Category Archives: Funding

Senate Confirms New SJI Board Member

Posted on February 1, 2013 by richardzorza

This is great news.  Early in January, the Senate confirmed New York Court of Appeals Judge Jonathan Lippman as a member of the State Justice Institute Board. Readers of this blog do not need to be reminded of CJ Lippman’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Court Management, Funding, Systematic Change | Comments Off on Senate Confirms New SJI Board Member

The Highlight of the LSC TIG Conference

Posted on January 18, 2013 by richardzorza

LSC President Jim Sandman’s lunch address on Wednesday was for me the highlight of the TIG Conference.  Why? Not because of the clear commitment to the role of technology in the transformation of access to justice — important though that … Continue reading →

Posted in Funding, LSC, Pro Bono | 2 Comments

Funded Technical Assistance on Access Availalbe to Courts from NCSC Center on Court Acces for All

Posted on January 11, 2013 by richardzorza

Funded technical assistance on access to justice is now available to Courts from the NCSC Center on Court Acces for All.  This resource could be very helpful.  Here is the website  for  the assistance program. The forms this assistance might … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Generally, Court Management, Funding, Self-Help Services | 2 Comments

NewsMaker Interview: Kerry O’Brien of Equal Justice Works on the Emerging Need for Evidence-Based Data

Posted on December 6, 2012 by richardzorza

Recently, AmeriCorps changed the way they award grants that may be a sign of things to come from federal funding sources. Equal Justice Works has been an AmeriCorps grantee since the national service program’s birth in 1993. AmeriCorps has supported … Continue reading →

Posted in Funding, Research and Evalation | Comments Off on NewsMaker Interview: Kerry O’Brien of Equal Justice Works on the Emerging Need for Evidence-Based Data

After the Elections — Institutional Implications

Posted on November 27, 2012 by richardzorza

I promised some discussion of post-election access to justice institutional implications.  Here, somewhat later than I had hoped, it is. Institutional Stability The first point is obvious.  The LSC and SJI Boards stay the same, as a practical matter for … Continue reading →

Posted in Court Management, Funding, Legal Aid | Comments Off on After the Elections — Institutional Implications

Time For a National Center on Mobile Access to Justice

Posted on November 3, 2012 by richardzorza

Several organizations have been stepping up to the plate on mobile, for example, LSC with its TIG grants, Illinois LegalAidOnline with their informational and pro bono apps, the State Bar of Georgia. Not to mention the Pro Bono Net, Northwest Justice … Continue reading →

Posted in Funding, Mobile Technology, Technology | 5 Comments

Child Support Agencies’ Interest in Access to Justice

Posted on October 8, 2012 by richardzorza

Last week I attended the Western Interstate Child Support Enforcement Council Conference in Jackson Hole Wyoming.  I was part of a session on the implications of Turner v. Rogers. I talked to people from many states (Wyoming, California, and Colorado … Continue reading →

Posted in Funding, Self-Help Services | 2 Comments

Transformative Fact Sheet from Laura Abel, National Center for Access to Justice, in Economic Benefits of Legal Aid

Posted on September 17, 2012 by richardzorza

I almost never use the phrase “must see,” but here is the exception that proves the rule. Laura Abel has prepared a documented two-pager on Economic Benefits of Civil Legal Aid. Headlines (all documented): Civil legal aid saves public money … Continue reading →

Posted in Funding, Legal Aid | Comments Off on Transformative Fact Sheet from Laura Abel, National Center for Access to Justice, in Economic Benefits of Legal Aid

Important Video on Why Grantmakers Should Support Legal Aid

Posted on September 14, 2012 by richardzorza

As you may know, the Public Welfare Foundation has been making access to justice grants.  The President of PWF, Mary McClymont has also been making a major effort to talk to her funder colleagues about the importance of supporting legal … Continue reading →

Posted in Funding | 1 Comment

How to — and How Not to — Talk about Increasing Resources for Access Services

Posted on August 30, 2012 by richardzorza

In the last few days, I have been in three different conversations about how to talk about the need for resource for access advocacy. There has been a common theme in these discussions — the unfortunate tendency for this to … Continue reading →

Posted in Funding, Legal Aid | Comments Off on How to — and How Not to — Talk about Increasing Resources for Access Services

ABA ATJ Network Announces Grants for Enhancment of Works of Existing Commissions

Posted on July 30, 2012 by richardzorza

The ABA Access to Justice Commission Expansion Project, with funding from the Public Welfare Foundation, has now announced the availability of its Phase Two grants.  These are available to existing Access to Justice Commissions to enhancement of their work. From … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Boards, Funding | Comments Off on ABA ATJ Network Announces Grants for Enhancment of Works of Existing Commissions

Guide to VISTA for Legal Aid Programs

Posted on July 21, 2012 by richardzorza

This is nice.  As posed on the DOJ Access Initiative website, DOJ in partnership with the Corporation for National and Community Service has issued a Guide to Vista for Legal Aid Programs. From the Guide: Vistas Helping with Technology: Minnesota … Continue reading →

Posted in Dept. of Justice, Funding, Legal Aid | Comments Off on Guide to VISTA for Legal Aid Programs

Wed July 11 is Deadline for Comments on LSC’s Draft Strategic Plan

Posted on July 10, 2012 by richardzorza

Tomorrow, Wed July 11, is the last day to comment on LSC’s excellent Draft Strategic Plan. Any such document is bound to be somewhat controversial, and the draft represents a very major potential strengthening of LSC and its role in … Continue reading →

Posted in Funding, LSC, Systematic Change | 3 Comments

Important News About Access to Justice Commission Expansion Support Grants

Posted on July 5, 2012 by richardzorza

The ABA Access to Justice Expansion Project has announced the availability of its mini-grants.  Due August 17 are applications for the first round of grants that are to be focused on staring new Commissions or jump starting stalled Commission processes. … Continue reading →

Posted in Access to Justice Boards, Funding | Comments Off on Important News About Access to Justice Commission Expansion Support Grants

Impact on Funding of Planning Participation

Posted on July 2, 2012 by richardzorza

I recently blogged about changes in the Byrne Grant Program, and the potential from changes in the strategic planning language. Now, here’s some evidence that participation in the strategic planning process might impact funding outcomes. As the GAO reports on … Continue reading →

Posted in Court Management, Defender Programs, Funding | Comments Off on Impact on Funding of Planning Participation