Publications
Sharing knowledge to build the legal empowerment community
Learning and Knowledge Sharing
To strengthen the global legal empowerment movement, the Legal Empowerment Fund (LEF) aims to share knowledge and amplify the voices of those on the front lines of justice work.
In 2023, after surveying grantee partners and consulting with our core team, we identified building power for justice as a key theme for learning—and together, we created a learning agenda to deepen our understanding.
Rather than a top-down research project, this learning agenda was designed with and for grassroots groups. We asked: How do legal empowerment groups strengthen their communities’ ability to push for justice? What challenges stand in their way?
To answer these questions, the LEF worked with 15 grantee partners across Latin America, Africa, and Asia to co-design a learning agenda—a process that helps groups share knowledge, reflect on challenges, and strengthen their work.
The LEF’s commitment to shifting power and resources to grassroots justice advocates is gaining international traction. In 2024 alone, the LEF exceeded its goal by moving over $4.2 million, demonstrating the need for a global movement aimed at closing the justice gap and increasing democratic efforts. These resources have not only financially empowered grassroots organizations but have also enhanced the LEF’s visibility and generated valuable insights for the global access to justice field. By amplifying grassroots voices worldwide, the LEF is demonstrating that transformative change is possible, even in the face of complex and entrenched global challenges.
This report provides an overview of the LEF’s activities throughout 2024, with a particular focus on grantmaking, peer and participatory learning activities, and initiatives to amplify grantee voices.
Between September and October 2023, the LEF invited grantee partners to participate in an online survey to document their experiences, strengths, and priorities, as they relate to the support they receive.
One hundred LEF grantee partners took part in the survey, which centered on themes such as organizational health, efforts to pursue legal empowerment, contributions to change, and grantee feedback and recommendations about the LEF’s support.
