Veterans Legal Corps Request for Proposals

Transcription

1 Veterans Legal Corps Request for Proposals Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps Legal Fellowship Program 1730 M Street, NW, Suite 800 Washington, DC

2 Applications Due: June 28, 2018 Overview Equal Justice Works invites eligible organizations to apply to host Fellows for a one-year fellowship term as part of the Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps Veterans Legal Corps. The Veterans Legal Corps (VLC) is a legal fellowship program designed to increase capacity and access to civil legal help for members of the veteran community. Now in its sixth year, VLC is comprised of full time Fellows and law students who will serve in the program year. Administered by Equal Justice Works, VLC is an AmeriCorps program funded by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), and will provide partial funding for 24 Legal Fellows and 238 AmeriCorps JD (law student) Members, who will be part of a nationwide movement to close the justice gap. Selected host organizations will host Fellow(s) and AmeriCorps JD Members, providing direct legal services to underserved and/or low-income veteran communities. Eligibility Applicants to host Fellows and law students must meet the following eligibility criteria: (1) Establish the organizational status as a nonprofit organization, defined as those described in section 501(c) of Title 26 of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code, and exempt from taxation under 501(a) of that title, or a tribal nonprofit; (2) Have a history of providing legal services to the veteran community as identified in Section 1.C. Scope of Work; and (3) Not identified in the System for Award Management (SAM) as excluded from receiving federal awards. For Fellow and law student eligibility, see Section 1.B. Veterans Legal Corps Overview. Deadline All applications are due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on Thursday, June 28, Contact Information For assistance with any requirements of the solicitation, please contact the following: Selena Hunn,Program Manager, Equal Justice Works shunn@equaljusticeworks.org Phone: (202) Also, monitor the program website at for updates. Solicitation Release Date: May 31, 2018

3 About Equal Justice Works The mission of Equal Justice Works is to create a just society by mobilizing the next generation of lawyers committed to equal justice. We provide leadership to ensure a sustainable pipeline of talented and trained lawyers are involved in public service. Equal Justice Works provides a continuum of programs that begin with incoming law school students and extend into careers in the profession. We provide the nation s leading public interest law Fellowship program and offer more postgraduate, full-time legal positions in public service than any other organization. For more information about Equal Justice Works, please visit

4 Contents 1. Program Description... 2 A. Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps Legal Fellowships... 2 B. Veterans Legal Corps Overview... 2 (1) Fellows... 2 (2) Law Students... 3 (3) Data Collection and Evaluation... 3 C. Scope of Work... 4 (1) Fellows... 4 (2) AmeriCorps JD Members... 5 (3) Key Deliverables Subaward Information... 7 A. Type of Award... 7 B. Conditions of Subaward... 7 C. Financial Management... 8 D. Budget Information... 8 (1) Fellows... 8 (2) AmeriCorps JD Members... 9 (3) Incurred Costs and Facilities and Administration Costs Eligibility Application Information A. Submission Instructions (1) Applicant Information Form (2) Application Upload B. Application Elements (1) Abstract (2) Program Narrative (3) Financial Statements and Form (4) Budget Worksheet (5) Preaward Survey Application Review Information A. Technical Experience... 14

5 B. Organizational Capacity C. Past Performance D. Budget E. Logic Model Timeline A. Key Dates B. Questions Period APPENDIX A... 17

6 1. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION A. Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps Legal Fellowships Supported by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), the Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps Legal Fellowship program was created in 1993 to address gaps in the legal aid community through direct representation, volunteer development, and community outreach. AmeriCorps Legal Fellows provide legal services to thousands of people across the country. Fellows have worked in a variety of issue areas including veterans assistance, foreclosure prevention, disaster relief, and medical-legal partnerships. Through the Veterans Legal Corps (VLC) program, Fellows will improve the lives of lowincome and homeless veterans by providing legal services that ultimately lead to higher incomes, better health, safer and more secure housing, and family stability. Equal Justice Works funds organizations to host Fellows who will provide direct legal services in the following suggested areas: Securing VA disability benefits and/or SSDI/SSI benefits for veterans with complex physical and mental health challenges; Eliminating legal barriers to housing; Reducing or dismissing fines, warrants, and tickets; Reducing unwarranted or waiving unreasonably high child support orders; Preventing foreclosures and evictions; Eliminating legal barriers to employment; and Addressing other legal issues facing veterans, active duty service members, and their families. B. Veterans Legal Corps Overview VLC will mobilize 24 attorneys ("Fellows") and 238 law students ("AmeriCorps JD Members"), who will be part of a nationwide cohort to close the justice gap for the veteran community. Selected organizations ("host organizations") will host Fellow(s) for one year to provide direct representation, outreach, and education to the veteran community. For purposes of VLC, the veteran community is broadly defined to include veterans, active duty servicemembers, and family members of veterans and active duty servicemembers. Longterm, the goal of VLC is to increase access to justice for veterans and military families, help veterans rebuild their lives, obtain access to VA benefits, and develop a nationwide community of veterans law practitioners. (1) Fellows VLC will support 24 Fellows for a fellowship period from October 1, 2018 to September 30, Host organizations may propose to host more than one Fellow. Equal Justice Works Page 2

