MJF invests in people and programs that promote equal access to justice for all Montanans.

Grants

Since its inception, MJF has awarded more than $9 million to nonprofit organizations across Montana. We support projects that help people stay in housing, receive medical care, escape abusive and violent environments, and rebuild their lives.

MJF grant funds provide essential legal help to those otherwise forced to navigate our civil justice system alone. The purpose of Montana Justice Foundation Grants is to provide funding to qualified nonprofit organizations committed to one or more of MJF's charitable objectives, which include:

  • Supporting and encouraging the availability, accessibility, and quality of legal services, especially services to the vulnerable and under-served

  • Increasing public knowledge of the law and the legal system through education

  • Promoting the effective administration of justice

  • Increasing public understanding of and access to alternative dispute resolution

With MJF funding, our grantees:

  • Secure orders of protection for survivors of domestic violence and their children

  • Give a voice to thousands of abused and neglected children navigating the legal and foster care systems

  • Facilitate mediation to resolve disputes early and avoid court altogether

  • Maintain housing and improve housing conditions for families, seniors, and veterans

  • Fend off predatory consumer schemes and help people onto a path of self-sufficiency

  • Support new attorneys who have dedicated their careers to public service by helping them repay their law school debt

Many organizations that MJF funds need volunteers to address access to justice issues across the state. Volunteering is easy and can be as simple as providing limited advice over the phone.

2024 Access to Justice Grant Recipients

Thanks to the generous contributions from Montana lawyers, law firms, and other donors, in addition to financial support through the Interest on Lawyer Trust Account (IOLTA) program, Cy Pres, and other court-ordered awards, the Montana Justice Foundation was able to award more than $600,000 in grants and loan repayment assistance last year. 

Loan Repayment Assistance

MJF established its Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP) in 2006 for law school graduates dedicated to providing legal aid to low-income individuals and families in Montana. Since its inception, the MJF LRAP has assisted dedicated attorneys working for legal aid organizations in Montana by reducing the burden of significant debt incurred to finance their law school education. The LRAP is designed to support the recruitment and retention of qualified staff attorneys working in the legal aid sector.

MJF has two rounds of LRAP each year, once in the spring and once in the fall. MJF operates this program bi-annually to accommodate newly licensed lawyers who become eligible for LRAP after the first round. Attorneys may only receive the award once a year. In spring 2023, MJF granted $17,000 in loan repayment to eight legal aid attorneys.

You may apply by clicking the button below and completing the application. Before beginning the application process, please review our LRAP Policy and confirm that you are employed full-time by a qualifying organization. Please get in touch with us at (406) 523-3920 or mjf@mtjustice.org with any questions.

Access to Justice Commission

As part of the Montana Justice Foundation's commitment to working with community partners to create equal access to justice for all, MJF provides administrative support for the Montana State Supreme Court's Access to Justice Commission.

The Access to Justice Commission is an 18-member advisory Commission of the Montana Supreme Court and was established in 2012 to replace the Montana Supreme Court Equal Justice Task Force. The Court appoints its members, and its activities are directed and reviewed by the Court. The current chair of the Access to Justice Comission is  Justice Beth Baker. She sits as an ex-officio member of MJF's Board. The Commission's mission is to assess all Montanans' legal needs and advise the Court on how our legal system could better meet those needs. The Commission also brings together statewide stakeholders to develop and expand options for access to justice and secure funding for such projects that will serve these goals.

The Montana Justice Foundation supports the Access to Justice Commission by providing staffing and assisting with projects that meet MJF's organizational objectives and mission.