These helpful tools are designed to help you build efficient and holistic models of providing legal services. Click through the links below to learn more about resources for legal aid organizations seeking funding, webinars and presentations that provide in-depth looks at topical issues, and why legal aid is impactful.
This list is cross-posted on this site’s companion, LegalAidResources.
Resources for legal aid seeking funding:
NLADA’s Comparison of Major Sources of Federal Funding. This guide provides an overview of key funding sources for legal aid and tracks the amount they have been funded since FY 2016.
The Justice in Government Project’s Grants Matrix. The matrix is intended as an introduction to the possibilities for partnering with state and local governments to address the need for civil legal help that advances government priorities involving low-income and other underserved populations. It provides an overview of those state-administered federal funds that can support legal aid and examples of how states have used these funds to advance their goals with legal aid.
Management Innovation Excellence (MIE) for Legal Aid’s Fundraising Project. MIE provides an initial consultant to subscribed organizations at no cost. You provide them with some basic information about your budget, resource development experience and sample materials. They will talk with you, provide some analysis, and help identify your next steps.
Sign up for Grants.gov news and the Grants.gov newsletter. You can receive a monthly newsletter with grant writing tips and updates on forecasted and open grants.
Read why legal aid is a partner for philanthropy. Former president of the Public Welfare Foundation makes the case that investing in civil legal aid is smart, results-driven philanthropy.
Webinars and calls
NLADA and the Federal Trade Commission: Serving Victims of Identity Theft and Consumer Fraud: Assessing Need and Providing Critical Assistance
NLADA and the Justice in Government Project: Combating the Opioid Epidemic: How Civil Legal Aid Helps Those Affected by the Opioid Crisis
NLADA and the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division: Combatting Sexual Harassment In Housing
NLADA and the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division: Combatting Human Trafficking Through Collaboration
Council for State Governments Clean Slate Clearinghouse: Reducing Barriers to Employment-Building Partnerships with Civil Legal Aid
Pro Bono Net: LawHelp Interactive Monthly Call: Title IV-D and Child Support (funding discussion starts at about 22 minutes)
See other NLADA webinars here.
NLADA presentations:
Presentation on July 26, 2019 at the MIE Fundraising Conference – Advancing Your Work with Federal Funding: Addressing the opioid epidemic, facilitating reentry, and serving victims of crime
Presentation on May 9, 2019 at the Equal Justice Conference – Responding to the Opioid Crisis and Helping Crime Victims: Civil Legal Aid and Federal Funding
Presentation on May 9, 2018 at the Equal Justice Conference – Advancing Your Work through Federal Funding: Creating Opportunity through Criminal Record-Clearing
Presentation in May 2018 at the Equal Justice Conference – Growing a Clinic Practice and the Technology to Help
Presentation on March 11, 2018 at the Equal Justice Conference – Advancing Your Work through Federal Funding: Programs for Human Trafficking, Reentry, and Veterans
Presentation on December 8, 2017 at the NLADA Annual Conference – Advancing Your Work through Federal Funding: Programs for Reentry, Veterans and Victims of Crime
Presentation in July, 2017 at the MIE Fundraising Conference – Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Victim Assistance Formula Grant Program
Presentation on June 9, 2017 at the Community-Oriented Defender Network Conference – Funding Opportunities for Holistic Defense
Presentation on April 25, 2017 at the 5th National Parent Attorney Conference – Advancing Your Work through Lesser Known Federal Funding Streams
Presentation on November 10, 2016 at the NLADA Annual Conference – Understanding How Federal Block Grants Support Legal Aid
Presentation on May 13, 2016 at the Equal Justice Conference – Understanding How Federal Block and Formula Grants to State and Local Governments Support Legal Aid
Presentation on May 12, 2016 at the Equal Justice Conference – Accessing Federal Grant Funding
Making the case for legal aid:
NLADA’s companion site, LegalAidResearch. NLADA’s online database hosts more than 400 reports, evaluations, peer-reviewed, studies, needs assessments, and more related to how legal aid helps improve lives.
The Justice in Government Project’s Toolkit. The Toolkit helps bridge the gap between what researchers can tell us and what policymakers need to know about how legal aid can both help individuals and make existing programs more effective. Module 1 features 14 research briefs that show the evidence base for how legal aid can help children, individuals with disabilities, domestic violence survivors, law enforcement, and returning citizens among others.
Legal Aid Interagency Roundtable’s Toolkit. Learn how legal aid protects consumers, keeps America working, prevents elder abuse, supports tribes and tribal members, serves veterans, prevents domestic violence, keeps children in school, helps people exit homelessness and stay housed, improves access to health care, and assists reentry efforts.
The National Center for Access to Justice’s Justice Index. This Index scores and ranks the 50 states, District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico on their adoption of selected best practices for ensuring access to justice, creating incentives for state officials to replicate those practices.
The Self-Represented Litigation Network’s (SRLN) map gallery. This gallery has several interactive maps and data on pro se litigants in civil courts.
The Collateral Consequences Resource Center (CCRC). This site has reports how many laws states have enacted that reduce barriers to reentry for individuals with a criminal record. CCRC also provides recommendations and research.
Voices for Civil Justice’s Toolkit, All Rise for Civil Justice. This site provides stories about the civil justice system, the justice gap, the people it hurts and helps, and those working to make it better.
Looking for data?
Check out the Justice in Government Project’s section, Additional Tools. Sign up for NLADA and the Justice in Government Project’s curated research newsletter, Just Research, by contacting Casey Chiappetta at [email protected]
Love this list? Hate this list? Have any resources to add?
Contact Casey Chiappetta at [email protected]