Colorado Poverty Law Project

What Colorado Poverty Law Project does

Colorado Poverty Law Project (CPLP) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit legal services organization founded in 2014 and headquartered in Denver, Colorado. CPLP provides free legal assistance to low-income Coloradans facing eviction and housing injustice, operating with a staff of 25 supplemented by volunteer attorneys. Its core service portfolio comprises Eviction Legal Defense, in-person Legal Clinics at the Denver and Larimer County courthouses, Housing Navigation, Housing Policy & Advocacy, and three specialized initiatives: the Gender Advocacy in Housing Initiative (GAH, launched 2025), the Mobile Home Initiative, and the Fair Housing Initiative (launched 2023).

The organization's underlying technology stack is a standard web platform with an online intake form, email communications, and remote service delivery infrastructure; CPLP has no proprietary technology and operates without a physical office, distributing services via courthouse-based clinics, remote intake, phone support at (303) 532-2641, and digital resources including a Personalized Eviction Moratorium Order Declaration Form Tool (hosted on MassAccess) and county-specific COVID-19 housing assistance guides covering eight Colorado counties.

CPLP's business model is donation- and grant-funded, with all services provided at no cost to eligible clients. Revenue derives from charitable contributions and institutional grants, exemplified by a 2022 Rose Community Foundation grant supporting the undocumented housing program. The go-to-market approach is community-led: services are accessed through legal clinics, online intake, community partner referrals, and policy advocacy channels including social media (Facebook, Instagram) and the organization's website. CPLP also engages in strategic legal partnerships, such as the 2022 co-filed lawsuit with William P. Edwards, P.C. and resident association ONE against Ski Town Village Mobile Home Park that resulted in a preliminary injunction against a retaliatory 70% rent increase. The organization is led by Executive Director Shannon MacKenzie and Chief Operating Officer Caitlin Finn (co-founder), with specialized attorneys including Ariane Frosh (GAH Lead) and Jack Regenbogen (Policy and Advocacy Staff Attorney).

Name

Colorado Poverty Law Project

Legal name

Colorado Poverty Law Project

Website

https://copovertylawproject.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Colorado Poverty Law Project is a Denver-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides free legal representation, courthouse clinics, and policy advocacy to low-income Coloradans facing eviction, housing discrimination, mobile home disputes, and gender-based violence housing instability.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Aid Services

NAICS

Community Housing Services (62422), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Fair Housing, Compliance & Housing Program Oversight (FSALAKAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Housing & Neighborhood Services (Local Housing Programs) (BPAIACAJ), Protection Services (GBV, Child Protection, Safeguarding) (BPADAHAF)

Keywords

• Housing legal aid
• Eviction defense
• Nonprofit legal services
• Tenant advocacy
• Homelessness prevention

Headquarters

HQ city

Denver

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: CPLP is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that operates on donations and grant funding. Services are provided free of charge to eligible low-income clients.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

CPLP provides free legal services to low-income Coloradans facing eviction and housing injustice through seven program areas: Eviction Legal Defense, Legal Clinics, Housing Navigation, Housing Policy & Advocacy, the Gender Advocacy in Housing Initiative, the Mobile Home Initiative, and the Fair Housing Initiative. Services are delivered via in-person courthouse clinics, remote intake, and volunteer-staffed legal representation, with a focus on preventing homelessness.

