Deadline for Equal Justice funding requests is July 15
The Illinois Equal Justice Foundation has announced a July 15 application deadline for grants that will be disbursed during the period from Sept. 1, 2008, to Aug. 31, 2009.
Current guidelines, which do not contain any substantive changes, are expected to be posted online by June 9 at www.iejf.org. Guidelines also may be found in the Illinois Equal Justice Act (30 ILCS 765).
Grants are made in five categories: Legal information to the public; Self help legal assistance projects; Mediation services; Telephone advice and referral services, and Civil legal assistance. A qualifying organization may apply separately in more than one category.
The state appropriation for the current year was $3.5 million. The General Assembly enacted legislation to raise it to $5 million, but the increase was vetoed by the governor.
Legislation has been proposed in Senate Bill 3028 to appropriate $5 million for the next fiscal year. The funds are included in the budget for the attorney general's office, which administers the appropriation. For details, access http://www.equaljusticeillinois.org.
From the July 15 application deadline through September, site visits will be made to eligible organizations. The board of directors will make grant decisions in October and begin distributions as funds are made available by the state.
Recipients must submit brief mid-term reports on grant-related activities by March 31, and all funds must be expended by Aug. 31, 2009. Detailed final reports are due by Sept. 30, 2009.
Lindner is honored
Christine M. Ory, president of the Illinois Equal Justice Foundation, presented a Champion of Justice Award on April 28 to retiring State Rep. Patricia Reid Lindner of Aurora.
During a Chicago reception sponsored by the Equal Justice Illinois Campaign, Lindner was recognized "for her steadfast commitment and years of work dedicated to protecting the civil rights of low-income families, elderly and children."
An attorney and a sponsor of the Illinois Equal Justice Act, she has supported legal aid funding throughout her 15-year legislative career. She serves on the Equal Justice Campaign's Blue-Ribbon Committee, which is chaired by Philip J. Rock and James R. Thompson.