Grant Application Process | Legal Services
Grant Guidelines
As a small foundation, we strive to ensure that our funds are allocated in a manner that is “right sized”. As a result, we have developed the following set of criteria with regards to types of applicants, geography and sector impact.
Grant Types: Legal Services
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Grants for general operations are generally made to legal services organizations who provide unique services within their communities. This includes funding to legal service providers who are based in “legal deserts”.
I & R Grants
Our I & R Grants target projects and programs that are both innovative and replicable. We support these grants to allow legal services leaders to test models that have the potential to help their individual organizations and when replicated, to help their peer organizations.
This includes, but is not limited to strategy-focused projects designed to enhance the effectiveness of an organization to answer questions posed by either the organization or by the legal services sector.
I & R Grants
Sector Supporting Grants
'Hubs', Recruitment & Retention and Advocacy
"Hubs": Organizations that do not generally provide direct legal services programs, but provide technical assistance and substantive back-up to the direct services programs. They provide support service to legal services offices in the following areas: training, technical assistance, research and advocacy. Examples include:
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Support Centers
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Think Tanks
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Design Labs
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Impact Litigation
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Recruitment & Retention Grants: In an effort to support the legal services sector and ensure a strong and consistent pipeline of new legal services staff, we support grants that focus on recruitment & retention of legal services professionals. Examples of such grants include:
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Public Services Loan Forgiveness Programs
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Loan Assistance Repayment Programs
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Staff Well-Being
Advocacy Grants: We fund advocacy work that supports to the legal service sector. However, do not fund lobbying efforts on new laws, legislation or for candidates.
Sector Supporting Grants
'Hubs', Recruitment & Retention and Advocacy
Access Grants
Access grants seek to strengthen an organization's ability to efficiently deliver services to clients. Ranging from $1,000-$3,500, these grants facilitate access to existing tools that might otherwise might be out the organization's financial reach, that have a direct benefit to the organization or the clients they serve.
In an effort to be responsive to the needs of our grantees, OD Access Grants are reviewed within 30 days of the date the application is submitted.
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To learn more about these grants and apply, please visit the Access Grant area of our site.
Access Grants
Letter of Inquiry for Legal Services
Once you've reviewed the type of grants we provide and their guidelines, we invite you to submit a Letter of Inquiry.
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LOIs are required for all organizations seeking support in a given cyle, including organizations funded in a previous cycle.
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LOIs will be reviewed at the conclusion of each open submission period. Once reviewed, feedback will be provided and invitations to submit complete grant applications will be sent, if applicable.
Grant Application for Legal Services
An invitation is required to submit a grant application. ​​​​​
Grant applications will be reviewed at the conclusion of each open submission period. Once reviewed, we will email the contact person identified in the application regarding next steps. Grant applications will be submitted through our online grantee portal.
Reporting on Your Grant
If approved for funding, within 6-8 months of the grant's distribution, you will be required to submit a report on the status of the funded project or the impact general operating support has had on your organization's work. ​​