Emerging Justice fund

If you would like support for urgent or short-term work, you can apply at any time for a grant of up to £50,000 for up to 12 months. These grants are intended for small, specific pieces of work that may then lead to a longer-term flexible grant. This might be, for example, to: 

• Identify a possible legal partner 
• Work with a partner to develop a legal strategy 
• Understand the law relevant to your campaign and identify potential changes and opportunities to influence. 

You’ll receive a decision from us on these applications within 12–14 weeks.  

If you would like funding to test out a new legal approach or partnership, we make decisions twice a year. You can apply for up to three years’ flexible funding of £50,000-£75,000 per year. We will not normally fund more than 50% of your organisation’s annual income. 
 
This might involve, for example: 

• Using the law, including complaints to ombudsmen and public sector equality duty challenges, to hold institutions to account.
• Influencing the legislative process on your campaign issue to improve the law.
• Contributing to strategic litigation. 

We are also open to your other ideas of how you could use the law for change. 

We recognise that this type of campaign and partnership development can take a lot of time to get right and to ensure that it is rooted in the views and experiences of the communities impacted. You can apply for up to three years’ flexible funding of £50,000-£75,000 per year. We will not normally fund more than 50% of your organisation’s annual income.

These grants can be used to fund any costs including, but not limited to: 

• Staff time (new or existing)
• Volunteer expenses
• Legal fees or consultancy
• Event costs including participation expenses, venue hire and catering
• Overheads 

We will also offer free access to a legal advisor if you do not have an existing connection to one.

You can speak to us about this funding and apply at any time but we will make decisions on applications twice a year.