Notice2024-25853
Pro Bono Innovation Fund Process for Submitting Pre-Applications for 2025 Grants
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
November 7, 2024
Issuing agencies
Legal Services Corporation
Abstract
The Legal Services Corporation (LSC) issues this Notice describing the conditions for submitting a Pre-Application for 2025 Pro Bono Innovation Fund grants.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 89 Issue 216 (Thursday, November 7, 2024)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 216 (Thursday, November 7, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 88308-88309]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2024-25853]
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LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION
Pro Bono Innovation Fund Process for Submitting Pre-Applications
for 2025 Grants
AGENCY: Legal Services Corporation.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Legal Services Corporation (LSC) issues this Notice
describing the conditions for submitting a Pre-Application for 2025 Pro
Bono Innovation Fund grants.
DATES: Pre-applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday,
January 10, 2025.
ADDRESSES: Letters of Intent must be submitted electronically at <a href="http://lscgrants.lsc.gov">http://lscgrants.lsc.gov</a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Katherine Harris, Special Grant
Program Coordinator, Office of Program Performance, Legal Services
Corporation, 1825 I Street NW, Suite 800, Washington, DC 20006; (202)
295-1572 or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#90f8f1e2e2f9e3fbd0fce3f3bef7ffe6"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="0d656c7f7f647e664d617e6e236a627b">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Introduction
Since 2014, Congress has provided an annual appropriation to LSC
``for a Pro Bono Innovation Fund.'' See, e.g., Consolidated
Appropriations Act, 2023, Public Law 117-328, 136 Stat. 4553 (2022).
LSC requested these funds for grants to ``develop, test, and replicate
innovative pro bono efforts that can enable LSC grantees to expand
clients' access to high quality legal assistance.'' LSC Budget Request,
Fiscal Year 2014 at 26 (2013). The grants must involve innovations that
are either ``new ideas'' or ``new applications of existing best
practices.'' Id. Each grant would ``either serve as a model for other
legal services providers to follow or effectively replicate a prior
innovation.'' Id. The Senate Appropriations Committee explained that
these funds ``will support innovative projects that promote and enhance
pro bono initiatives throughout the Nation,'' and the House
Appropriations Committee directed LSC ``to increase the involvement of
private attorneys in the delivery of legal services to [LSC-eligible]
clients.'' Senate Report 114-239 at 123 (2016), House Report 113-448 at
85 (2014).
Since its inception, the Pro Bono Innovation Fund has advanced
LSC's goal of increasing the quantity and quality of legal services by
funding projects that more efficiently and effectively involve pro bono
volunteers in serving the critical unmet legal needs of LSC-eligible
clients. PBIF has four funding categories that are described in further
detail below: Planning, Project, Sustainability, and Transformation.
II. Funding Opportunities Information
A. Eligible Applicants
To be eligible for PBIF grants, Applicants must be current grantees
of LSC Basic Field-General, Basic Field-Migrant, or Basic Field-Native
American grants. To qualify for a Sustainability Grant, Applicants must
also have a 2023 PBIF Project Grant.
B. Pro Bono Innovation Fund Purpose and Key Goals
PBIF grants develop, test, and replicate innovative pro bono
efforts that can enable LSC grantees to use pro bono volunteers to
serve larger numbers of low-income clients and improve the quality and
effectiveness of the services provided. The key goals of the Pro Bono
Innovation Fund are to:
1. Address gaps in the delivery of legal services to low-income
people;
2. Engage more lawyers and other volunteers in pro bono service;
3. Develop, test, and replicate innovative pro bono efforts.
C. Funding Categories
1. Planning Grants
Planning Grants provide organizations with a one-time grant to
complete an assessment of their pro bono program and develop a plan to
build or revitalize their pro bono delivery system. Planning Grants
have a 6-month term.
2. Project Grants
Project Grants aim to leverage volunteers to meet a critical, unmet
and well-defined client need. Consistent with the key goals of PBIF,
Applicants are encouraged to focus on engaging volunteers to increase
free civil legal aid for low-income Americans by proposing new,
replicable ideas.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to research prior PBIF projects
to replicate and improve upon them. LSC is particularly interested in
applications that propose to replicate projects LSC has previously
funded with ``Sustainability'' Grants. Project Grants can be either 18
or 24 months.
3. Sustainability Grants
Sustainability Grants are available to current PBIF grantees who
received a 2023 Project Grant. Sustainability Grants provide the most
promising and replicable PBIF projects with an additional 24 months of
funding so grantees can leverage new sources of revenue for the project
and collect meaningful data to demonstrate the project's results and
outcomes for clients and volunteers. Applicants for Sustainability
Grants are asked to propose an ambitious strategy that reduces the Pro
Bono Innovation Fund contribution to the project over the
Sustainability Grant term. Sustainability Grants have a 24-month term.
