Deadline: 21-Sep-23
The Alberta Law Foundation funds programs that conduct legal research, propose law reforms, improve Albertans’ knowledge of their legal rights and responsibilities, and help them effectively exercise their rights under the law.
The Foundation’s mission is to advance access to justice by supporting collaboration and innovation in the delivery of legal services and the administration of justice in Alberta.
Priorities
- Invest in sustainable and effective initiatives that have a demonstrable impact on Albertans navigating the justice system in Alberta.
- Build sector capacity by being a resource and community convener in the justice sector.
- Demonstrate leadership through a culture of inclusivity, communication, and collaboration.
What they will fund?
- Legal Research and Law Reform
- Research initiatives that develop recommendations for reforming the law or the administration of justice help ensure that the law and the justice system evolve to meet the needs of society today.
- Law Libraries
- Law libraries that are accessible to the public enable all Albertans to access the information and tools they need to understand the law and how it applies to them.
- Public Legal Information and Education
- Legal information and education available in multiple formats, in plain language, helps Albertans understand their legal rights and obligations and what they can expect from the justice system.
- Legal Assistance for individuals facing barriers
- Affordable legal advice, representation and other direct legal supports help individuals protect and exercise their rights under the law and obtain the benefits they are entitled to. This is especially important for individuals living with low income, disabilities, language, cultural or other barriers, racialized Albertans and Indigenous individuals.
- Legal Aid Alberta
- Legal Aid Alberta provides legal representation to the most vulnerable citizens facing the most serious legal issues such as criminal charges, child welfare and family law issues. The Foundation contributes at least 25% of its annual revenue from interest on lawyers’ trust accounts to support the operations of Legal Aid Alberta.
Eligible Activities
- Universities/Colleges/School Boards
- Members of any university faculty and organizations associated with a university faculty must submit their projects through the faculty Dean.
- The Foundation does not contribute to core program costs or course development, which should be the normal duty of the professor or instructor.
- Honoraria for lawyers presenting public legal education workshops are not normally funded by the Foundation.
- Rural public legal education workshops must be coordinated through a centrally funded agency such as a college or Adult Learning Council to avoid a proliferation of applications for small amounts of funding.
- Law Student Legal Assistance Programs must:
- Have a Board of Directors or be under the responsibility of the Dean of the Faculty of Law. No student or non-student employees other than the student Executive Director will sit on the board.
- Have a qualified supervising lawyer or lawyers.
- Give legal information and assistance only and not legal advice (pursuant to the rules of the Law Society of Alberta and the Courts).
- Conferences
- A conference that is deemed to be a professional development activity for a particular group of professionals will not be funded by the Foundation.
- All funded conferences must be open to the general public.
- The Foundation does not normally fund the costs of delegates to conferences. This includes travel costs for individuals to attend conferences in other provinces or countries.
- The Foundation funds expenses for resource persons at a conference only if they are addressing public legal education or legal research topics. It is preferred in such cases that they be lawyers or justice system personnel.
- Meals, beverages, and other hospitality expenses at conferences must be covered by the registration fees or other sources of funding besides the Foundation.
- National or International Activities
- International projects are not normally funded, especially if administered from outside Alberta.
- National programs or projects administered outside of Alberta must demonstrate a clear direct benefit to Albertans and have a commitment of funding from their own law foundation, or at least their strong written support.
- National programs or projects administered from within Alberta must demonstrate a benefit to Albertans and are expected to seek out funding from other sources in proportion to the national scope of their activities and impact.
- Materials to be made available to the public
- Materials created with funding from the Foundation must be made available to the public free of charge or may be sold on a nominal or cost recovery basis only.
Eligibility Criteria
- The grants are available to an organization that is incorporated as a non-profit entity or is a First Nation or Band Council.
- You may also apply if you are a subdivision of an incorporated entity, or operate as an unincorporated association with a board of directors or equivalent supervisory body.
Ineligibility Criteria
- The Foundation will not provide funding for the following purposes:
- Individuals;
- Commercial entities;
- International projects, except in exceptional circumstances;
- Donations;
- Endowment grants;
- Fellowships or sabbatical leaves;
- Political lobbies;
- Programs of government departments;
- Activities that have as the primary object the provision of social services;
- Professional development activities for third parties, except training for social service providers related to the legal issues faced by vulnerable individuals, e.g. about how to identify a legal issue and make good referrals to legal services. Professional development for grantee staff and board members will be considered for funding as long as related to delivery of a legal program or project funded by ALF;
- Cost of an application for funding to a third party;
- Deficit budgets or retroactive deficits.
For more information, visit Alberta Law Foundation.
