Aims/priorities: The fund supports legal work to promote the rights of vulnerable migrant children and young adults. The grants are for strategic legal work where the impact is likely to go beyond an individual case, and result in changes to law, policy and practice that benefit a wider group of people. The Strategic Legal Fund (SLF) funds strategic legal work in any area of law where vulnerable young migrants experience disadvantage or discrimination as a result of migration status.
The SLF defines vulnerable young migrants as follows:
- Migrants or the children of migrants.
- Who are under 25 years.
- Who are living in poverty.
- Who face significant disadvantage or discrimination in connection with their (or their parents') migration status.
The funding is for strategic legal work which is defined here as work where the impact is likely to go beyond an individual case, and to result in changes to law, policy and practice that will benefit a wider group of people. Applications must be to fund one of two kinds of strategic legal work:
- The research and development of cases pre-litigation including: gathering evidence to test a hypothesis or research to establish authorities' policy and practice, identifying potential plaintiffs/applicants/appellants; researching whether to proceed; translating relevant material; and evaluating a litigation strategy.
- Third party "interventions" in existing cases, which allow a non-party intervener to assist the court in arriving in its decision in a case, acting as an amicus curiae, a friend of the court.
The funding will cover 'any reasonable revenue costs' that are incurred to undertake proposed pre-litigation research or to prepare third party intervention. This includes temporary staffing, freeing up or extending existing staff hours, volunteer expenses, travel and subcontracting with other voluntary and community organisations.
Applicants should check the list of previous SLF grants to make sure their proposal does not duplicate any existing work.
Who can apply? Applications will be considered from:
- Not-for-profit organisations that provide specialist level legal advice to vulnerable young migrants.
- Firms of solicitors that provide specialist level legal advice to vulnerable young migrants and can demonstrate that the funded work does not include any element of profit and there is a pro bono element included.
Grant amount: The maximum grant available is £30,000, though groups are encouraged to apply for lesser amounts. The average grant size is around £12,000.
Application process: Guidelines and an application form can be found on the ILPA website.
Deadline: 25 February 2021.
Contact information: Email claire.tindale@ilpa.org.uk
Website address: About | Strategic Legal Fund