Notice of Intent to Compete Due: August 28, 2015, 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time

Description: LSC is solicitating proposals for the provision of pro bono legal services to veterans. Under to Public Law 102-229, LSC administers the process of awarding grant funds for the Veterans Pro Bono Program for the purpose of furnishing 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 2016 and solicits grant proposals from interested parties.  

Funding Title: Competitive Grant Funds for the Veterans Pro Bono Program

Agency Name: Legal Services Corporation

Funding Instrument Type: Grant

Express Language for Legal Aid:  Yes.

Target Population:  Eligible veterans with claims in the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims  

Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement: No

How to Apply: Applicants must file a Notice of Intent to Compete (NIC) with LSC to participate in the competitive grants process. The NIC must include the following information:

(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 brief description of relevant experience of principals and key staff;

(6) names and brief description of relevant experience of current governing board; and

(7) if the non-profit organization has not yet been established, names and 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;

(e) outreach and education for veterans and dependents regarding veterans benefits rights and procedures.

The NIC must not exceed seven (7) single-spaced pages and must be submitted as a single PDF document. The NIC must be submitted by email to veteransprobono@lsc.gov.

Current Closing Date for Applications:  Notice of Intent to Compete due on August 28, 2015, 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time

Estimated Total Program Funding: The exact amount of available funds and the date, terms, and conditions of their availability for calendar year 2016 will be determined through the congressional appropriations process for FY 2016. For the past three years, Congress has appropriated approximately $2.5 million each year.

Eligible Applicants: 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.

Current/Past Funding Recipients: 2015 

Link to Full Announcement:  Here

Contact Information: For questions about the application process, please contact Meredith Horton, Office of Program Performance, by email at veteransprobono@lsc.gov.

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