[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 24 (Friday, February 4, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6628-6629]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-02376]


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LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION


2022 LSC Technology Initiative Grant Funding Notice

AGENCY: Legal Services Corporation (LSC).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Legal Services Corporation issues this Notice describing 
the conditions for submitting a Pre-Application for 2022 Technology 
Initiative Grants.

DATES: Pre-Applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday, 
March 18, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Pre-Applications must be submitted electronically to https://grantease.lsc.gov/.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Bonebrake, Program Counsel, 
Office of Program Performance, Legal Services Corporation, 3333 K 
Street NW, Washington, DC 20007; (202) 295-1547 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Introduction

    Since 2000, Congress has provided an annual appropriation to LSC to 
award special funding for client self-help and information technology 
projects. LSC's Technology Initiative Grant (TIG) program funds 
technology tools that help achieve LSC's goal of increasing the 
quantity and quality of legal services available to eligible persons. 
Projects funded under the TIG program develop, test, and replicate 
innovative technologies that can enable grant recipients and state 
justice communities to improve low-income persons' access to high-
quality legal assistance through an integrated and well-managed 
technology system. The TIG program also supports effective technology 
planning and management at LSC-funded organizations through the use of 
targeted assessment grants focused on improvements to technology 
systems and information security.

II. Funding Opportunities Information

A. Eligible Applicants

    To be eligible for Technology Initiative Grants, applicants must be 
current grantees of LSC Basic Field-General, Basic Field-Migrant, or 
Basic Field-Native American grants. In addition, applicants must 
receive basic field funding of at least a one-year term, be up to date 
on reporting on any existing TIG-funded projects, and not have had a 
previous TIG terminated in the past three years for reporting or other 
performance issues.

B. Technology Initiative Grant Purpose and Key Goals

    Since LSC's TIG program was established in 2000, LSC has made over 
826 grants totaling over $77 million. This grant program encourages 
organizations to use technology in innovative ways to:
    1. Effectively and efficiently provide high-quality legal 
assistance to low-income persons and to promote access to the judicial 
system through legal information, advice, and representation.
    2. Improve service delivery, quality of legal work, and management 
and administration of grantees.
    3. Develop, test, and replicate innovative strategies that can 
enable grantees and state justice communities to improve clients' 
access to high-quality legal assistance.

C. Funding Categories

1. General Technology Initiative Grants
    Projects in this category (1) implement new or innovative 
approaches for using technology in legal services delivery; (2) enhance 
the effectiveness and efficiency of existing technologies so that they 
may be better used to increase the quality and quantity of services to 
clients; or (3) replicate, adapt, or provide added value to the work of 
prior technology projects. This includes, but is not limited to, the 
implementation and improvement of tested methodologies and technologies 
from previous TIG projects. We also encourage replication of proven 
technologies from non-LSC funded legal aid organizations as well as 
sectors outside the legal aid community.
    LSC recommends a minimum amount for funding requests in this 
category of $40,000, but projects with lower budgets will be 
considered. There is no maximum amount for TIG funding requests that 
are within the total appropriation for TIG. All applicants in this 
category must submit a pre-application according to the process and 
requirements outlined in this notice.
2. Technology Improvement Projects
    LSC recognizes that grantees need sufficient technology 
infrastructure in place before they can take on a more innovative TIG 
project, and this grant category is for applicants that need to improve 
their basic technology infrastructure or their information security 
posture. The maximum funding amount for this category is $35,000.
    Please note that Technology Improvement Projects do not require a 
pre-application. LSC will open the application system and provide 
guidance for this project category by April 15, 2022. The application 
deadline for Technology Improvement Projects is May 20, 2022.

D. Available Funds for 2022 Grants

    The availability of funds for Technology Initiative Grants for 
FY2022 depends on LSC's appropriation. LSC is currently operating under 
a Continuing Resolution for FY2022, which funds the federal government 
through February

[[Page 6629]]

18, 2022. The Continuing Resolution maintains funding at $4,250,000. 
Technology Initiative Grant decisions for FY2022 will be made by 
September 2022. LSC anticipates publicizing the total amount available 
for Technology Initiative Grants when Congress enacts the FY2022 
appropriation.
    LSC will not designate fixed or estimated amounts for the two 
different funding categories and will make grant awards for the two 
categories within the total amount of funding available.

E. Grant Terms

    Applicants to the Technology Initiative Grant (TIG) program may 
propose grant terms between 12 and 36 months for general category 
projects and between 12 and 18 months for technology improvement 
projects. The grant term is expected to commence on October 1, 2022.

III. Grant Application Process

A. Technology Initiative Grant Application Process

    The Technology Initiative Grant (TIG) application process will be 
administered in LSC's unified grants management system, GrantEase. 
Applicants must first submit a pre-application to LSC in GrantEase by 
March 18, 2022, at 11:59 p.m. EDT, 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 late-April 2022. Full 
applications are due to LSC in the GrantEase system on June 3, 2022, at 
11:59 p.m. EDT. Once received, full applications will undergo a 
rigorous review by LSC staff. LSC's president makes the final decisions 
on funding for the Technology Initiative Grant program.
    As noted above, applicants applying for Technology Improvement 
Project funding are not requirered to submit pre-applications. LSC will 
launch the online application system for these projects by April 15, 
2022, and set a submission deadline of May 20, 2022, at 11:59 p.m. EDT.

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 
[email protected] explaining the circumstances that caused the delay 
prior to the pre-application deadline. Communication with LSC staff, 
including assigned program liaisons, is not a substitute for sending a 
formal request and explanation to [email protected]. 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 pre-application and 
application processes for Technology Initiative Grants will be 
available and regularly updated at https://www.lsc.gov/grants/technology-initiative-grant-program.
    Authority: 42 U.S.C. 2996g(e).

    Dated: February 1, 2022.
Stefanie Davis,
Senior Associate General Counsel for Regulations.
[FR Doc. 2022-02376 Filed 2-3-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7050-01-P