[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 7 (Monday, January 12, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1248-1249]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-361]


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LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION


Disaster Relief Emergency Grant Instructions

AGENCY: Legal Services Corporation.

ACTION: Notice of Issuance of Disaster Relief Emergency Grant 
Instructions.

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SUMMARY: On occasion, the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) has 
available

[[Page 1249]]

special funding to help meet the emergency needs of programs in 
disaster areas. This Notice sets forth instructions for current LSC 
grant recipients who have experienced needs due to a disaster in a 
federally-declared disaster area and who wish to apply for disaster 
relief funding, when such funds are available. This information is also 
posted to the LSC Web site at www.lsc.gov.

DATES: Effective Date: These instructions become effective 30 days 
after the date of this publication.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Director of the Office of Program 
Performance, Legal Services Corporation, 3333 K St., NW., Washington, 
DC 20007, (202) 295-1500 (phone); (202) 337-6813 (fax).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Instructions for Applying for Disaster Relief

Eligibility

    On occasion, the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) has available 
special funding to help meet the emergency needs of programs in 
disaster areas. When funding is available, only current LSC recipients 
in Federally-declared disaster areas are eligible to apply for such 
emergency funds.

Disaster Relief Grant Application Instructions

    To obtain emergency funding from the LSC, a recipient shall submit 
a written application to LSC's President. The application must be 
signed by the executive director and the chair of the board of 
directors of the recipient.
    The following information must be included in the application:
    (1) Resources, Need and Objectives
    (a) The recipient's name and number;
    (b) A description of the damage sustained by recipient and the 
surge in demand for services as a result of the disaster;
    (c) An estimate, in dollars, of lost property, including records, 
and equipment;
    (d) The amount of emergency funds requested;
    (e) A brief narrative stating the purpose of the requested funds;
    (f) The recipient's current annual budget of revenue and expenses 
(LSC and non-LSC);
    (g) The recipient's fiscal year.
    (2) Operational Procedures
    Describe the operational procedures for the disaster relief 
project(s) including the following items where applicable:
    (a) The anticipated length of time to restore operations from 
emergency status to normal;
    (b) The anticipated term of the emergency grant (i.e., proposed 
beginning and termination dates), not to exceed twelve months;
    (c) A description of the project, including criteria to be used for 
determining successful completion;
    (3) Grant Assurances
    (a) An assurance that recipient will comply with all of the grant 
assurances applicable to its basic field grant (which are herein 
incorporated by reference) in the expenditure of the emergency funds; 
and
    (e) An assurance that the recipient will follow the special LSC 
accounting and reporting requirements for the emergency funds (i.e., 
separate reporting by natural line item in the annual audit, separate 
case reporting in the CSR report, and if requested, periodic progress 
reports to the LSC) specified below.
    (4) Budget
    Provide a detailed budget of expenses for the emergency need, 
including the following information
    (a) The amount of emergency funds requested from LSC;
    (b) Projected funding from other (non-LSC) sources, including 
insurance proceeds;
    (c) Any in-kind contributions;
    (d) Expenses by natural line item; and
    (e) Any anticipated purchases in excess of $10,000.
    It is suggested that the outside of the envelope clearly note that 
it contains an ``Application for an Emergency Grant for Disaster 
Relief'' and that the President's office be alerted by phone or e-mail 
that an application is being submitted.

Disaster Relief Emergency Grant Approval Criteria

    Given the nature of emergency situations arising from natural 
disasters, requests for assistance will be processed on a priority 
basis. The primary emphasis will be on restoring, as quickly as 
possible, the program's capacity to serve eligible clients.

Disaster Relief Emergency Grant Extensions

    To obtain approval for an extension of the grant term, a recipient 
must submit a request in writing no later than sixty days prior to the 
termination date of the grant. LSC shall respond to such request no 
later than thirty days prior to the termination date of the grant.

Disaster Relief Emergency Grant Accounting and Reporting

Accounting for the Grant
    The grant must be separately reported by natural line item in 
recipient'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. Any fund balance remaining at the end of the 
grant period shall be refunded to the LSC at submission of the audit 
report.
Case Service Reporting
    In times of crisis, the immediate needs of victims supersede the 
need to adhere to the recipient's established priorities and recipients 
confronted by natural disasters 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 the 
recipient's case activities, the recipient may find that it has 
processed a substantial number of cases outside its normal priorities 
and the case reporting would reflect this. To avoid a distorted picture 
when disaster cases are reported in the regular CSRs, LSC requires that 
there be separate case reporting for disaster related cases for which 
emergency funding was provided.
Periodic Progress Reports
    If requested, the recipient shall make periodic reports to LSC on 
the progress being made by the recipient in the completion of the 
disaster relief project(s).

    Dated: January 6, 2009.
Victor M. Fortuno,
Vice President & General Counsel.
[FR Doc. E9-361 Filed 1-9-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7050-01-P