4. Transformation Grants
Transformation Grants aim to support LSC grantees in the
comprehensive assessment and restructuring of their pro bono programs
using best practices in pro bono delivery. Each Transformation Grant
will support a rigorous assessment of a grantee's pro bono program and
identify best practices in pro bono delivery suited to that grantee's
needs and circumstances. Transformation Grants are for LSC grantees
whose leadership is committed to restructuring their pro bono delivery
system to create a high-impact pro bono program now. Transformation
Grants can have either a 24- or 36-month term.
D. Available Funds for 2025 Grants
The amount of funds available for PBIF Grants for FY2025 depends on
LSC's final appropriation. LSC currently operates under a Continuing
Resolution for FY2025, which funds the Federal government through
December 20, 2024. The Continuing Resolution maintains funding for PBIF
at $5,000,000. LSC will make PBIF grant decisions for FY2025 in the
summer of 2025. LSC anticipates publicizing the total amount available
for Pro Bono Innovation Fund grants when Congress enacts the FY2025
appropriation.
LSC will not designate fixed or estimated amounts for the four
different funding categories and will make grant awards for the three
categories within the total amount of funding available.
E. Grant Terms
Pro Bono Innovation Fund awards can have grant terms of 6, 18, 24,
or 36
[[Page 88309]]
months, depending on the category of grant.
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6 Months 12 Months 18 Months 24 Months 36 Months
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Planning Grants.................................................... [check] X X X X
Project Grants..................................................... X X [check] [check] X
Transformation Grants.............................................. X X X [check] [check]
Sustainability Grants.............................................. X X X [check] X
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Applicants for Planning Grants can apply for a 6-month grant.
Applicants for Project Grants can apply for either an 18- or a 24-month
grant. Applicants for Transformation Grants can apply for either a 24-
or a 36-month grant. Applicants for Sustainability Grants can apply for
a 24-month grant only. The grant activities described in the
application must cover the full proposed grant term which commences on
October 1, 2025.
III. Grant Application Process
A. Pro Bono Innovation Fund Grant Application Process
The PBIF application process is administered in LSC's unified
grants management system, GrantEase. Applicants must first submit a
Pre-Application to LSC in GrantEase by January 16, 2024, to be
considered for a grant. After review by LSC Staff, LSC's President
decides which applicants will be asked to submit a full application.
Applicants will be notified of approval to submit a full application by
early March 2025. Full applications are due to LSC in the GrantEase
system on May 5, 2025. Once received, full applications will undergo a
rigorous review by LSC staff and other subject matter experts. LSC's
President makes the final decision on funding for the Pro Bono
Innovation Fund.
B. Late or Incomplete Applications
LSC may consider a request to submit a Pre-Application after the
deadline, but only if the Applicant has submitted an email to
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#09797b666b666766606767667f687d60666749657a6a276e667f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="fd8d8f929f929392949393928b9c89949293bd918e9ed39a928b">[email protected]</span></a> explaining the circumstances that caused the
delay prior to the Pre-Application deadline. Communication with LSC
staff, including assigned LSC Special Grant staff members, is not a
substitute for sending a formal request and explanation to
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#a3d3d1ccc1cccdcccacdcdccd5c2d7cacccde3cfd0c08dc4ccd5"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="d2a2a0bdb0bdbcbdbbbcbcbda4b3a6bbbdbc92bea1b1fcb5bda4">[email protected]</span></a>. At its discretion, LSC may consider
incomplete applications. LSC will determine the admissibility of late
or incomplete applications on a case-by-case basis.
C. Multiple Pre-Applications
Applicants may submit multiple Pre-applications under the same or
different funding category. If applying for multiple grants, applicants
should submit separate Pre-applications for each funding request.
D. Additional Information and Guidelines
Additional guidance and instructions on the Pro Bono Innovation
Fund Pre-Application and Application processes, will be available and
regularly updated at <a href="https://www.lsc.gov/grants-grantee-resources/our-grant-programs/pro-bono-innovation-fund">https://www.lsc.gov/grants-grantee-resources/our-grant-programs/pro-bono-innovation-fund</a>.
(Authority: 42 U.S.C. 2996g(e))
Dated: November 1, 2024.
Stefanie Davis,
Deputy General Counsel for Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice,
Legal Services Corporation.
[FR Doc. 2024-25853 Filed 11-6-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7050-01-P
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