[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 216 (Thursday, November 7, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 88308-88309]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[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 http://lscgrants.lsc.gov.

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.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                         6 Months        12 Months        18 Months        24 Months        36 Months
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    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 https://www.lsc.gov/grants-grantee-resources/our-grant-programs/pro-bono-innovation-fund.

(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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