80 FR 44398 - Notice of Availability of Calendar Year 2016 Competitive Grant Funds for the Veterans Pro Bono Program

LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 143 (July 27, 2015)

The Legal Services Corporation (LSC) provides grants of federally-appropriated funds for civil legal services to low-income individuals and families. Pursuant 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. 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.

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 143 (Monday, July 27, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44398-44399]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-18309]


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LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION


Notice of Availability of Calendar Year 2016 Competitive Grant 
Funds for the Veterans Pro Bono Program

AGENCY: Legal Services Corporation.

ACTION: Solicitation of proposals for the provision of pro bono legal 
services to veterans.

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SUMMARY: The Legal Services Corporation (LSC) provides grants of 
federally-appropriated funds for civil legal services to low-income 
individuals and families.
    Pursuant 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. 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.

DATES: The deadline to submit a Notice of Intent to Compete is Friday, 
August 28, 2015, at 5 p.m. Eastern Time. Notices must be submitted by 
email to [email protected].

ADDRESSES: Office of Program Performance, Veterans Pro Bono Program 
Competition, Legal Services Corporation, 3333 K Street NW., Third 
Floor, Washington, DC 20007-3522.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions about the application 
process, please contact Meredith Horton, Office of Program Performance, 
by email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Funds for the Veterans Pro Bono Program are 
authorized by and subject to Public Law 102-229, title I, ch. II, 105 
Stat. 1701, 1710, as incorporated by reference in subsequent 
appropriations for the United States Court of Appeals for

[[Page 44399]]

Veterans Claims (Court). That law requires the Court to provide the 
funds to LSC to award grants or contracts for the provision of ``legal 
or other assistance, without charge, to veterans and other persons who 
are unable to afford the cost of legal representation in connection 
with decisions'' of, or other proceedings in, the Court.
    Public Law 102-229 requires this assistance to be provided through 
``a program that furnishes case screening and referral, training and 
education for attorney and related personnel, and encouragement and 
facilitation of pro bono representation by members of the bar and law 
school clinical and other appropriate programs, such as veterans 
service organizations, and through defraying expenses incurred in 
providing representation to such persons. . . .''
    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.
    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 [email protected].
    The submission deadline is Friday, August 28, 2015, at 5 p.m. EDT.
    The Request for Proposals, containing the grant application, 
guidelines, proposal content requirements and specific selection 
criteria, will be available the week of September 14, 2015, at 
www.lsc.gov under ``Meetings & Events.''
    For more information about the current grantee, The Veterans 
Consortium Pro Bono Program, please visit www.vetsprobono.org.

     Dated: July 22, 2015.
Stefanie K. Davis,
Assistant General Counsel.
[FR Doc. 2015-18309 Filed 7-24-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7050-01-P