The Legal Education Foundation's Emerging Justice Fund supports organisations that are campaigning for change on human rights or equality issues but are not yet using or shaping the law to do this. You may already provide advice to individuals and/or share legal information. This fund can support you to explore how the law could help you to influence change.
This fund is for organisations that are ‘by and for’ the communities they serve. This means lived experience among your trustees or committees and senior staff as well as wider ways of building power among the people affected by the issue(s) you work on.
Are you a community organisation that:
- Is ‘by and for’, that is, led by the communities you serve?
- Is working to protect and promote rights and equality?
- Is campaigning for wider change and would like to explore how to add legal tools to this work?
You will have some understanding of the law as it relates to the issues you are working on but may not have previously used the law as a tool for change.
If you’re a ‘by and for’ organisation which already uses the law in campaigning for wider change, then the Foundation's Strengthening Justice fund may be a better option for you.
Who can apply?
They prioritise funding small and medium-sized organisations (usually under £2m annual income) which may struggle to find funding elsewhere.
They are unlikely to fund organisations that:
- Are based outside the UK
- Have fewer than three trustees, company directors or partners
- Have more general reserves than set out in their reserves policy
- Are in serious financial deficit
How to apply
Click here to apply on their website.
Closing date: Thursday 17 September 2026
