New Leaf Illinois recently released its grant applications and guidelines for its third year of funding. A focus of the program’s Year Three grants is to increase outreach within communities most impacted by the previous criminalization of cannabis. To that end, the IEJF has expanded its traditional “Legal Information for the Public” grant category to “Community Outreach.”

The IEJF encourages organizations that are trusted partners in their local communities to apply for funding and become part of the New Leaf Illinois network to raise awareness of the free legal services available, and to increase access to justice by helping people address past cannabis arrests and convictions.

Since its launch in 2020, New Leaf Illinois’ statewide network model has created a way for people to go to one website (newleafillinois.org) or call one phone number (855-963-9532), no matter where they live, or where their cannabis arrest or conviction occurred in Illinois.

Applications for Year Three grants are due on April 8^th.  Interested organizations can find more information here or can contact Beth Johnson at bjohnson@iejf.org.