Private Law Justice and Legal Services Grants

This grant provides funding to nonprofit organizations in the Kansas City area for specific arts-related projects that are publicly accessible and not year-round initiatives.

The California Wildlands Grassroots Fund (Cal Wildlands), administered by the Rose Foundation for Communities and the Environment, aims to preserve California's wildlands by supporting the work of activists and organizations dedicated to their protection. This aligns directly with the Rose Foundation's broader mission for communities and the environment by fostering grassroots efforts that lead to permanent conservation, restoration, and stewardship of natural habitats. The program's core objective is to safeguard California's wilderness and native biological diversity through strategic, community-driven initiatives. The primary beneficiaries of Cal Wildlands are small nonprofit organizations with annual expenses and income of $200,000 or less, as well as individual activists with a proven track record in protecting California's natural landscapes, ecosystems, plants, and wildlife. The fund specifically targets geographic areas and advocacy efforts that have not traditionally received significant financial support, including rural communities. The impact goals are centered on achieving permanent protection for wildlands, which are defined as natural habitats capable of supporting significant native plant and animal life, through legislation or deed restrictions. The fund prioritizes discrete, project-specific support with concrete sites and strategies, particularly those in geographic or issue areas historically underserved by financial and political support. It strongly emphasizes community-based advocacy and organizing, where campaigns are steered by affected community members and largely driven by volunteers. Other key priorities include projects that establish or combat critical precedents, innovative strategies, and efforts to build diverse constituencies for wildlands protection, especially by engaging communities of color and non-traditional stakeholders. Cal Wildlands supports a broad range of strategies and activities to achieve its objectives. These include grassroots organizing, public education, legislative advocacy, media campaigns, lawsuits, scientific research (including citizen science), coalition building, and developing partnerships. Supported activities range from communications campaigns and strategic planning to hiring technical and legal experts, training, and restoration. The expected outcomes involve tangible advancements in wildlands and open space protection, increased community engagement in conservation efforts, and the establishment of critical precedents that can influence future protection initiatives, ultimately contributing to the long-term preservation of California's natural heritage and biodiversity.

The Women’s Foundation of Minnesota (WFM) Fund for Safety is dedicated to innovating and resourcing initiatives that aim to end gender-based violence, encompassing sex trafficking, domestic violence, rape, sexual assault, and sexual harassment. This grant program is deeply aligned with WFM's mission to invest in women’s safety and work collaboratively with communities to eliminate gender-based violence. The foundation operates with an ethos of listening and responding to community concerns, which drives its strategic, cross-sector plans and efforts to create collective impact. The Fund for Safety prioritizes ending all forms of violence affecting women, girls, and gender-expansive individuals, including sexual violence, physical violence, state and structural violence, and the exploitation and abuse experienced by elders and people with disabilities. WFM is committed to investing in organizations that serve Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian and Pacific Islander communities, LGBTQ+ people, people with disabilities, Greater and rural MN communities, and immigrant and refugee populations. The definition of a woman for this program is inclusive of anyone who identifies as a woman, including transgender, gender nonconforming, gender nonbinary, and all gender-expansive people who experience gender-based structural harm. The program has three core priorities, with anticipated outcomes focused on healing from trauma and cultivating community-centered solutions for survivors. These priorities include strengthening systems and infrastructure to sustain the movement to end gender-based violence, building and sustaining movements for missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, missing and murdered Black women and girls, and preventing violence against Latina women. Additionally, the fund aims to prevent cycles of gender-based violence among young women, men, and gender-expansive people by addressing misogyny, misogynoir, and toxic masculinity through education to promote healthy gender norms and relationships. Expected outcomes and measurable results stem from these priorities, aiming to address systemic inequities and reform policies that perpetuate gender-based and state-sanctioned violence. The grant specifically offers a one-year investment of $20,000 in general operating support. Eligibility criteria include Minnesota-based nonprofit tax-exempt organizations, schools, unincorporated organizations with a fiscal sponsor, and American Indian Nations, all operating programs within Minnesota that benefit women, girls, and gender-expansive people, or organizations serving at least 50 to 75 percent of these populations. Programs must demonstrate the ability to work in partnership with other organizations and drive innovative solutions that advance gender and racial equity and justice by increasing access to safety.

