Request for Proposals for the
2015 Legal Access Job Corps Catalyst Grant Program
The ABA Task Force on the Legal Access Job Corps invites state and local bar associations, bar foundations, law schools, courts, government agencies, and other similar organizations to apply for an ABA catalyst grant available to support the implementation of innovative programs to enlist recently-admitted lawyers in providing legal services to persons of modest means.
I. Background on the Catalyst Grant Program
The ABA Task Force has identified a number of programs that have been developed in various locations to utilize recently-admitted lawyers in better serving the legal needs of poor and moderate income persons. These include incubator programs, post-graduate fellowship programs, initiatives to insure the availability of legal services in rural and other underserved communities and others. Examples are cataloged at www.ambar.org/legalaccessjobcorps. The Task Force seeks to foster further innovative initiatives that achieve similar objectives. The Task Force has a total of $40,000 available for 2015 grant awards.
II. Project Guidelines
A. Who is Eligible for the Grants?
Organizations or entities in the U.S. or territories that involve attorneys in the delivery of legal services to poor or moderate income individuals are eligible to apply for a catalyst grant.
B. What Types of Projects Will Be Funded?
The Catalyst Grant Program seeks to provide start-up financial support to initiatives that use lawyers in innovative ways to address the legal needs of poor or moderate income persons. The catalyst grants are not intended to be an ongoing source of funding but are meant to start projects that can be sustained by other resources.
C. What Are the Program Requirements?
· The funds must be requested for a new initiative to be operated by the requesting organization or to implement a significant new variation or extension of an existing, qualifying initiative.
· The initiative must have a twofold purpose: (1) to employ an appreciable number of recent law graduates, and (2) to address unmet legal needs of poor or moderate income persons or persons living in geographically remote locations.
· In evaluating proposals, preference will be given to proposals that include:
o matching funds or in-kind support provided by the applicant;
o partnerships with other stakeholder organizations;
o innovative use of technology;
o demonstrated ability for the program to be sustainable after the grant period;
o a demonstrated empirical basis for the specific needs to be addressed and the effectiveness of the delivery mechanisms to be employed.
· The recipient will be required to submit quarterly reports to the ABA.
· The recipient will be required to freely share any work product, lessons learned, etc., with the ABA and with other entities that may want to try the same or similar initiatives.
· The initiative should include an objective evaluation component, designed to provide the sponsoring organization and the ABA with data that will indicate the degree of success achieved by the initiative.
· The recipient will be required to submit a final project report, including an evaluation of the success of the initiative, on or before November 1, 2016.
D. What are the Application Requirements?
The proposal must be prepared in an electronic format using the attached application template. The completed application may not exceed ten pages.
E. What Funding is Available?
The Catalyst Grant Program may award grants of amounts ranging from $5,000 to $40,000. The decisions of the ABA, acting through the Task Force on the Legal Access Job Corps, concerning grant recipients and amounts awarded, shall be final. The Task Force has sole discretion to make these decisions and its decisions shall be deemed to be the decisions of the ABA. The ABA is not liable for any costs the applicant incurs in preparation and submission of its proposal, in participating in the RFP process or in anticipation of the award of the contract. No rights or obligations are created by this solicitation of applications. The ABA reserves the right to award no grants.
F. What is the Grant Period?
Each grant will be a lump sum distribution on or about July 2015 to support an initiative to be undertaken by the recipient over a period of up to twelve months.
G. How and When to Apply?
Applications must be submitted by April 17, 2015, at 5:00 PM Central Time:
(1) email the completed Catalyst Grant Application to . AND
(2) place in the U.S. mail a paper copy of the completed Catalyst Grant Application (not to exceed 10 pages), postmarked by April 17 and addressed to Terry Brooks, American Bar Association, FL19, 321 N. Clark St, Chicago, IL 60654.
Catalyst Grant recipients will be announced by June 30, 2015.
H. Questions about the Catalyst Grants
For more information about the Catalyst Grant Program, please contact Terry Brooks, at .
Legal Access Job Corps Catalyst Grant Program
2015 CATALYST GRANT APPLICATION FORM
I. Applicant Information
Applicant Organization
Name:
Address:
Telephone:
Fax:
Website:
Project Director
Name:
Address:
Telephone:
Fax:
Email:
Affiliated/Partner Organization(s) (if any)
Name:
Address:
Telephone:
Fax:
Web site:
Service Area: ___State ___County ___City ___Other (______)
II. Basic Project Information
Provide a very short description (no more than 100 words) of the project or initiative for which you are seeking funding.
III. Detailed Project Information
Provide a detailed description of the proposed project, including at a minimum responses to each of the following questions, addressing only the project for which you are seeking funding.
A. How does the project meet the twin objectives of this grant program?
1. How will it employ an appreciable number of recent law graduates?
2. How will it address unmet legal needs of poor or moderate income persons or persons living in geographically remote locations? Describe the empirical basis for the community need that has been identified. Describe how the project responds to that need.
B. For what specific purposes or aspects of the project will the ABA funds be used?
C. Provide a brief description of project staff responsibilities; responsibilities and duties of service-providers; coordination with relevant bar associations and non-profits; and the role of any partnering organizations.
D. What are your plans for the project beyond the grant period? Will it continue? How will it be sustained?
E. How will the project be evaluated? Please provide a description of metrics that will be utilized to determine project achievments.
F. How will the project be replicable by other entities?
IV. Plans to Address Anticipated Obstacles
Describe any obstacles you anticipate in implementing your project and how you will overcome these obstacles. Typical obstacles may include the following:
A. Statutory, court rule, and regulatory obstacles.
B. Challenges presented by the need to coordinate or collaborate with other key actors.
V. Detailed Budget Information
Please indicate how you intend to use the Catalyst Grant funds by providing a detailed budget along with any necessary explanatory narrative. The budget should be the total budget for the entire initiative, including any amounts that have been secured from other sources. If you have additional funding from other sources, please indicate the amount(s) to be received from each source, whether you have obtained a commitment that the funding will be provided and identify the source(s) of such funds. Please provide the budget in the form of a table or spreadsheet (attach a separate file if necessary).
VI. Deadline
Applications must be submitted by April 17, 2015, at 5:00 PM Central Time:
(1) email the completed Catalyst Grant Application to . AND
(2) place in the U.S. mail a paper copy of the completed Catalyst Grant Application (not to exceed 10 pages), postmarked by April 17 and addressed to Terry Brooks, American Bar Association, FL19, 321 N. Clark St, Chicago, IL 60654.
Catalyst Grant recipients will be announced by June 30, 2015.
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