7 Host organizations are responsible for recruiting and competitively selecting qualified Fellows. Equal Justice Works will supplement the host organizations' efforts by providing a recruitment toolkit containing suggested templates and guidance for recruiting the ideal Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps Fellow, and will market the opportunities nationwide through its legal aid and partner networks. The final selection of Fellows will involve a review and approval from Equal Justice Works. Fellows are required to serve a minimum of 1,700 hours, or 11 to 12 months in a full-time capacity to successfully complete their term of service. For returning host organizations, current Fellows have the option to enroll in a third year of the VLC program, provided that doing so would not result in the Fellow exceeding the maximum of four full terms in any AmeriCorps State and National Program. An example of this limitation would be if the Fellow has served in two additional AmeriCorps terms prior to serving two years in an Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps program. Notably, Fellows who are selected to serve a third year may not benefit from a third education award if they have already benefited from the value of two full-time awards (each worth approximately $5,000). (2) Law Students The program model includes 238 AmeriCorps JD Members to work full-time for an eight to ten week period during the summer of 2019 to support the goals of VLC. Law students will provide legal services to help low-income and homeless veterans overcome barriers to employment, housing, benefits, and other critical needs. Law students may also serve in other areas of civil legal aid, which may involve veterans but will be more broadly focused. A limited number of positions are reserved for law students to serve directly with a VLC Fellow. As such, each selected host organization will be required to recruit and manage a minimum of 2 law students per Fellow. AmeriCorps JD Members must be enrolled in an ABAaccredited law school at the time of service. Law students will be recruited and competitively selected by host organizations to participate in the program and must work closely with the VLC Fellow. The responsibility of recruiting qualified summer law students lies primarily with hosting organizations, with the support of Equal Justice Works in promoting the service opportunity. (3) Data Collection and Evaluation To help build the evidence base to demonstrate the need and impact of civil legal services for veterans and military families, host organizations will be required to track and report standard data on service delivery. Equal Justice Works will also collect from host organizations program reflection data, such as lessons learned and anonymized client stories to show impact. In addition, Equal Justice Works will contract with an independent evaluator to conduct a program evaluation. Host organizations are expected to share appropriate data in support of the evaluation process. Equal Justice Works Page 3

8 C. Scope of Work (1) Fellows Direct Legal Service VLC Fellows will provide comprehensive legal services to veterans and military families addressing the range of complex, legal issues faced. Below are examples of the types of legal issues that might be addressed, as well as the types of legal services provided. This list is not exhaustive of the many complex legal issues faced by the veteran community, nor is it exhaustive of the ways in which legal remedies can be achieved. Suggested Legal Issues Legal issues that can arise from: Physical and mental injuries sustained during military service; Pension benefits; Homelessness; Fines; Warrants; Debts accumulated during periods of disability or homelessness; Spousal and custody issues. Suggested Legal Services Legal services provided can include: Assistance with civil legal remedies such as family law (e.g. divorce, custody, child support, emancipation, guardianship, etc.); Protective orders; Employment law (including wage and hour claims); Seeking VA benefits (including pension and disability benefits); Bankruptcy and consumer debt; Assistance pursuing efforts to vacate a veteran s criminal conviction and/or expunge a veteran s criminal record. Addressing Community Needs In addition to providing comprehensive legal services on an individual client level, Fellows will also be required to engage in activities that will increase access to justice within their specific community and support efforts to increase the pool of trained veterans law practitioners. Specifically, to support the needs of the community, Fellows will be required to conduct outreach and education activities to identify specific community needs, and develop and deliver creative, innovative ways to address them. Volunteer Management To increase the pool of trained veterans law practitioners, Fellows will be required to leverage the assistance of pro bono attorneys and volunteers, both sporadic and ongoing. Fellows and AmeriCorps JD Members will recruit, train, and manage volunteer lawyers, law students, paralegals, and others over the course of the program year. VLC members will be required to make special efforts to recruit veterans and military family members as Equal Justice Works Page 4

