Goal:
To ensure low-income residents of Marin County have equal opportunities for legal representation and advocacy services
Overview:
Affordable, quality legal and advocacy assistance can help individuals gain or maintain economic security, preserve safe housing, prevent domestic violence, and maintain other basic needs. Nonprofit legal services providers are vital partners to protect the rights of those without the economic resources, public voice, or skills to defend themselves. MCF is committed to supporting an accessible, seamless legal services system that provides quality services for low-income Marin residents so that they are more likely to receive due process under the law. For the 2010-2011 funding cycle, the Foundation is interested in receiving proposals that include legal assistance and/or education for low-income homeowners facing foreclosure.
Under this goal, MCF will support projects that help low-income residents receive affordable, quality legal and advocacy services to better understand and protect their rights through two approaches. Funded projects may include one or both approaches:
Strategy: Help low-income residents receive affordable, quality legal and advocacy services to better understand and protect their rights
Approach 1: Support legal and advocacy services for low-income residents--e.g., eligibility in-takes and referrals, one-on-one legal advice, brief services, negotiations with opposing parties, administrative hearings or trials, or impact/systems change litigation.
Approach 2: Support outreach and education on legal and civil rights for low-income residents--group presentations, seminars, and workshops.
A logic model for this strategy has been developed that further explains the approaches, activities, and desired impact of this goal area.
Successful proposals will contain the following elements:
- Demonstrate clear capacity to deliver the services and supports proposed and/or demonstrate clear planning to grow capacity to deliver the services and supports proposed
- Demonstrate clear deliverables and measurable objectives
- Have leveraged strong relationships with community members, leaders and other supporting organizations that serve the same population
- Use research and data to inform program design, including data gathered from the clients and communities you aim to serve
- Documented past project outcomes that will provide knowledge and/or data to create baseline information for continued tracking of progress
Use of funds and grant requirements:
If awarded a grant, funds may be used to support staff positions that play a key role in planning and implementing services relevant to this funding area. Grant funds may also be used for associated support.
Funded projects will cover the period of one year, from October 1, 2010-September 30, 2011.
Nonprofit organizations invited to apply for funding under this goal area must be willing and able to participate in an MCF-sponsored evaluation designed to provide the following common data:
- Client demographics
- Presenting needs of clients
- Interventions/services provided
- Outcomes for those receiving services and
- Client satisfaction rates
Eligibility:
To be eligible for funding under this area, applicant organizations must be a 501(c)(3) organization with a physical presence and staff in Marin County, or, a 501(c)(3) organization outside of Marin working in partnership with a Marin-based organization.
Who should not apply?
- Individuals
- Coalitions that do not have a lead organization
- Endowments or private foundations
- Religious organizations, where the grant would be used for sectarian purposes
- Federal, state, or municipal agencies
- Political campaigns
- Those seeking funds for emergency or capital expenditures
Process:
After carefully reading the guidelines above and concluding that there appears to be a clear, demonstrable fit with your project, you may submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) using the electronic form below. This is a Word document that you can fill out on your computer and then send as an attachment in an email to pdangelo[at]marincf[dot]org.
NOTE: This form is not yet available. If you have not already received one via email, please contact Patti D'Angelo at 415.464.2547 or by email.
Full proposals will be invited from selected LOIs. Please note that an invitation to submit a full proposal is not a guarantee of funding.
Deadline for Letter of Intent: Monday, July 26, 2010
LOI decision announced: Monday, August 2, 2010
Deadline for full proposal (if invited): Friday, August 20, 2010