Product overview

Colorado Poverty Law Project (CPLP) is a nonprofit legal aid organization that provides a portfolio of housing legal services rather than a software product. The core offerings include Eviction Legal Defense (free legal representation), Legal Clinics (in-person courthouse consultations), Housing Navigation (assistance finding housing), Housing Policy & Advocacy (legislative work), and specialized initiatives including the Gender Advocacy in Housing Initiative (GAH), Mobile Home Initiative, and Fair Housing Initiative. CPLP also offers digital tools including the Personalized Eviction Moratorium Order Declaration Form Tool for CDC eviction protection forms and COVID-19 county-specific housing assistance guides. These services work together to prevent homelessness through legal representation, education, and advocacy for low-income Coloradans.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Eviction Legal Defense Free legal representation for low-income Coloradans facing eviction, connecting clients with staff and volunteer attorneys to defend against eviction actions and improve housing outcomes.
• Legal Clinics In-person tenant attorney consultations held at Denver Courthouse (Thursdays and Fridays, 8am-12pm, Room 163) and Larimer County Courthouse (Tuesdays, 9am-12pm, Rooms 403/404) for Colorado tenants with active eviction cases.
• Housing Navigation Service connecting individuals seeking new housing arrangements with community housing navigators who assist them through the complex process of finding a place to live.
• Housing Policy & Advocacy Legislative and policy advocacy program working with community partners to support laws that keep Coloradans in stable housing, give tenants resources to fight unfair evictions, and prevent discrimination and predatory landlord practices.
• Gender Advocacy in Housing Initiative (GAH) Trauma-informed advocacy program providing holistic services — including legal representation, education, housing navigation, and legislative advocacy — for tenant victim-survivors of domestic violence, sexual violence, stalking, and unlawful sexual behavior to maintain housing stability in the aftermath of abuse.
• Mobile Home Initiative Legal assistance program for residents of mobile home communities facing unique challenges such as unfair evictions, park closures, and harassment; many residents are Spanish-speaking, disabled, undocumented, or otherwise marginalized. Recognized with the 2023 Colorado Housing Industry Eagle Award.
• Fair Housing Initiative Program helping people experiencing housing discrimination and unlawful housing practices by advising on legal rights, walking clients through filing discrimination complaints, supporting lawsuits in some cases, and providing community education on fair housing rights.
• Personalized Eviction Moratorium Order Declaration Form Tool An interview-style tool (hosted at MassAccess) that produces a cover letter and a signed personalized CDC Declaration Form to notify landlords of tenant rights under the CDC eviction moratorium, available in English and Spanish for nationwide use.
• COVID-19 County Housing Assistance Guides County-specific PDF guides providing housing assistance information for Colorado counties including Arapahoe, Adams, Denver, Eagle, Fremont, Larimer, Jefferson, and Mesa.

Quantifiable outcome

• Eviction legal defense dramatically improves housing outcomes for tenants facing eviction

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• William P. Edwards, P.C.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 August 2022CPLP partnered with William P. Edwards, P.C. in bringing a lawsuit on behalf of Organización De Nuevas Esperanzas (ONE) against Ski Town Village Mobile Home Park. The lawsuit alleged retaliatory rent increase and was filed in June 2022, resulting in a preliminary injunction in August 2022.
• Organización De Nuevas Esperanzas (ONE)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2022ONE is a resident association representing residents of Ski Town Village Mobile Home Park. CPLP partnered with ONE to file a lawsuit seeking to prevent a 70% rent increase against the predominantly Hispanic, low-income community.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Colorado Coalition for the Homeless: Colorado-based nonprofit providing housing, healthcare, and supportive services to homeless and at-risk families. CPLP's clients (referenced in its impact stories) intersect with this organization, and both serve low-income Coloradans facing housing instability.
• Colorado Legal Services: Colorado's statewide legal aid corporation providing free civil legal services to low-income residents across the same counties CPLP serves. Directly comparable as a fellow Colorado-based housing and eviction defense legal aid provider.
• Empire Justice Center: New York-based legal services and policy organization focused on systemic change for low-income communities. Comparable as a legal aid nonprofit combining direct representation with policy advocacy in housing and civil rights.
• National Housing Law Project: National nonprofit focused on housing law for low-income tenants, advancing impact litigation and policy advocacy. Comparable as a housing-focused legal services and policy advocacy organization serving vulnerable tenant populations.
• Legal Aid Foundation of Colorado: Provides free civil legal services to low-income Coloradans. Directly comparable as a Colorado-based legal aid organization with overlapping housing and tenant rights practice areas.
• Texas RioGrande Legal Aid: Large regional legal aid organization providing free civil legal services in Texas, including extensive housing and eviction defense work. Comparable as a similarly structured legal aid nonprofit with housing-focused programming.
• Pine Tree Legal Assistance: Maine-based legal aid organization providing free civil legal services to low-income residents, with significant housing practice. Comparable as a state-focused legal aid nonprofit emphasizing housing justice and eviction defense.

Emerging players

• National Consumer Law Center: National nonprofit focused on consumer law for low-income Americans, with significant housing-related consumer protections work. Comparable as a legal advocacy organization addressing housing-related issues from a consumer protection angle.

Others

• Rose Community Foundation: Denver-based foundation funding health, education, and aging initiatives, including housing justice. Comparable as a funding partner and ecosystem participant rather than a direct service competitor.

Regional players

• Atlanta Legal Aid Society: Provides free civil legal services to low-income residents in the Atlanta metro area, including housing and eviction defense. Comparable as a legal aid organization but operating in a different U.S. region than CPLP.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/COPovertyLawProject
• Instagraminstagram.com/coloradopovertylawproject
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/colorado-poverty-law-project

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Colorado Poverty Law Project