NONPROFIT LEGAL SUPPORT PROJECT
The Nonprofit Legal Support Project was formed under the Nonprofit Resilience Hub, a collaboration to expand access to legal, financial, and consulting services to nonprofits whose federal funding or tax-exempt status is at risk due to federal executive orders and administrative actions.
This may include:
Risks related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs and policies;
Allegations of discrimination;
or changes to federal grant-making requirements.
Through this project we offer legal assistance to Illinois nonprofits that:
(a) have 501(c)(3) status from the IRS, and
(b) have operating budgets under $10 million.
How to apply:
Review the eligibility criteria
Fill out our Legal Request Inquiry Form
If you’re not eligible, we will connect you to other resources
-
Please review the different options below to submit your request based on your organization’s needs.
1. Please use this application if you would like to schedule a consultation with a lawyer. Once you submit the application, a staff member will contact you to schedule a consultation. Following the initial consultation, we will recommend next steps, which could include follow-up on recommendations, as well as more extensive services.
2. If your organization primarily works on climate-related issues and receives federal funding from the EPA, USDA, or NOAA, you can opt to complete the intake form requesting services from Lawyers for Good Government at: https://www.lawyersforgoodgovernment.org/fund-protection-legal-guidance-request
3. Please use this form if you need assistance with transactional legal services, such as nonprofit startup, dissolution or merger; fiscal sponsorship; contract drafting or review; lease or real estate purchase agreements, employment matters; or intellectual property.
The Nonprofit Legal Support Project (NLSP) is a partnership between the Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights, Forefront, Lawyers for Good Government, Lawyers for the Creative Arts, and the Chicago Bar Foundation. The project is supported by a legal advisory committee.
MORE NONPROFIT LEGAL RESOURCES
Nonprofits in Illinois and beyond are facing heightened federal scrutiny for their programs around diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) as well as related threats to their federal funding and other government pressure.
In partnership with Forefront and the Chicago Bar Foundation, a collection of legal resources has been curated to provide helpful information and resources for nonprofits in Illinois.