9 volunteers by reaching out to potential or existing partners such as, the Judge Advocate General Corps, military law societies, veterans' law societies and local military bases. This pool of trained volunteers will help Fellows and AmeriCorps JD Members resolve the legal problems of veterans by evaluating and preparing cases. Training and Technical Assistance Fellows are expected to begin their term of service between October 1, 2018 and October 31, 2018, and will be required to attend the annual Equal Justice Works Leadership Development Training (LDT) from November 6 November 8, Equal Justice Works will provide financial support for Fellows travel, lodging, and meals during the training. This is an opportunity to meet and network with over 250 Equal Justice Works Fellows across all of our various programs while receiving high-quality training to hone leadership skills. Upon selection, host site staff will also be required to attend a series of web-based trainings to orient them to the programmatic and financial requirements of the Fellowship. Equal Justice Works staff will also be available to provide training and technical assistance to Fellows and host sites throughout the course of the year, including a robust training curriculum of substantive and technical trainings for Fellows and supervisors. (2) AmeriCorps JD Members AmeriCorps JD Members will support Fellows in serving the legal needs of the veteran community and must be directly supervised by a qualified, dedicated staff attorney within the host organization. AmeriCorps JD Members will work closely with the Fellow(s) to conduct legal research, screenings, and intakes, and to support outreach and educational activities under the program. The law student s work, including the topic areas, will generally follow the Fellow s work plan. Members will benefit from training and mentoring as provided by their host organization and Fellows, and will be provided with a robust training curriculum of substantive and skillsbased trainings throughout the course of their summer of service. (3) Key Deliverables Fellows will deliver services through a combination of legal services, referrals, outreach, and education on behalf of veterans and military families, including: Legal Screenings: screening for legal issues facing veterans, active duty servicemembers, and military families. Direct Legal Services: including direct representation and advice/counsel in matters including, but not limited to, family law, access to public benefits, housing, immigration, education, consumer law, and removal of barriers to employment, including criminal record clearing. Referrals: referrals to other legal service providers and community partners to provide representation and/or wraparound social services. Outreach and Education: Equal Justice Works Page 5

10 o Building partnerships with key stakeholders (e.g., VA medical centers, VA Regional Offices, veterans service organizations (VSOs), service providers, legal services, medical providers, faith-based organizations, and schools); o Conducting educational activities, pro bono attorney trainings, and community member trainings to increase awareness of veterans' rights and/or legal remedies. Numerical targets for program activities will vary across host organizations and depend on specific topic areas addressed. Equal Justice Works Page 6

11 2. SUBAWARD INFORMATION A. Type of Award Equal Justice Works intends to issue subawards to selected host organizations for the performance of this program, subject to the terms and conditions of the grant award from the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). Selected host organizations will be subawardees of Equal Justice Works. B. Conditions of Subaward In addition to performing the scope of work, organizations selected to host VLC Fellows and AmeriCorps JD Members will be required to comply with the following conditions: (1) Program Evaluation: All host organizations must participate in an evaluation of VLC as conducted by an independent evaluator hired by Equal Justice Works. Host organizations must be willing to be a part of the evaluation and work collaboratively with Equal Justice Works and its evaluator to provide data as requested. (2) Data and Progress Reporting: Host organizations must collect and maintain data that measures the performance and effectiveness of activities under this award. Host organizations will be required to submit progress reports throughout the period of performance, at least on a quarterly basis, and final report at the end of performance. This final report is to document all relevant project activities during the entire period of the subaward. Host organizations and Fellows will be required to utilize a web-based reporting system to share programmatic and financial documents with Equal Justice Works. (3) Grants Management: Host sites and Fellows will be required to utilize a web-based grants management system to share critical programmatic and financial documents with Equal Justice Works to document compliance with grant terms and federal regulations. (4) Health Insurance Coverage: All AmeriCorps host sites must provide health insurance to Fellows who are otherwise uninsured at the time of their start of service. (5) Criminal History Checks: All AmeriCorps Legal Fellows are subject to the National Service Criminal History Check (NSCHC) process. This includes a name-based search of the National Sex Offender Public Website (NSOPW) (note that a positive NSOPW search will result in automatic disqualification from service per AmeriCorps rules). In addition, Fellows must initiate both state and FBI background checks prior to the start of service. The acceptance of a Fellow based on his/her criminal history, aside from registered sex offenders and individuals who have committed murder, is discretionary. (6) Financial Status Reports: Each host organization must submit financial status reports to Equal Justice Works on a quarterly basis. (7) Prohibited Activities: Per AmeriCorps regulations, Fellows may not engage in certain prohibited activities such as lobbying, voter registration, and religious proselytism during their term of service. Please see Appendix A for a full list of all AmeriCorps prohibited activities. Equal Justice Works Page 7

