Documents Desk
Greater Boston · running since 2025 · partner: named legal aid clinic
What it is
We cover the fees, certified copies, translations and transport that stand between a family and the paperwork they need — birth certificates, ID replacements, school enrolment records, benefit applications.
Why we fund it this way
A family can be eligible for everything and receive nothing because a $32 certified copy is out of reach this month. It is the cheapest possible intervention and almost nobody funds it because it makes a boring photograph.
What we got wrong
We started by reimbursing families after they paid, which excluded exactly the people who could not pay upfront. We switched to paying the fee directly within six weeks.
Quarterly breakdown
The full year.
Budget
Where the $9,800 went.
| Line | Detail | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Government and court fees | Certified copies, replacements | $4,900 |
| Translation and notarisation | Portuguese and Spanish | $2,400 |
| Transport | Travel to offices and appointments | $1,300 |
| Coordinator time | Part-time, shared role | $1,200 |
| Total | Cost per family $47 | $9,800 |
Forty-seven dollars is the average cost of unlocking everything else a family is already entitled to. It is the highest-leverage number on this entire site.
On location