Impact Fund uses the Courts to Fight Back against Systemic Racism.
We fund large-scale civil rights lawsuits that end racist policies, challenge discriminatory government practices, and repair the harm they cause.
A Black Portlander standing on her porch.
aN eXAMPLE OF oUR wORK:
In the 1960s and ’70s, Portland used “urban renewal” to seize and demolish homes in Central Albina, a thriving Black neighborhood. The project never happened, and the land sat empty for decades.
Oregon Law Center sued on behalf of 26 Black survivors and descendants of families who lost their homes.
We granted them $20,000 to dig through the city’s records and build the evidence.
In June 2025, Portland settled the lawsuit. The city agreed to:
Pay $8.5 million to the families,
Transfer property to a community organization, and
Fund education on Central Albina’s history.
Beyond racial justice, we fund cases that protect immigrants, public benefits, healthcare, education, the environment, civil rights, and more. We also bring cases ourselves through our own litigation team, and we train attorneys to better serve their communities.