Letter of Intent Submission Deadline: March 20, 2015 by 11:59 p.m. EDT

Description: The Legal Services Corporation Technology Initiative Grants (TIG) Program encourages LSC grantees to use technology in innovative ways to increase access to legal services and the judicial system, to improve service delivery and the quality of legal work, and to enhance their management and administration. Projects funded under this program develop, test, and replicate innovative technologies that can enable grant recipients and state justice communities to improve clients’ access to high quality legal assistance through an integrated and well managed technology system.

Funding Title: Legal Services Corporation Technology Initiative Grants (TIG) Program

Agency Name: Legal Services Corporation

Funding Instrument Type: Grant

Express Language for Legal Aid: Yes

Target Population: Current LSC field grant recipients

Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement: No

How to Apply: All prospective applicants for 2015 funds from the Legal Services Corporation’s (LSC) Technology Initiative Grant (TIG) program must submit a “Letter of Intent” (LOI) prior to submitting a formal application. The format and contents of a Letter of Intent should conform to the requirements specified below in Section IV. The submission of a LOI enables a prospective applicant to vet its project ideas with TIG staff, who can then identify those projects that have a reasonable chance of success in the competitive grant process. LSC will solicit full proposals for those projects that have a reasonable chance of success in the grant competition process based on LSC’s analysis of the information provided in the LOI.Applicants must submit lettere of intent electronically via the online system found at http://lscgrants.lsc.gov.

Current Closing Date for Applications: Letter of Intent Submission Deadline: March 20, 2015 by 11:59 p.m. EDT

Estimated Total Program Funding: $4,000,000

Award Ceiling: There is no maximum amount for TIG funding requests that are within the total appropriation for TIG.

Award Floor:  LSC recommends a minimum amount for TIG funding requests of $40,000, but lower requests will be considered.

Eligible Applicants: TIG awards are only available to current LSC basic field grant recipients. A TIG will not be awarded to any applicant unless the applicant is in good standing on any existing TIG projects. Applicants must be up to date according to the milestone schedule on all existing TIG projects prior to submitting a LOI or have requested and received an adjustment to the original milestone schedule.

Priority Consideration:   

LSC will accept projects in two application categories:

1) Innovations and Improvements

2) Replication and Adaptation

LSC welcomes applications for a wide variety of projects. For 2015, LSC has four areas of particular interest in which programs are encouraged to submit proposals for innovative technology approaches. The designation of these areas does not in any way limit the scope of proposals in which LSC is interested. The 2015 areas of particular interest are:

A. Projects to Move Organizations Above the LSC Technology Baselines (revised 2015).

B. Technology Tools to Facilitate Access to Substantive Law Across Jurisdictions.

C. Automated Navigators for Pro Se Litigants.

D. Innovations in Legal Information Design and Delivery.  

Current/Past Funding Recipients:

http://www.lsc.gov/media/press-releases/lsc-awards-nearly-35-million-technology-grants-legal-aid-organizations (2014)

http://tig.lsc.gov/sites/lsc.gov/files/TIG/pdfs/TIG-2013grants.pdf (2013)

http://tig.lsc.gov/sites/default/files/TIG/pdfs/2012TIG-AwardswithDescriptions.pdf (2012)

Link to Full Announcement: http://tig.lsc.gov/sites/default/files/TIG/pdfs/2015-TIG-LOI-Notice.PDF

Contact Information:

For information on the status of a current TIG project, contact Eric Mathison, Program Analyst, Telephone: 202-295-1535; Email: emathison@lsc.gov.

For questions about projects in CT, DC, IL, IN, ME, MA, MI, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, WI, WV, VT, contact David Bonebrake, Program Counsel, Telephone: 202.295.1547; Email: dbonebrake@lsc.gov.

For questions about projects in AK, AZ, CA, CO, GU, HI, ID, IA, KS, MP, MN, MT, NE, NV, NH, NM, ND, OK, OR, SD, TX, UT, WA, WY, contact Glenn Rawdon, Program Counsel, Telephone: 202.295.1552; Email: grawdon@lsc.gov.

For questions about projects in AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MD, MS, MO, NC, PR, SC, TN, VI, VA, contact Jane Ribadeneyra, Program Analyst, Telephone: 202.295.1554, Email: ribadeneyraj@lsc.gov. If you have a general question, please email techgrants@lsc.gov 

Categories: Express Language for Legal Aid, Legal Services Corporation, Non-profit Organizations