Notice2022-05031
Notice of Availability of Calendar Year 2023 Competitive Grant Funds for the Veterans Pro Bono Program
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
March 10, 2022
Issuing agencies
Legal Services Corporation
Abstract
The Legal Services Corporation (LSC) provides grants of federally-appropriated funds for civil legal services to low-income individuals and families. LSC administers the process of awarding grant funds for the Veterans Pro Bono Program to furnish effective, efficient, and high-quality pro bono legal services to eligible veterans appearing before the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (Court). LSC hereby announces the availability of competitive grant funds for the Veterans Pro Bono Program for calendar year 2023 and solicits pre-applications from interested parties. The exact amount of available funds and the date, terms, and conditions of their availability for the calendar year 2023 will be determined through the congressional appropriations process for FY 2023. In 2021, Congress appropriated $3,286,509.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 47 (Thursday, March 10, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 47 (Thursday, March 10, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13764-13765]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-05031]
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LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION
Notice of Availability of Calendar Year 2023 Competitive Grant
Funds for the Veterans Pro Bono Program
AGENCY: Legal Services Corporation.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Legal Services Corporation (LSC) provides grants of
federally-appropriated funds for civil legal services to low-income
individuals and families. LSC administers the process of awarding grant
funds for the Veterans Pro Bono Program to furnish effective,
efficient, and high-quality pro bono legal services to eligible
veterans appearing before the United States Court of Appeals for
Veterans Claims (Court). LSC hereby announces the availability of
competitive grant funds for the Veterans Pro Bono Program for calendar
year 2023 and solicits pre-applications from interested parties. The
exact amount of available funds and the date, terms, and conditions of
their availability for the calendar year 2023 will be determined
through the congressional appropriations process for FY 2023. In 2021,
Congress appropriated $3,286,509.
DATES: The deadline to submit a Pre-Application is Thursday, April 14,
2022, by 5 p.m. Eastern Time. Pre-Applications must be submitted by
email to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#de8abfbcb1bfad9f9eb2adbdf0b9b1a8"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="154174777a746654557966763b727a63">[email protected]</span></a>.
ADDRESSES: Letters of Intent must be submitted electronically to
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#287c494a47495b6968445b4b064f475e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="3a6e5b58555b497b7a564959145d554c">[email protected]</span></a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Anais M. Taboas, Program Counsel,
Office of Program Performance, Legal Services Corporation, 3333 K
Street NW, Washington, DC 20007, (202) 295-1617, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#154174777a746654557966763b727a63"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="abffcac9c4cad8eaebc7d8c885ccc4dd">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Introduction
Funds for the Veterans Pro Bono Program are authorized by and
subject to Public Law 102-229, 105 Stat. 1701, as incorporated by
reference in subsequent appropriations for the United States Court of
Appeals for Veterans Claims (Court). That law requires the Court to
provide the funds to LSC to award grants or contracts for the provision
of ``legal or other assistance, without charge, to veterans and other
persons who are unable to afford the cost of legal representation in
connection with decisions'' of, or other proceedings in, the Court.
Public Law 102-229 requires this assistance to be provided through
``a program that furnishes case screening and referral, training and
education for attorney and related personnel, and encouragement and
facilitation of pro bono representation by members of the bar and law
school clinical and other appropriate programs, such as veterans
service organizations, and through defraying expenses incurred in
providing representation to such persons[.]''
I. Grant Application Process
A. Eligibility
LSC seeks proposals from (1) Non-profit organizations that have as
a purpose the provision of free legal assistance to low-income
individuals or the provision of free services to veterans; or (2)
private attorneys or law firms that seek to establish such a non-profit
for these purposes.
B. Veterans Pro Bono Grant Application Process
Applicants must first submit a Pre-Application to LSC via email to
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#2672474449475567664a554508414950"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="752114171a140634351906165b121a03">[email protected]</span></a> by Thursday, April 14, 2022, by 5 p.m. Eastern Time to
be considered for a grant. After review by LSC staff, LSC's leadership
decides which applicants will be asked to submit a full application.
Applicants will be notified of approval to submit a full application by
early May 2022. Full applications are due to LSC via email to
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#6a3e0b08050b192b2a061909440d051c"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="a6f2c7c4c9c7d5e7e6cad5c588c1c9d0">[email protected]</span></a> by 5 p.m. Eastern on July 8, 2022. Once received, full
applications will undergo a rigorous review by LSC staff and other
subject matter experts. LSC leadership makes the final decision on
funding the Veterans Pro Bono Program Grant.
C. Required Pre-Application Content
The Pre-Application must include the following information:
[[Page 13765]]
(1) Organization name;
(2) Organization type (e.g., non-profit or law firm);
(3) Name and title of primary contact;
(4) Primary contact mailing address, phone number, and email
address;
(5) Names and a brief description of relevant experience of
principals and key staff;
(6) Names and a brief description of relevant experience of the
current governing board;
(7) Brief description of how your organization will serve
eligible veterans, dependents, or other persons with proceedings
before the Court regardless of their location or residence; and
(8) If the non-profit organization has not yet been established,
names and a brief description of relevant experience of prospective
members of a governing board.
``Relevant experience'' includes experience with: (a) Veterans
benefits law; (b) recruiting, training, supervising, and assigning
cases to volunteer attorneys; (c) practice before the Court or
supervision of attorneys practicing before the Court; (d) reviewing and
evaluating veterans benefits cases; and (e) outreach and education for
veterans and dependents regarding veterans benefits rights and
procedures.
The Pre-Application must not exceed seven (7) single-spaced pages
and must be submitted as a single PDF document.
D. Late or Incomplete Pre-Applications
LSC may consider a request to submit a Pre-Application after the
deadline, but only if the Applicant submitted an email to
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#4a1e2b28252b390b0a263929642d253c"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="8dd9ecefe2ecfecccde1feeea3eae2fb">[email protected]</span></a> explaining the circumstances that caused the delay
before the Pre-Application deadline. Communication with LSC staff is
not a substitute for sending a formal request and explanation to
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#e9bd888b86889aa8a9859a8ac78e869f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="207441424f415361604c53430e474f56">[email protected]</span></a>. At its discretion, LSC may consider incomplete Pre-
Applications. LSC will determine the admissibility of late or
incomplete Pre-Application on a case-by-case basis.
E. Additional Information and Guidelines
Additional guidance and instructions on the Veterans Pro Bono
Program Pre-Application and Application processes will be available on
<a href="https://lsc.gov/grants/veterans-pro-bono-grant-program">https://lsc.gov/grants/veterans-pro-bono-grant-program</a>.
The Application, guidelines, content requirements, and specific
selection criteria will be available the week of May 10, 2022, at
<a href="http://www.lsc.gov">www.lsc.gov</a>.
For more information about the current grantee, The Veterans
Consortium Pro Bono Program, please visit <a href="http://www.vetsprobono.org">www.vetsprobono.org</a>.
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 2996g(e).
Dated: March 4, 2021.
Stefanie Davis,
Senior Associate General Counsel.
[FR Doc. 2022-05031 Filed 3-9-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7050-01-P
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