[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 47 (Thursday, March 10, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13764-13765]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-05031]


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LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION


Notice of Availability of Calendar Year 2023 Competitive Grant 
Funds for the Veterans Pro Bono Program

AGENCY: Legal Services Corporation.

ACTION: Notice.

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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. LSC administers the process of awarding grant 
funds for the Veterans Pro Bono Program to furnish 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 2023 and solicits pre-applications from interested parties. The 
exact amount of available funds and the date, terms, and conditions of 
their availability for the calendar year 2023 will be determined 
through the congressional appropriations process for FY 2023. In 2021, 
Congress appropriated $3,286,509.

DATES: The deadline to submit a Pre-Application is Thursday, April 14, 
2022, by 5 p.m. Eastern Time. Pre-Applications must be submitted by 
email to [email protected].

ADDRESSES: Letters of Intent must be submitted electronically to 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Anais M. Taboas, Program Counsel, 
Office of Program Performance, Legal Services Corporation, 3333 K 
Street NW, Washington, DC 20007, (202) 295-1617, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Introduction

    Funds for the Veterans Pro Bono Program are authorized by and 
subject to Public Law 102-229, 105 Stat. 1701, as incorporated by 
reference in subsequent appropriations for the United States Court of 
Appeals for 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[.]''

I. Grant Application Process

A. Eligibility

    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.

B. Veterans Pro Bono Grant Application Process

    Applicants must first submit a Pre-Application to LSC via email to 
[email protected] by Thursday, April 14, 2022, by 5 p.m. Eastern Time to 
be considered for a grant. After review by LSC staff, LSC's leadership 
decides which applicants will be asked to submit a full application. 
Applicants will be notified of approval to submit a full application by 
early May 2022. Full applications are due to LSC via email to 
[email protected] by 5 p.m. Eastern on July 8, 2022. Once received, full 
applications will undergo a rigorous review by LSC staff and other 
subject matter experts. LSC leadership makes the final decision on 
funding the Veterans Pro Bono Program Grant.

C. Required Pre-Application Content

    The Pre-Application must include the following information:


[[Page 13765]]


    (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 a brief description of relevant experience of 
principals and key staff;
    (6) Names and a brief description of relevant experience of the 
current governing board;
    (7) Brief description of how your organization will serve 
eligible veterans, dependents, or other persons with proceedings 
before the Court regardless of their location or residence; and
    (8) If the non-profit organization has not yet been established, 
names and a 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; and (e) outreach and education for 
veterans and dependents regarding veterans benefits rights and 
procedures.
    The Pre-Application must not exceed seven (7) single-spaced pages 
and must be submitted as a single PDF document.

D. Late or Incomplete Pre-Applications

    LSC may consider a request to submit a Pre-Application after the 
deadline, but only if the Applicant submitted an email to 
[email protected] explaining the circumstances that caused the delay 
before the Pre-Application deadline. Communication with LSC staff is 
not a substitute for sending a formal request and explanation to 
[email protected]. At its discretion, LSC may consider incomplete Pre-
Applications. LSC will determine the admissibility of late or 
incomplete Pre-Application on a case-by-case basis.

E. Additional Information and Guidelines

    Additional guidance and instructions on the Veterans Pro Bono 
Program Pre-Application and Application processes will be available on 
https://lsc.gov/grants/veterans-pro-bono-grant-program.
    The Application, guidelines, content requirements, and specific 
selection criteria will be available the week of May 10, 2022, at 
www.lsc.gov.
    For more information about the current grantee, The Veterans 
Consortium Pro Bono Program, please visit www.vetsprobono.org.
    Authority: 42 U.S.C. 2996g(e).

    Dated: March 4, 2021.
Stefanie Davis,
Senior Associate General Counsel.
[FR Doc. 2022-05031 Filed 3-9-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7050-01-P