Funding to provide legal services and supports for racialized communities

This call for proposals is now closed. We are no longer accepting funding applications.

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Overview

The Justice Partnership and Innovation Program (JPIP) is launching an anticipatory call for proposals that seeks to fill gaps in legal services and supports for racialized communities in Canada.

Budget 2021 announced $21.5 Million in funding to support the provision of culturally appropriate legal information and resources and to pilot legal advice services for racialized communities across Canada.

JPIP provides contribution funding for projects that support ensuring a fair, relevant and accessible Canadian justice system. JPIP supports activities that respond effectively to the changing conditions effecting Canadian justice policy. Priorities include access to justice, family violence, and emerging justice issues. The long-term goal of JPIP is to contribute to increasing access to the Canadian justice system and strengthening the Canadian legal framework.

This anticipatory call for proposals aims to support increased access to culturally appropriate and accessible legal information, supports and advice for racialized communities across Canada. This will support individuals and communities to increase their understanding of the law and their rights, how to exercise those rights in legal matters and to make informed decisions. This will empower individuals to be active participants in addressing their legal matters and to access the justice system meaningfully.

Funding opportunity

The call includes two main funding components:

Note: Applicants can include one or both funding components in their proposal.

Public legal education and information

The objective of this component is to support individuals to increase their awareness and knowledge of their rights and legal options. This will empower individuals to make informed decisions in regards to legal issues they may be facing.

Funding is available for projects to develop culturally relevant public legal education and information (PLEI) materials and resources, such as print materials, online resources, information sessions/workshops and sample legal documents to aid racialized communities in learning about their rights and the justice system. Information, tools and supports would assist individuals to navigate options available to them on a range of legal issues spanning the civil and criminal justice systems.

This component could include funding for cultural education and training sessions with justice system stakeholders to enhance their capacity to support racialized communities.

PLEI resources should be presented in plain language, accessible formats and in multiple languages based on the target audiences.

Key activities

Projects should include the following key activities:

Legal advice and supports

This component will help to remove barriers to justice faced by members of racialized communities. Projects will support the provision of legal supports and advice to help individuals understand their options and support them to navigate their specific legal situation.

Funding is available to support a limited number of pilot projects with organizations currently providing legal supports and services to racialized communities (including community-based organizations and legal clinics).

Eligible activities include:

Key activities

Proposals should include an examination of the following:

Objective and outcomes

The ultimate objective of the initiative is to increase access to justice for racialized communities, including Indigenous peoples, across Canada.

Projects must align with the planned outcomes for the initiative:

Reporting and deliverables

Successful applicants will be required to complete project reporting, including the collection of disaggregated data by gender, age, ethnicity, language and location (template to be provided by JPIP) for legal advice services.

Key project deliverables will include:

Key considerations

The following key considerations should be applied in developing applications for this anticipatory funding opportunity, and be present in the proposal.

Target population / identified legal priorities

Applicants must demonstrate their experience in working with racialized communities and delivering culturally relevant services. In addition, applicants should have experience in supporting individuals in legal matters. If an applicant does not have the necessary experience, the application should demonstrate how this expertise will be obtained (for example, through partnerships, hiring expertise, community engagement, etc.)

Gender Based Analysis Plus (GBA+)

Using a GBA+ involves applying a gender and diversity sensitive approach to your work. Projects under this initiative will need to integrate a gender-based analysis+ lens and be able to take into account relevant intersectional factors, such as race, ethnicity, gender, income, age, disability, language, immigration status, etc., to address the experiences of diverse racialized communities. When preparing your proposal, please elaborate on how your proposed activities will consider, and impact diverse individuals and communities.

Cultural sensitivity

Understanding the cultural contexts of diverse populations is an essential element in designing and delivering information and services appropriately and effectively. Applicants must demonstrate, directly or through partnerships with other organizations, their experience, knowledge and understanding of culture as it relates to the implementation of their proposed project.

Official languages

In support of Section 41 of the Official Languages Act, Justice is committed to facilitating the participation of official language minority communities and their organizations in the development and assessment of Justice's policies, programs and services having significant impact on the development of those communities; and, to taking measures to ensure that Justice's programs and services reach official language minority communities. In the context of project funding, these measures include:

Additional information

Length of project

Funding is available up to March 31, 2026.

How much funding is available for each project?

Proposed budgets should reflect the scope of the project (geographic scope and community targets) and nature of activities.

Please provide as much detail as possible in your budget to support a full assessment.

Who can apply for the funding?

We strongly encourage organizations that have experience in developing or delivering public legal education and information and/or working on justice issues to submit proposals. Organizations with significant experience working with racialized communities, including Indigenous communities, are also strongly encouraged to submit proposals.

Applicants should be able to demonstrate in the proposal their experience in the development of legal information, services and supports for and with racialized communities. If an organization does not have significant experience serving racialized communities, the application should demonstrate how this expertise will be obtained (for example, through partnerships and/or community engagement).

Eligible applicants include:

How to apply

This call for proposals closed on January 10, 2022. We are no longer accepting funding applications.

If you already submitted your application and have not received a confirmation of receipt, please contact us by email at pb-dgp@justice.gc.ca or by phone at 613-941-4193.