Immigration Legal Access Grant

The Mayor’s Office for Immigrant Advancement (MOIA), a department of the City of Boston, has launched its annual grantmaking cycle with a focus on providing immigration legal assistance for Boston’s immigrant communities. With a total of $900,000 in funding available for Fiscal Year 2026, the Immigration Legal Access Grant seeks to support nonprofit organizations and legal service providers addressing the complexities of the U.S. immigration system. The grant application opened on September 8, 2025, and the deadline to submit completed applications is October 8, 2025, at 4:00 PM. Notifications of award decisions will be made by early December 2025, with project implementation scheduled from January 5 to August 31, 2026. The purpose of this grant program is to mitigate the disproportionate burden faced by immigrants in navigating legal processes. Barriers such as limited affordable legal services, high demand, and restrictive federal policy changes have exacerbated the challenges for immigrant communities. This funding aims to bridge that gap by supporting services including legal orientation, consultations, pro se assistance, bond assistance (excluding payment of bond), and full legal representation. Funded services must be delivered by licensed immigration attorneys, DOJ Accredited Representatives, or must be under adequate external legal supervision from attorneys in good standing with the Massachusetts Board of Bar Overseers. Eligibility is limited to 501(c)(3) organizations or those working with a fiscal sponsor. Organizations must demonstrate capacity to serve Boston residents with culturally and linguistically competent services. Applicants are also expected to be in good financial standing with the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office and the IRS. Preference is given to organizations that already have qualified legal staff or documented supervision agreements with credentialed attorneys. The maximum award amount is $100,000, though MOIA anticipates making one or two awards at this level and multiple awards ranging from $20,000 to $80,000. Applicants must submit a project budget and narrative detailing how funds will be used. Allowable costs include staff salaries, program materials, transportation, local conference attendance, food and beverage for participants, and technical assistance. Up to 10% of the award may be allocated for indirect costs, but rent and utilities are not permitted under indirect expenses. Matching funds are not required, though total grant funding may not exceed 50% of the organization’s annual budget. The application must be submitted through the WizeHive platform, with existing users using their current profiles and new applicants required to create an account. The platform allows for draft saving, and all notifications will be sent via email to designated profile owners. MOIA will offer two information sessions and four drop-in office hour sessions for applicant support in September and early October 2025. All grantees will be required to submit one interim and one final report, summarizing aggregated demographic data and impact metrics. Reports will be due during and after the grant period. The program is designed to respond to emerging legal needs due to shifting immigration policies and aims to serve residents of specific Boston neighborhoods listed on the city’s official website.

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