State Legal Aid Infrastructure & Innovation Grants Year 6
(Grant Period April 1, 2027 – March 31, 2028)
For the sixth year, the State has appropriated $10,000,000 through the Judicial Council for the California Access to Justice Commission (CalATJ) to provide grants to nonprofit organizations that provide civil legal aid to indigent persons. $9,700,000 is available to support infrastructure and innovation in organizations that provide legal services to create access to justice in civil matters. Applicants do not need to be IOLTA-funded to be eligible for these grants.
Please sign up for our mailing list for further information about this grant opportunity.
The anticipated application release date is August 13, 2026, and there will be a webinar on Monday, August 17, 2026 from 1:30 to 3 pm to explain in further detail the purposes of the grants, and the application and selection process. You can register for the webinar here. All applicants are strongly encouraged to attend, even if you have previously received an Infrastructure and Innovation grant.
The application will be available on August 13, 2026, and can be found on the Smart Simple platform, accessible here.
ELIGIBILITY
Applicants must meet the following criteria in order to be eligible to apply:
Applicants must be 501(c)(3) nonprofits that provide civil legal aid, including (but not limited to) qualified legal services projects and support centers as defined in Business & Professions Code §§ 6213–6215.
Applicants must provide civil legal services to indigent persons, defined in Business & Professions Code § 6213(d) as individuals living at or below 200% of the federal poverty threshold (FPT), seniors, or persons with certain developmental disabilities.
Special focus shall be given to:
projects that provide services to rural or underserved immigrant communities, regardless of citizenship status
projects that involve meaningful partnership with community-based nonprofits
AWARD INFORMATION
Total Funding: $9,700,000
Expected Number of Grants: 40-60
Grants Size: $25,000–$200,000 per project*
Anticipated Median Range: $75,000–$150,000
Grant Period: 12 months beginning April 1, 2027
PROJECT REQUIREMENTS
Project funds must be used to support the (1) infrastructure and/or (2) innovation needs of legal services in civil matters for indigent persons, defined as individuals living at or below 200% FPT, seniors, or persons with certain developmental disabilities, pursuant to Business & Professions Code § 6213(d). Innovation and Infrastructure project examples will be presented at the information session on August 17, 2026. Past Innovation and Infrastructure project examples are available on the CalATJ website.
Infrastructure: Similar to capacity building, infrastructure refers to foundational elements that help a nonprofit reach new levels of operational, programmatic, financial, or organizational maturity, so it may more effectively and efficiently advance its mission into the future. Infrastructure projects may include planning, governance, staffing, evaluation, financial management, legal accountability, communications, administrative functions, and technology. Infrastructure can also include leveraging relationships to access resources, exchange ideas, address shared issues, and collectively problem-solve in an effort to build capacity, both for a nonprofit and for the broader network, with the common goal of addressing pressing social concerns tied to legal issues.**
Innovation: Innovation is not necessarily a new project. It could be an expansion project, or improvements to a unique service delivery model. Innovations in legal aid change the affordability, accessibility, or effectiveness of practices or tools used to provide high-quality legal assistance to low-income persons. This can include approaches for using technology or partnerships in legal services delivery; enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of existing technologies or partnerships so that they may be better used to increase the quality and quantity of services to clients; or replicating, adapting, or providing added value to the work of prior technology projects or partnerships. Innovation efforts can be applied to programs, products or devices, partnerships, communications, or operating processes. Innovation results in improvements to service delivery, quality of legal work, and managerial practices. Innovations often incorporate technology, but can also be reflected in partnerships, or service delivery models.***
(* Grant awards will generally range between $25,000–$200,000, but the Commission may consider grants above this amount if they incorporate exceptional innovation or partnerships, or infrastructure projects that serve the legal aid network broadly..)
(**2 Adapted from the National Council of Nonprofits.)
(*** Adapted from PATH per Boston Consulting Group and Legal Services Corporation Technology Initiative Grant Program. )
APPLICATION TIMELINE (TENTATIVE)
August 13, 2026: Applications released on SmartSimple
August 17, 2026: Informational webinar: 1:30-3 pm (register here)
September 18, 2026: Applications due
September 21, 2026 – December 15, 2026: Application review; follow-up conducted with grantees as needed; recommendations provided by Selection Committee to Executive Committee
Mid December, 2026: Conditional Grant Awards announced; supplemental information open on SmartSimple
January 31, 2027: Supplemental budget and other information due
February 27, 2027: Final Grant Awards announced
April 1, 2027: Grant period begins
SUBGRANTS
Subgrants to legal aid organizations or community partners are encouraged. Applicants that are applying for a grant and are also a subgrantee of another application must demonstrate that the separate grants will not fund the same activities.
EVALUATION
Grantees will be required to complete quarterly fiscal reports, quarterly evaluation and status reports, and a final evaluative report, and may be required to participate in site visits. Additional information may be requested based on individual circumstances.