Applicant Eligibility

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Eligible Applicants

Eligibility requirements for LSC Grants are set forth in 45 C.F.R. Part 1634.

The following persons, groups, and entities are eligible to compete for a grant:

1. current recipients
2. non-profit organizations that have as a purpose the provision of legal assistance to eligible clients
3. private attorneys, groups of attorneys or law firms*
4. state or local governments
5. sub-state regional planning or coordination agencies that are composed of sub-state areas whose governing boards are controlled by locally elected officials

*Note: A group of attorneys can compete for LSC grants under two options: it may choose to compete as a non-incorporated body; or it may elect to incorporate as a non-profit.

If your organization is not described by one of the five categories above and you would like to have information about how to become eligible to apply, please contact competition@lsc.gov.

Full Range of Legal Services

LSC seeks to fund proposals to provide a full range of legal services throughout each service area, consistent with the restrictions of the LSC Act and the appropriations acts. 

Where Applicants plan to provide less than the full range of legal services to eligible clients in a service area, ­e.g., services limited to legal assistance in a single area of the law or a few areas of law such as housing, divorces, and bankruptcy, or proposals limited to a particular type of legal assistance such as advice, referral and brief service, the grant application will not be accepted, unless the applicant demonstrates to LSC’s satisfaction, that it is or will be part of a delivery system that assures the availability of a full range of legal services in that service area. The grant application in its totality must meet this threshold requirement to be considered qualified.

Below is a list of the major categories of cases typically undertaken on behalf of low-income clients.

• Consumer/Finance
• Family
• Housing
• Education
• Income Maintenance
• Employment
• Health
• Other (e.g. Juvenile, Individual Rights, Wills, Miscellaneous) 

Governing Body Requirement

All successful applicants must have a governing or policy body consistent with the requirements of 45 C.F.R. Part 1607 of the LSC regulations. An applicant that is not in compliance at the time the grant is awarded will be required to be in compliance with 45 C.F.R. Part 1607 within sixty days from the date the grant award is made.

Applicable Law

All applicants should also review the provisions of the  Legal Services Corporation Act (LSC Act), regulations, guidelines, the 1996 LSC appropriations act and subsequent appropriations acts, as well as any current and pending Congressional appropriations acts. These provisions contain restrictions on the activities of recipients of LSC funds and may affect the eligibility of potential applicants. Recipients will be required to comply with all requirements contained therein. All of these documents are available from the Reference Materials page. 

The terms and conditions of the RFP are subject to change, pending Congressional action on any appropriations and authorization bills.