Closed Matters for Comment

LSC seeks public comments on a variety of proposals affecting LSC grants and operations. The public can submit comments to LSC regarding any Open Comment Period items. This page contains materials for which the comment period has closed. For earlier matters, please contact LSC.

The Rulemaking section of Laws, Regulations & Guidance contains information about open and closed LSC rulemakings (changes to the LSC Regulations).

Request for Comment on Draft Performance Area 4

Comments were accepted until June 5, 2017. (Extended deadline.)

LSC is in the process of revising the Performance Criteria that LSC uses to evaluate the quality of legal assistance provided by its grantees. LSC is seeking comments on the proposed changes to Performance Area 4, "Effectiveness of governance, leadership, and administration." Additional information and opportunity to comment on the revisions to Performance Criteria 1-3 will be provided in future Federal Register notices.

Federal Register Extension published on June 1, 2017.
Federal Register Notice published on April 5, 2017.
Submit comments to PerformanceCriteria@lsc.gov by May 29, 2017.
See below for charts of proposed changes to each criterion:

Comments

Proposed 2018 Grant Terms and Conditions

Beginning with grant year 2018, LSC is revising its process for developing the Grant Assurances for the Basic Field Grant program. The Grant Assurances will be renamed the Grant Terms and Conditions and will become a part of the Request for Proposals to better notify Basic Field Grant applicants about the legal, regulatory, and contractual requirements of the grants. The Grant Terms and Conditions delineate LSC and recipients’ rights and responsibilities under the grant. For grant year 2018,

For grant year 2018, LSC has not made substantive changes to the grant year 2017 Grant Assurances/Terms and Conditions. LSC proposes adding several terms, however, including:

Expanded explanations of the statutory restrictions on the use of LSC and non-LSC funds;
Expanded explanations on the organizational governance and programmatic requirements that recipients of Basic Field Grant funds must follow;
Explanation of governing law, venue, and mandatory mediation requirements;
Prohibition on assigning a Basic Field Grant award to another organization;
Explanation of intellectual property rights in products developed by a grantee using Basic Field Grant funds;
Explanation of the grantor-grantee relationship between LSC and a successful applicant for funding;
Standard integration, severability, and indemnification clauses; and
Expanded explanation of enforcement procedures.

LSC published an April 6 Federal Register notice regarding the 2018 Terms and Conditions and submission of comments:

to inform recipients and other stakeholders of the change; and
to allow interested parties the opportunity to comment on proposed changes to the Terms and Conditions.

LSC received comments and made revisions, as discussed in the links above.

Questions

Please direct any questions to Rebecca D. Weir, Senior Assistant General Counsel, Legal Services Corporation, rweir@lsc.gov.

Comments

Draft Financial-Screening Program Letter

LSC published for comment a draft program letter discussing minimum requirements for LSC recipients when collecting financial-eligibility information from applicants through automated intake systems, and when such systems can make financial-eligibility determinations.

Draft Program Letter for Public Comment—Automated Systems for Financial-Eligibility Information Collection and Screening

2012 Draft Program Letter Regarding Financial Screening and Public Comments Submitted to LSC

Comments on the 2016 Draft

Proposed 2017 Grant Assurances

LSC sought public comments on the Proposed Grant Assurances for calendar-year 2017 Basic Field Grants.

Proposed 2017 Grant Assurances in redline format, highlighting proposed revisions from the 2016 Grant Assurances
Federal Register (April 5, 2016) | Notice of Proposed Revisions for the LSC Grant Assurances for Calendar Year 2017 Basic Field Grants, with instructions for submitting comments and additional information.
Federal Register (May 9, 2016) | Extension of Comment Period through May 16, 2016, for Proposed Revisions to the LSC Grant Assurances for Calendar Year 2017 Basic Field Grants

Public Comments on Proposed 2017 Grant Assurances

Comments received from LSC recipients:

Comments received from non-LSC recipients:

Agricultural-Worker Population Estimate Update for Basic Field—Migrant Grants; Michigan Estimates

For 2017 grants, LSC considered and adopted new estimates of the LSC-eligible agricultural worker population for distribution of basic field grants between general population grants and agricultural worker grants (migrant grants). Materials and comments are posted on the Agricultural Worker Population Estimate page.

Assessing the Goals in the Strategic Plan 2012-2016

Public Comments on Assessing the Goals in the Strategic Plan 2012 - 2016:

Proposed 2016 Grant Assurances

On April 17, 2015, LSC posted for comment Proposed 2016 Grant Assurances in redline format, highlighting proposed revisions from the 2015 Grant Assurances, and a Federal Register notice with instructions for submitting comments.

Public Comments on Proposed 2016 Grant Assurances

LSC Responses and Revisions

Agricultural-Worker Population Estimate Update for Basic Field—Migrant Grants

LSC is considering implementation of new data estimating the agricultural worker population for Migrant Grants.
Materials and comments are posted on the Agricultural Worker Population Estimate page.

Proposed 2015 Grant Assurances

LSC posted Proposed 2015 Grant Assurances in redline format, highlighting revisions from the 2014 Grant Assurances, and a Federal Register notice with instructions for submitting comments.