litigation. These centers should be situated in public spaces such as libraries or courthouses to ensure accessibility, though virtual centers are also eligible due to COVID-19. Legal Information Projects complement these centers by directly assisting people in understanding and resolving their legal issues, which may include creating self-help materials, offering pro se classes taught by attorneys, or other innovative approaches to provide the public with the necessary legal knowledge.
Eligible applicants must be Illinois-based nonprofit organizations that provide free legal information under the guidance of a licensed attorney, court, or accredited representative for matters like immigration or tax law. The projects must serve areas of law commonly encountered by the public, such as family or housing law, and deliver information in accessible locations or through virtual platforms. Proposals must specifically aim to resolve legal problems and not just engage in general legal education, criminal law matters, or community outreach activities like Law Day events.
Applications are evaluated on several criteria, including demonstrated need for the services, such as the prevalence of self-represented cases in the area, and the project's support from local legal and community figures. The program gives preference to new legal information centers in underserved counties, initiatives targeting vulnerable populations (e.g., immigrants, disabled people, the homeless, and seniors), and projects that can be replicated across the state to benefit other communities.
Grant funding in this category covers operating expenses for legal information centers, the development and distribution of self-help materials, and personnel costs associated with these services. The IEJF aims to support projects that fill critical gaps in public access to legal information and empower residents to effectively address their legal challenges.
