Mandate Areas

The Alberta Law Foundation has four mandated funding areas:

  • Legal Research and Law Reform
  • Law Libraries
  • Public Legal Information and Education
  • Legal Assistance for individuals facing barriers

For additional information on these funding areas, click here: What We Fund – Alberta Law Foundation

Eligibility

Eligible grant-seekers for the Newcomer Justice Navigation Grant Call must be any of the following:

  • Non-Profits
  • Legal Service Providers
  • Settlement Agencies
  • Community Groups
  • Grassroots Organizations

Grant-seekers do not need to be registered charities. Grant-seekers do not need to identify as specifically law-focused organizations as long as the proposed work relates to Canadian law and serves people in Alberta.

In addition to the above criteria, organizations with a demonstrated commitment to cultural competency, trauma-informed care, and equitable access to justice will be prioritized and applicants should be able to demonstrate experience and/or partnerships in legal, settlement, or social service models.

Grant-seeking organizations based outside Alberta will not be considered for this Grant Call.

Yes, grant-seekers who are already recipients of Foundation grants are still eligible to apply for funding through the Newcomer Justice Navigation Grant Call.

Programs delivering Justice Navigation services to newcomers and immigrants through The Alberta Justice Navigator Network for Newcomer Access to Justice will be considered.

Grant Application Process

Expression of Interest forms serve as the initial step in the application process. The form asks for organizational and program-specific information so that the Foundation may learn more about you as well as your proposed program.

By completing this form, you will provide a snapshot of your organization, program goals and how the proposed program aligns with the outcomes of the Newcomer Justice Navigation Grant Call. This step is also intended to help ensure alignment with the Grant Call’s objectives and eligibility criteria early in the process, minimizing the time, energy, and resources organizations may otherwise invest in preparing a full application that may not be a fit.

Stage 1

Grant-seekers will complete an Expression of Interest form using the Foundation’s online grant portal. The Expression of Interest form can be accessed using the link below:

Expression of Interest: Newcomer Justice Navigation Grant Call Expression of Interest

Expressions of Interest will be accepted starting on November 4, 2025 and will close on November 24, 2025.

If you have any questions about how to submit an Expression of Interest form, please contact the Grants team.

After you submit the Expression of Interest form, the Foundation may contact you to have a conversation to learn more about your proposal.

Grant-seekers can expect to receive a decision on their Expression of Interest by December 12, 2025.

Stage 2

Foundation staff will review the information provided in the Expression of Interest form and determine if your proposal is a fit with the Grant Call as well as assess the Expression of Interest against Grant Call Allocation guidelines to ensure a balanced distribution of funds across the criteria outlined in this Grant Call.

From here, the Foundation will determine if you will move to Stage 3.

If it is determined that your proposal will not move to Stage 3, you will receive an email notification from the Foundation advising you of this.

Stage 3

Stage 3 is an opportunity for the Foundation to learn more about your proposed program through and asses it against he Foundation’s Application Evaluation Criteria the completion of a written application form through the Foundation’s online grant portal. Organization’s who’s Expression of Interest is accepted will be invited to apply and will receive an application form from the Foundation.

Foundation staff may provide comments to help strengthen the application and applicants will have an opportunity to make adjustments to their application prior to a decision being made on the application.

Stage 4

Once the final application is submitted through the grant portal, it will be reviewed by the Foundation Board of Directors and a decision will be made.

Stage 5

Grant-seekers will be informed of the decision and a grant agreement will be sent out for signatures if approved.

A copy of a blank Justice Navigation Service Delivery grant application can be found here: COMING SOON

An example of a completed Justice Navigation Service Delivery grant application can be found here: COMING SOON

Grant Application Assessment Criteria

Grant applications will be assessed by the Foundation’s Board of Directors using the Foundations General Application Evaluation Criteria. In addition, all proposed programs will be required to meet the criteria below:

