How to apply to host a Justice First Fellow

If you are interested in applying to become a Justice First Fellowship host, please make sure you’ve read all the information about the programme and the funding criteria and exclusions. 

If you think this is the right funding opportunity for you, then you will need to register on our application portal with your name, organisation and contact details. You can ask us to create an account for you if you are having difficulty.

Applications are via our online application form, which will ask you some information about your group or organisation and how you would support a fellow.

Applications are assessed in two stages. The first stage (shortlisting) is done by our staff team based on your application and publicly available information. The second stage will involve a meeting, either online or in person. Shortlisted organisations will be asked to provide a budget and a training plan at second stage.

For all applications, we ask for a copy of your most recent accounts and your governing document (e.g. Constitution or Memorandum of Association) if these are not publicly available. 

Our grants team will read all the applications and information submitted. We will also look at publicly available information about your organisation such as your website, the Charity Commission, Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator or Companies House. 

The grants team discuss and agree which applicants are strongest within our available budget. You will hear by email if we have been able to shortlist your application within five weeks of the deadline. If your application has been turned down at first stage, we will give you the main reason and you may request further feedback. 

A member of the grants team will arrange a meeting with the organisation, either online or in person. We will want to find out more about the work that you do, and how you would support and train a fellow. 

Organisations will be asked to provide a proposed budget for the fellowship, and a training plan outlining how you would support a Fellow.

The grants team will meet to consider all the full assessments and review the training plans and budgets, ensuring we have all the information needed and that it is clear and consistent. We may ask you for additional information after this meeting.

All second stage applications are considered by our Grants Committee, who make the final decision. We will share with them your answers to the four application questions so that they see how you describe your own work, as well as the staff assessment. 

Our Grants Committee is made up of three LEF trustees and three external members with lived and learned experience of the issues we work on.

We will let you know the Committee’s decision by email. If your application is unsuccessful, we will include specific feedback on their reasons. 

We know that some people may use AI in their applications and we will not take this into account when assessing applications. We do not use AI at LEF at any stage of the assessment process.