81 FR 55494 - Notice of Instructions for Emergency Relief Grants

LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 161 (August 19, 2016)

Generally, the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) has funds available to help meet the special needs of LSC grantees in areas experiencing emergencies recognized through government declarations. This Notice sets forth instructions for current LSC grantees with such needs affecting their offices or parts of their service area who wish to apply for emergency relief funding when such funds are available. This information is also posted to the LSC Web site at www.lsc.gov.

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 161 (Friday, August 19, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55494-55495]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-19801]


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LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION


Notice of Instructions for Emergency Relief Grants

AGENCY: Legal Services Corporation

ACTION: Notice--Instructions for emergency relief grants.

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SUMMARY: Generally, the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) has funds 
available to help meet the special needs of LSC grantees in areas 
experiencing emergencies recognized through government declarations. 
This Notice sets forth instructions for current LSC grantees with such 
needs affecting their offices or parts of their service area who wish 
to apply for emergency relief funding when such funds are available. 
This information is also posted to the LSC Web site at www.lsc.gov.

DATES: These instructions are effective September 19, 2016.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Disaster Grants Coordinator, Office of 
Program Performance, Legal Services Corporation, 3333 K St. NW., 
Washington, DC 20007, (202) 295-1500, [email protected] 
(preferred contact).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Emergency Relief Grants

A. Eligibility

    Generally, the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) has funds available 
to help meet the special needs of LSC grantees in areas experiencing 
emergencies recognized through government declarations. When funding is 
available, current LSC grantees are eligible to apply for such 
emergency funds only if they provide services or have an office located 
in an area subject to an emergency declaration or similar determination 
by a government entity or equivalent, at any level, including tribal 
governments regardless of federal recognition. Such determinations 
could address disasters, public health emergencies, droughts, or other 
circumstances warranting emergency-response actions and services. This 
policy supersedes LSC's prior policy that limited these grants to 
Federally declared disaster areas. Information regarding this grant 
program is available at www.lsc.gov in the ``Our Grant Programs'' 
section.

B. Applications

    Interested grantees should contact the LSC Office of Program 
Performance to discuss the application process, standards, and 
selection criteria. Information about the application forms and method 
of submission are available on www.lsc.gov in the ``Our Grant 
Programs'' section. Applications should, at minimum, address the 
following topics.
1. Resources, Needs, and Objectives
    a. A description of the damage sustained by applicant and/or the 
surge in demand for services as a result of the emergency.
    b. An estimate, in dollars, of lost property, including records, 
and equipment.
    c. The amount of emergency funds requested.
    d. A brief narrative stating the purpose of the requested funds.
    e. The grantee's current annual budget of revenue and expenses 
including both LSC funds and non-LSC funds.
2. Operational Procedures
    a. The anticipated length of time needed to restore operations from 
emergency status to normal and/or the anticipated length of time of the 
expected surge in demand.
    b. The anticipated term of the emergency grant (i.e., proposed 
beginning and termination dates).
    c. A description of the project, including criteria to be used for 
determining successful completion.
3. Budget--A Detailed Budget of Expenses for the Emergency Relief Grant

C. Approval Criteria

    Given the nature of these emergency situations, LSC will process 
requests for assistance on a priority basis. The primary emphasis will 
be on restoring or expanding, as quickly as possible, the program's 
capacity to serve eligible clients.

D. Accounting and Reporting

1. Accounting for the Grant
    The grant must be separately reported by natural line item in the 
grantee's annual audit(s). This reporting may be done either on the 
face of the financial statements, or in a schedule attached to the 
financial statements. The grant will provide additional instructions as 
needed.
2. Case Service Reporting
    In times of crisis, the immediate needs of victims supersede the 
need to adhere to the grantee's established priorities. Thus, grantees 
confronted by natural disasters or emergencies generally dispense with 
the stated priorities to respond to the most pressing needs of their 
clients. Depending on the extent of the disaster and the impact it has 
on case activities, the grantee may process a substantial

[[Page 55495]]

number of cases outside of its normal priorities, which could 
significantly alter its case service reporting data. To avoid a 
distorted picture when disaster cases are reported in the regular CSRs, 
LSC may require separate case reporting for emergency-related cases 
that are outside of normal priorities and/or funded with an emergency 
relief grant.

    Dated: August 15, 2016.
Mark Freedman,
Senior Associate General Counsel.
[FR Doc. 2016-19801 Filed 8-18-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 7050-01-P