Supporter Spotlight: The Clowes Fund

the clowes fund: 15 year partnership

ILAP Executive Director Sue Roche stands with Megan Reilly and Juan Galeano of the Clowes Fund in Portland.

ILAP is proud to have supporters who have invested in our work and mission for years and even decades. The Clowes Fund, a family foundation enhancing the common good by encouraging organizations and projects that help to build a just and equitable society, has been supporting ILAP since 2008, contributing directly to our organizational growth and expanding programs.

Megan Reilly, Executive Director of the Fund recalls a Fall 2015 meeting with Sue Roche, where they talked about where ILAP was and where it was going. And now, she sees ILAP’s leadership role in the state and in the country in immigrant legal services and advocacy. “Each time there’s been a need to step up, ILAP has stepped up.”

Recently, we asked Program Officer, Juan Galeano about how ILAP aligns with the Fund’s work and priorities. “Each state has a unique ecosystem, and we try to figure out where to make an investment. ILAP has state-wide coverage and has a very inclusive approach to different types of immigration legal needs.” He added that he sees ILAP as “the backbone of our [the Fund’s] strategy in Maine” and often talks about ILAP’s work as a model with partners in other states.

One of the best parts of the Fund’s support of ILAP is that it comes via multi-year grants for general operating expenses, which means less time on the application and reporting process and more focus on long term planning knowing that the funding is secure. Galeano agrees, “We understand that the best laid plans can flip, whether because of a pandemic or a global event affecting migration. And if we believe in the organization enough to award them a grant, then we trust them to use the funds and adjust as needed.”

As ILAP marks our 30th anniversary, Reilly shared some of her hopes for the future of Maine’s immigrant community, including that ILAP’s policy work bears fruit so that some areas of our work are no longer needed: “Of course, ideally ILAP wouldn’t need to exist at all.” That’s ultimately what ILAP’s work is all about, creating a world where systems are rooted in justice, where everyone belongs and thrives.

Thank you to the Clowes Fund for believing in our mission and partnering with us as we continue to push forward.