This funding provides $3,000 to artists and creative entrepreneurs in select Pennsylvania counties who experienced income loss due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Pittsburgh Foundation's Raymond C. and Martha S. Suckling Fund aims to enhance the lives of low-income residents in Sewickley and surrounding communities, aligning with the Foundation's broader mission to support local needs. This grant initiative offers two types of support: Project/Program Support for specific, time-bound programmatic activities, and General Operating Support, which provides flexible funding for an organization's mission-critical costs, including administrative salaries, rent, office supplies, and program expenses. This flexibility recognizes the adaptive needs of nonprofits in addressing evolving community challenges. The target beneficiaries are low-income residents in specific Allegheny and Beaver County communities, including Sewickley, Aliquippa, Ambridge, Haysville, Leetsdale, McKees Rocks, and Coraopolis. The primary impact goal is to improve the lives of these residents, with a strong focus on advancing racial justice. The Foundation prioritizes organizations that are representative of the communities they serve, intentionally serve Black, Indigenous, Latino, and people of color communities, and address the intersection of race with other marginalized groups such as LGBTQIA individuals, people with disabilities, women, and immigrants. Key priorities for funding include organizations with an established history in their communities and those that primarily serve communities disproportionately impacted by poverty. The grant amounts generally range from $10,000 to $75,000 for one-year grants and up to $150,000 for two-year grants. Larger grants may be considered in limited situations for proposals demonstrating clear need and potential impact, especially those aligning with racial justice and the Foundation's focus areas, though a conversation with a program officer is required for requests exceeding $150,000. Expected outcomes include improved living conditions and opportunities for low-income residents, as well as the advancement of racial justice within these communities. While specific measurable results are not detailed, the emphasis on achieving specific goals and milestones for Project/Program Support, and the focus on organizations with a mission to advance racial justice, suggest an expectation of tangible positive change. The Foundation's strategic priority is to support organizations that are deeply rooted in and reflective of the communities they serve, fostering a theory of change that empowers local efforts to address systemic inequalities and improve social determinants of health and well-being.

This funding opportunity supports organizations working to improve the environmental quality of the Quinnipiac River and its watershed through initiatives like pollution reduction, habitat restoration, and public education.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to organizations focused on developing a skilled workforce in Illinois' clean energy sector, particularly for underserved communities.

This grant provides funding for researchers to study the impact of race, legal status, and public policy on the integration experiences of immigrants and their descendants in the United States.

This grant provides funding to Illinois nonprofit organizations to create legal information centers and projects that help residents understand and navigate the legal system, particularly in areas like family law, housing, and immigration.

The Mohall Area Community Foundation is actively seeking applications to establish a streamlined process for receiving donations and distributing grants. This initiative aims to benefit various projects and nonprofit organizations within the Mohall area, aligning directly with the Foundation's mission to foster community growth and support local endeavors. As an affiliate of the North Dakota Community Foundation, a recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the Mohall Area Community Foundation is committed to upholding rigorous standards of philanthropic practice and ensuring that its grant-making activities contribute meaningfully to the community's well-being. The target beneficiaries for these grants include organizations classified under IRS code 501(c)(3) and those with formal affiliations to government entities such as schools, park districts, or city administrations. The primary impact goal is to strengthen the Mohall community by supporting organizations that provide essential services and implement beneficial projects. Grants to religious organizations are specifically limited to non-denominational activities that serve the entire community, ensuring inclusivity and broad-based positive impact. The Foundation's priorities and focuses for funding decisions are centered on several key areas. These include assessing the organizational management and integrity of applicants, evaluating the level of local involvement and support for proposed projects, considering the number of people who will be served by the grant, and anticipating the overall impact of the grant on the project's success. These criteria ensure that funding is directed towards well-managed organizations with strong community ties and projects that promise significant positive outcomes. Expected outcomes and measurable results, while not explicitly detailed with specific metrics, are implied through the consideration criteria. The Foundation anticipates that grants will lead to improved organizational capacity, increased community engagement, broader reach of services, and successful project implementation that benefits the residents of Mohall. Although the typical grant size is modest, generally not exceeding $1000 per application, the cumulative effect of these grants is expected to contribute to the overall vitality and development of the Mohall area. For more comprehensive information, applicants are encouraged to visit the NDCF website.

