Law and Innovation Fund
In the fall of 2006, the LFO continued to expand its outreach with the creation of a one–time Law and Innovation Fund. The Fund was established as a means to identify opportunities for under–served communities and assist these identified groups to better understand and act on their legal rights. The aim was to fund projects that address critical gaps and under-resourced population groups, and projects that focus on issues in a new and different way.
Applications for funding were solicited in six categories: the working poor; Ontarians living in rural or remote parts of the province; Aboriginal people, particularly non–urban and non-English speaking; linguistic minorities; women who are victims of domestic violence, particularly those who do not speak English and who reside in rural or remote areas of the province; and people with mental health challenges.
The response to this initiative was so successful that close to 150 applications were received. In fact, the Fund essentially doubled the number of grants awarded in 2007. $3 million from the Law and Innovation fund alone was given to a range of organizations across the province.
