Equal Justice Works Receives $575,000 Grant from Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies to Serve Midwestern Communities Affected by Disasters

WASHINGTON, D.C., January 30, 2025— Equal Justice Works, the nation’s largest facilitator of opportunities in public interest law, today announced that Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies (MACP) awarded the Disaster Resilience Program a $575,000 grant to mobilize three Attorney Fellows throughout the Midwest to address the unique disaster-related legal needs of vulnerable communities in this region. 

Over the past few years, the Midwest has experienced an increase in the frequency and severity of climate-related disasters, including severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding. People in low-income and marginalized communities impacted by these events turn to legal aid as they work to rebuild and recover. Fellows in the Disaster Resilience Program increase the bandwidth of community-based legal services organizations to respond to the resulting surge in demand for legal aid. 

Through this grant, three attorney Fellows and three accompanying summer law student Fellows will mobilize to new areas in the Midwest for two years. Equal Justice Works will issue a needs assessment in the target areas to help determine the nature, location, and focus of the MACP-funded Fellowships. Equal Justice Works also acknowledges the unique needs of tribal communities in the region as well as the need to address low-attention disasters, and aims to gather more information on how to better serve these communities as well.    

“We are thrilled to receive this support to extend disaster legal aid to midwestern communities,” said Linda Anderson Stanley, the director of Fellowships at Equal Justice Works. “These Fellows will be able to provide services that match the growing need for legal aid in the aftermath of disasters like floods, tornadoes, and severe storms.”  

Click here to learn more about the Disaster Resilience Program. A request for proposals to host Fellows through this grant will open soon. Please stay tuned! 

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About Equal Justice Works   

Equal Justice Works is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that creates opportunities for lawyers to transform their passion for equal justice into a lifelong commitment to public service. As the nation’s largest facilitator of opportunities in public interest law, Equal Justice Works brings together an extensive network of law students, lawyers, nonprofit legal aid organizations, and supporters to promote public service and inspire a lifelong commitment to equal justice.   

About Margaret A Cargill Philanthropies 

Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies (MACP) provides meaningful assistance to society, the arts, and the environment. Based in Minnesota, MACP is the umbrella over two grantmaking foundations: Margaret A. Cargill Foundation and Anne Ray Foundation. Rooted in guidance from our founder, Margaret Cargill, we engage with strategic partners to support work that makes a lasting difference for communities, with particular attention to overlooked causes. Our global funding spans seven domains connected through common strategies and approaches: Animal Welfare, Arts & Cultures, Disaster Relief & Recovery, Environment, Legacy & Opportunity, Quality of Life, and Teachers & Students. The collective assets of MACP place it among the largest philanthropies in the United States.