Pro Bono Innovation Fund Informational Webinar on 2016 Application Process Friday, February 5, 2016.

Pro Bono Innovation FundInformational Webinar on 2016 Application Process

Friday, February 5, 2016

Informational Webinar on Application Process

Mytrang NguyenProgram Counsel, Pro Bono Innovation

Alla PolyakovaProgram Analyst, Pro Bono Innovation Fund and Disaster Grants

Meredith HortonProgram Counsel, Pro Bono Innovation, Disaster Recovery and Relief, and Veterans Grant Administration

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2016 Pro Bono Innovation Fund Application Process

LOI deadlineMarch 28th

Invitations to apply issued April 25th

Full application deadline July 18th

Funding decisions announcedEnd of August

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Requests and Available Funding

2014 2015$0

$2,000,000

$4,000,000

$6,000,000

$8,000,000

$10,000,000

$12,000,000

$14,000,000

$16,000,000

$18,000,000

$15,300,000

$12,400,000

$2,375,000

$3,800,000

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Applications/LOIs and Awards79

59

1115

2014 2015

(59.8%) (57.7%) (56.4%) (56.7%)

The Basics

Key Goals

Address gaps in the delivery of legal services to low-income people.

Engage more lawyers and other volunteers in pro bono service.

Develop and implement new, innovative, and replicable strategies that address persistent challenges in pro bono delivery systems.

(59.8%) (57.7%) (56.4%) (56.7%)

The BasicsEligibility• Applicants must be current LSC grantees.

• Activities that are LSC-eligible are allowable.

• Compensated private attorney involvement is not eligible for Pro Bono Innovation Fund support.

Project Timeframe• Either 18 or 24 month projects.

• FY16 projects will begin on October 1, 2016.

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The Basics

• Alignment with Pro Bono Innovation Fund goals without specific areas of interest.

• FY15 median funding $257,000.

• Personnel costs approximately 85% of grants.

• Over 30 partners and organizations receiving subgrants or contracts (23% of grants).

• Partners are bar-sponsored volunteer lawyer programs, statewide organizations, health care providers, technology providers, and law schools.

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The Basics

Review Process

• We use staff and external pro bono experts to review and score all LOIs and full applications.

• LOIs had 4 separate reviewers.

• Full applications had 5 separate reviewers.

• Our scoring rubric and criteria is published in our 2015 Pro Bono Innovation Fund Application Instructions.

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Letter of Intent to Apply for Funding**NEW for 2016**

Letter of Intent to Apply for Funding2 months (2016) vs. 1 month (2015)

Develop full application (by invitation)3+ months (2016) vs. 1 ½ months (2015)

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Why more time?

Encourage submission of more than one project idea. Speak with other pro bono experts and Pro Bono Innovation

Fund grantees. Time to vet your ideas with volunteers, law firms, the

private bar. (Our criteria require a strong indication of volunteer demand for project.)

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2016 Letter of Intent to Apply for Funding

What do applicants submit for the LOI?

• The LOI submission is a brief 3 page concept note about your proposed project.

• It outlines the project, key staff and partners, and a cost estimate.

(59.8%

Tip: The three parts of the LOI are also the three core sections of a full Pro Bono Innovation Fund application. See LSC’s 2015 Pro Bono Innovation Fund Application Instructions for detailed questions on each section.) (57.7%) (56.4%) (56.7%)

2016 Letter of Intent to Apply for Funding

Pro Bono Innovation Fund LOI has three parts:

1. Project Description

2. Project Staff, Organizational Capacity, Project Partners

3. Budget and Timeline

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2015 Letter of Intent to Apply for Funding

Project Description

Problem statement: what is the client need, what is the challenge in your pro bono program/system, provide solid rationale.

Goals, objectives, activities: what are you proposing to do, is there a well-defined and thoughtful role for the volunteer, are the benefits to clients clear.

Volunteer demand: evidence of volunteer interest in supporting project.

Impact and evaluation: what is the change or improvement, how will this be captured, does the project have measurable outcomes.

Tip: This section is the substance of your project. Do your best to cover the key information and demonstrate a well-developed idea. The “volunteer demand” question is where past applications have fallen short.

2015 Letter of Intent to Apply for Funding

Project Staff, Organizational Capacity, and Project Partners

Identify the project team. Include the title, role and experiences of key staff.

List the project partners that you plan to involve, note their level of commitment or involvement with the project if you have it.

Management buy-in and support: what is/will be the role of your management in design and implementation.

Tip: For your proposed project to be successful, the right stakeholders and staff should be involved in its development and implementation. Are they, in fact, involved and listed in this section?

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2015 Letter of Intent to Apply for Funding

Estimated Budget

2015 Letter of Intent to Apply for Funding

Budget and Timeline

Entire 18 month or a 24 month project.

Provide your best thinking in the preliminary budget estimate.

Try to capture all of the costs with estimates only.

Does the project design, staffing and outcomes match budget estimate.

Tip: Your estimated project budget tells a story. What does your estimated budget say? How and where are you leveraging Pro Bono Innovation Fund dollars and your own (cash or in-kind) dollars?

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First two grant making cycles …

$6,175,000 for 26 different projects in 19 states.

First two grant making cycles …

Projects that advance organization’s strategic priorities.

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First two grant making cycles …

Projects that engage volunteers in continuum of service (and show that clients will receive a continuum of services).

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First two grant making cycles …

Projects that address remote delivery and hard to reach clients.

First two grant making cycles …

Projects that use technology to create efficiencies in the pro bono delivery system.

Next Steps

LSC will post this webinar on our website later this week.

LSC Grants is live for applicants to begin their Pro Bono Innovation Fund LOI submissions TODAY.

Deadline March 28, 2016, 5:00 PM (ET)

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Contact information

Pro Bono Innovation Fund Team mailbox for general questions:[email protected]

Mytrang if you are in AK, AS, AZ, CA, CO, CT, GU, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, MA, ME, MI, MN, MP, MT, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OR, PA, RI, SD, TX, UT, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY: [email protected]

Meredith if you are in AL, AR, DC, DE, FL, GA, KY, LA, MD, MO, MS, NC, PR, SC, TN, VA, VI: [email protected]

Alla for information on LSC Grants and online application submissions:[email protected]

Thank you!

(t.g.i.f from p.b.i.f)