  • Organization and Community Context: Applicants must clearly describe their organization’s mission, history, and relevance to the newcomer and immigrant communities they serve. This includes:
    • Why the organization is well-positioned to deliver the proposed program, specifically addressing the unique needs of newcomer communities listed above.
    • A description of the specific newcomer populations to be served, including immigration status, age demographics (e.g., youth, seniors), and any other unique characteristics (e.g., cultural or linguistic communities, rural or remote populations).
    • The organization’s existing relationships, trust and engagement within the community.
  • Program Rationale and Impact: Applicants must explain the intended impact of the proposed program on the legal outcomes of newcomers and immigrants. This includes:
    • How the program will address barriers to justice and improve legal literacy, access, and/or outcomes for the specific community served.
    • How the program complements or enhances existing services or fills a critical gap.
  • Demonstrated Community Need: Applicants must provide a clear and evidence-based description of the legal needs within their specific community. This includes:
    • The types of legal issues most commonly faced (e.g., immigration, housing, employment, family law).
    • How these issues are currently underserved or exacerbated by systemic barriers.
    • Community-specific challenges such as language access, cultural stigma, or lack of legal resources in the areas.
  • Program Viability: The proposed project must have a well-defined workplan, budget and timeline, with achievable and measurable deliverables.
  • Budget Explanation: Organizations must demonstrate a persuasive business case for the amount of funding requested. The amount of funding requested should be proportionate to the proposed activities and timelines and the intended impact.
  • Time Frame: Program work must be completed within the grant term length identified within the specific funding stream after the date the grant is approved.

This fund is not intended to support programs that duplicate existing services. In addition, this fund will not support justice navigation programs that are not part of The Alberta Justice Navigator Network for Newcomer Access to Justice Framework.

Please review the Foundation’s Future Considerations

Following a decision on your grant application, the Grants Team will reach out either via phone or email advising you that your grant application has been approved.

The Foundation will then send a Grant Agreement via DocuSign that will lay out all of the terms of the fund including the reporting and payment schedules as well as the conditions of the grant which are in alignment with the Foundations Funding Policies and Guidelines.

The Grants team will book a time with you to review the Grant Agreement, answer any questions you may have, and to continue to build relationship.

Following a decision on your grant application, the Grants team will reach out via phone advising you that your grant application has been declined.

The Grants team will strive to provide you with feedback on the application.

The Foundation does request to be acknowledged on any materials, in presentations or at events funded through Foundation grants. This could include placing the Foundation’s logo on your organization’s website, on advertisements, posters, brochures, and other materials.

Once a grant is approved, your organization will be provided with the Foundation’s Brand Identify Guidelines and Logo Usage Guidelines.

To ensure accountability, continuous learning, and the overall success of the Newcomer Justice Navigation Grant Call, successful applicants will be required to participate in a flexible and supportive reporting process. The reporting framework is designed to balance accountability with accessibility, particularly for grassroots and community-based organizations.

  • Mid-Year Oral Check-Ins: Grantees will participate in a semi-structured oral check-in with Foundation staff approximately halfway through each grant year. These check-ins will provide an opportunity to:
    • Share progress updates and early outcomes
    • Discuss challenges and adaptations to programming and/or budget
    • Receive support or guidance from the Foundation
    • Contribute insights to inform broader learning across the initiative
  • Annual Reporting: At the end of each grant year, grantees will be required to submit a hybrid report (oral and written) that includes:
    • Program Report: A summary of activities, outputs, outcomes, and lessons learned. This may include client stories, community feedback, and reflections on what worked well or what changed.
    • Budget Report: A financial reconciliation outlining how funds were used, including any variances from the original budget.
  • Annual Organization Budgets: As part of the financial reporting, grantees are required to provide their approved organizational budget for the fiscal years in which Foundation funding is being provided.
  • Signed Financial Statements (Audited, Reviewed, or equivalent): Grantees are required to provide financial statements for the fiscal years in which Foundation funding is provided. These statements must be signed by two board members and the auditor, reviewer or equivalent.
  • Participation in Community Learning Tables: Grantees may be invited to participate in community learning tables or collaborative gatherings convened by the Foundation or the Alberta Association of Immigrant Serving Agencies (AAISA). These sessions are designed to:
    • Share promising practices and challenges
    • Strengthen the provincial justice navigation model
    • Foster collaboration and alignment across organizations
    • Inform continuous improvement of justice navigation programs

Participation in these learning spaces is a key component of the Grant Call’s commitment to building a responsive, community-informed legal support ecosystem.

Addendums are not available on these grants, however, amendments such as budget shifts and grant term extensions may be available at the discretion of the Foundation, but require conversation with the Grants Team prior to any changes being made.

Knowledge Mobilization: The Foundation is committed to ensuring that learnings, promising practices, and insights from funded Justice Navigation programs are integrated and complement existing Justice Navigation programs and are shared across Alberta to strengthen the sector and inform future initiatives. Grantees may be invited to participate in provincial knowledge-sharing activities, such as community learning tables, collaborative gatherings, or dissemination of case studies and reports. The Foundation will facilitate opportunities for grantees to contribute to and benefit from a collective pool of knowledge, and supporting continuous improvement and innovation in the newcomer legal support.