This grant provides funding to non-profit organizations in West Virginia for initiatives that address the opioid crisis through prevention, recovery housing, and support programs.

This funding opportunity supports community-led projects in Philadelphia that promote food justice by empowering marginalized groups to access, grow, and sell healthy food in areas with limited fresh food availability.

This grant provides funding to nonprofit organizations in Alabama that deliver free civil legal services to low-income individuals, improve the justice system, and promote legal education.

Arts Midwest is offering Cultural Sustainability: Equity-Based Operating Grants of up to $67,000 to small arts and culture organizations rooted in communities of color, providing general operating support for those with annual expenses up to $500,000 in selected states.

This grant provides funding to support small farmers and public entities in Maryland to aggregate local food products for sale to wholesale and institutional markets, enhancing the local food system.

This grant provides unrestricted funding to nonprofit organizations in Polk, Warren, and Dallas counties, Iowa, that focus on improving the safety, education, and economic empowerment of girls and women.

The Rose Community Foundation's Jewish Life Grant Program aims to support organizations and programs that reflect Greater Denver's diverse Jewish communities. The program seeks to offer meaningful and relevant opportunities for engagement in Jewish life while welcoming diverse individuals, families, and practices. This initiative aligns with the foundation's broader mission to foster a thriving Jewish community and contribute to social well-being in the region. The target beneficiaries are organizations and programs serving the seven-county Greater Denver community, specifically focusing on Jewish people within Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, and Jefferson Counties. The impact goals include strengthening Jewish organizations, promoting diverse engagement in Jewish life, and advancing social justice through Jewish values and traditions. The program prioritizes efforts to increase the organizational strength and capacity of Jewish organizations working in the seven-county Denver metro area. It also focuses on programs and projects that are reflective of diverse Jewish communities and offer meaningful opportunities for engagement. Additionally, Jewish initiatives seeking to advance social justice by engaging Jewish people and using Jewish values to respond to key social and economic issues are a priority. Expected outcomes include enhanced organizational capacity within Jewish organizations, increased and more diverse participation in Jewish life, and a greater impact on social justice issues through Jewish-led initiatives. While specific measurable results are not detailed in the provided information, the program implies a focus on growth in organizational strength, community engagement, and social impact. The foundation's strategic priorities, as evidenced by this program, revolve around supporting and strengthening the Jewish community in Greater Denver. Their theory of change appears to be that by investing in the capacity of Jewish organizations, fostering diverse engagement, and supporting social justice initiatives rooted in Jewish values, they can create a more vibrant, inclusive, and impactful Jewish community that positively addresses broader societal challenges.

Our grantees work to build on the entrepreneurial spirit, strong community ties, and untapped potential within Native nations, communities of color, rural communities, and other resilient communities who have fewer opportunities to thrive on their own terms. We envision strong, vibrant communities where people are connected to good jobs and have the financial capability to build their assets and provide a secure future for their families and communities. A Need to Close the Opportunity Gaps Our economic system doesn’t work for everyone. It widens income and opportunity gaps, restrains economic mobility, and traps people and communities in a cycle of poverty and injustice. A disproportionate number of Native Americans, people of color, refugees, immigrants, and rural Americans are living in crisis—or just a paycheck away from it. Nationally, six in 10 families of color don’t have the cash on hand to cover basic expenses—like rent, medical emergencies, or the need to fix a car—for three months.

This funding opportunity supports organizations and youth-led initiatives that aim to raise awareness and inspire action for young people affected by the justice system through events and activities during Youth Justice Action Month.