MLAC Announces the Massachusetts Immigration Legal Assistance Fund
Deadline for grant applications to expand legal aid to immigrants is January 13, 2020
BOSTON, December 13, 2019—The Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation is pleased to announce the availability of grant funds through the newly created Massachusetts Immigration Legal Assistance Fund.
Across the Commonwealth, immigrant communities are facing a severe unmet need for legal services. MILAF will fund nonprofit, legal aid organizations so they can provide more representation to vulnerable immigrants throughout Massachusetts. MLAC is accepting proposals for funding for the next two years to address a vast array of immigrant legal assistance needs as a result of shifting U.S. immigration policy.
“The legal aid organizations that MLAC funds face an overwhelming number of requests for help with immigration cases. We are glad to be able to provide this funding to increase immigration defense capacity in every corner of the state to help more people in need,” said Lynne Parker, MLAC’s executive director. “Changing immigration policies continue to be a major concern in the low-income communities that legal aid serves. Legal advice and representation are vital to helping people understand and protect their rights.”
The fund aims to protect and defend the rights of immigrants to stay in the United States safely and with the promise of a stable future. The grant funds are intended to increase legal aid services for immigrants through direct representation, capacity building, community education, and technical assistance.
“Given its statewide scope and its experience administering specialized legal aid grants, MLAC is ideally positioned to launch this initiative,” said Marijane Benner Browne, chair of the MLAC Board of Directors. “We are proud to be able to further support the work of legal aid organizations in Massachusetts in representing immigrants in need of critical legal services.”
View the RFP. Additional information on eligibility and how to apply for MILAF grants is available here. The application deadline is January 13, 2020.
Contact Information:
For assistance with this RFP, please direct questions to Shamika Naidu, MLAC Grants Manager, at snaidu@mlac.org or 617-391-5658.
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About MLAC
The Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation is the largest funding source for civil legal aid in Massachusetts, funding nonprofit legal aid organizations that help low-income people facing serious legal issues related to housing, domestic violence and family law, employment, disability, health care, public benefits, consumer protection, immigration, education, and elder law.
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