Immigration Law Practitioners' Association (ILPA)

Strategic Legal Fund

Grants of up to £30,000 (average about £12,000-£15,000, lower requests encouraged) for strategic legal work in the UK that goes beyond an individual case to change law, policy or practice for asylum seekers, refugees and migrants disadvantaged by their migration status. It funds only pre-litigation research and case development, or third-party interventions in existing cases, not litigation itself, general research, advice or campaigning. Managed by ILPA and funded by Trust for London, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, Unbound Philanthropy and Paul Hamlyn Foundation; applicants must contact ILPA before being sent the form.

Apply on the funder’s site

You could get: £12,000 – £30,000
Closes in: 8 days left; 26 October
Effort: Moderate; full application with documents

Who can apply

UK-based not-for-profit organisations that provide specialist-level legal advice to people discriminated against or disadvantaged by their migration status, and solicitors' firms that do so (firms must show the funded work includes no element of profit)
NFPs regulated by the OISC doing asylum or immigration work must confirm the staff leading the work are accredited at Level 3 (Advocacy and Representation) in the relevant category
All applicants must show their staff have the skills, experience and expertise for the proposed work, and should name counsel and the legal team where possible
Voluntary and community groups can take part as subcontracted partners of the legal representative, who applies
Organisations can hold more than one SLF grant at once

What it funds

Short-term grants (maximum 12 months) for strategic legal work benefiting people seeking asylum, refugees and migrants who live in poverty or face significant disadvantage or discrimination because of their immigration status, in any relevant area of law (e.g. immigration, asylum and asylum support, human rights, education, housing, welfare benefits, discrimination, access to justice, community care). Two types of work:

Pre-litigation research and development of cases, such as gathering evidence to test a hypothesis, researching authorities' policy and practice, identifying potential claimants, translating material and evaluating a litigation strategy (a small proportion may cover advice and First-tier/Upper Tribunal representation where no other funding exists)
Third-party interventions in existing cases, including evidence-gathering, instructing counsel and preparing the application to intervene (you should have notified the parties first)

Any reasonable new or additional revenue costs: temporary staff, extra staff hours, volunteer expenses, travel and subcontracting voluntary and community groups, plus up to 10% towards overheads.

Staff costs at no more than standard legal aid rates (e.g. solicitor £71.55/hr, junior counsel £112.50/hr, KC £180/hr).

What it will not fund

The costs of conducting litigation (pre-litigation work only)
General research, advice provision or campaigning not tied to possible future legal cases
Criminal or family law work, unless it also involves one of the fund's areas of law
Pre-litigation research on an issue other legal representatives are already working on
Work with an unreasonably low prospect of a positive outcome for migrant groups, or that will not produce significant positive change for asylum seekers, refugees or migrants in the UK
Applicants based outside the UK (partnerships led by a UK-based partner may be considered)
Goals more likely to be achieved another way, e.g. policy work
Organisations that have already had two SLF grants in the last 18 months (except in exceptional circumstances)
Organisations in serious financial deficit
Not-for-profits with significant unrestricted reserves (generally more than six months' expenditure)
Existing organisational expenditure (new or additional costs only), or staff rates above legal aid rates without justification

How to apply

Read the SLF funding guidelines and check the list of previous SLF grants to avoid duplicating existing work
Email ILPA (SLF@ilpa.org.uk) to outline your proposal; if it fits the eligibility criteria, ILPA emails you the Word application form (there is a separate version for third-party interventions)
Complete the Word application form (no other format accepted) and email it with your annual accounts and links to or copies of the cases, legislation, policy or reports you rely on
Submit by 5pm on the closing date (next: 26 October 2026)
ILPA checks the application is complete and eligible and may contact you to discuss details
At least three Expert Panel members assess eligible applications and recommend; ILPA's decision-making panel makes the final decision
If offered a grant, return the signed conditions form within two weeks

There are usually five or six closing dates a year, roughly every two months; late applications go to the next round.

Unsuccessful applicants get written feedback and usually need to miss a funding round before reapplying.

Have ready

Completed Word application form (sent by ILPA after you outline your proposal)
Your organisation's annual accounts
Links to or copies of any cases, legislation, policy or reports relied on

The guidelines also mention governing documents or other financial information as examples of supporting documents.

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