12 (8) Use of Material: CNCS reserves the right to a royalty-free, nonexclusive, and irrevocable right to obtain, use, modify, reproduce, publish or disseminate publications and materials produced under the award, including data, and to authorize others to do so (see 45 C.F.R ; ). (9) Other Requirements: Host Sites are responsible for the Fellow(s) and AmeriCorps JD Members complying with all CNCS AmeriCorps Program, Office of Management and Budget regulations, as well as Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps program policies and guidelines. Further, host sites are responsible for complying with the following annual performance outcomes per VLC Fellow: o 150 veterans served o 75 legal cases opened o 60 veterans with positive outcomes o 24 community legal needs identified o 24 community legal needs addressed o $75,000 in economic benefits secured for clients o 10 volunteers leveraged (10) Legal Requirements: As subawardees of Equal Justice Works, host organizations must adhere to all federal statutes and regulations contained within the subaward, as well as the applicable sections of the special conditions of the grant award between Equal Justice Works and CNCS. C. Financial Management The Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance), now consolidated in 2 C.F.R. Part 200 and 2205, apply to the subawards. D. Budget Information (1) Fellows All Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps Legal Fellows receive a Living Allowance of $24,930 toward the Fellow s annual salary during the Fellowship. All selected host organizations will be required to match the Fellow s Living Allowance dollar for dollar, ultimately providing a minimum match of $24,930. This contribution must include health insurance, malpractice insurance, FICA, workers compensation coverage (if applicable), Fellow travel costs, and other work-related benefits provided to the Fellow. Additionally, Fellows are eligible for Supplemental Benefits to be reimbursed by the organization, which may range from a minimum of $12,000 to a maximum of $21,000. Specifically, Supplemental Benefits are reimbursements for certain allowable living expenses (e.g., rent, utilities, groceries, etc.) that are distributed to each Fellow pursuant to a contract with the host site, for which receipts must be furnished to document expenditures. Supplemental Benefits must be distinct from the Living Allowance, which is paid in accordance with the host organization s pay period schedule. The full amount of Supplemental Benefit Equal Justice Works Page 8

13 funding will vary between $12,000 and $21,000 depending on the organizational policy and cost of living in the organization s location. Applicants must state the source of funds that will count toward its site s match requirements for this grant and how they will be accounted for separately from grant funds (i.e., the separation of the AmeriCorps Living Allowance from Supplemental Benefits). Additionally, all Fellows are entitled to an education award of approximately $5,800 upon successful completion of 1,700 hours of AmeriCorps service over a 11 or 12-month term. This award is provided to the Fellow directly by CNCS, and is not a cost to the host site. To ensure eligibility, Fellows time and attendance, as well as documentation of Supplemental Benefits and other grant-related information, must be provided by the host site through the Equal Justice Works grants management system. Fellows who are selected to serve a third year may benefit from the full education award as long as they have not reached the full value of two full-time awards (each worth approximately $5,000). The subaward will cover Fellows travel costs for attending in-person trainings sponsored by Equal Justice Works, as well as the costs for the criminal background checks, which are to be performed by the host organization. (2) AmeriCorps JD Members Each selected host site must commit to recruiting and managing at least two law students per Fellow who will be enrolled into the Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps JD program. This is an opportunity for law students to support Fellows in the provision of critical legal services to veterans for a minimum of 300 hours to receive an education award of approximately $1,200. Notably, although these law students can (and should) work closely with Fellows, Fellows may not directly supervise AmeriCorps JD students per AmeriCorps rules. The subaward does not provide for supplies, equipment, facilities, member supervision costs, or indirect costs of AmeriCorps JD Members. (3) Incurred Costs and Facilities and Administration Costs Equal Justice Works shall not be obligated to pay any cost incurred by the applicant in the preparation and submission of a proposal in response to this solicitation. Additionally, the subawards to selected host organizations do not include Facilities and Administration (F&A) Costs. 3. ELIGIBILITY For applicant eligibility as a host organization, see the title page. For Fellow and law student eligibility, see Section 1.B. Veterans Legal Corps Overview. Equal Justice Works Page 9

14 4. APPLICATION INFORMATION A. Submission Instructions (1) Applicant Information Form All applications must be submitted through an online portal available at Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps Legal Fellowships website: At the aforementioned website, applicants will be required to provide applicant information using the online form. The following information will be required to proceed with the application submission: 1. Name of Organization 2. DUNS Number 3. Employer Identification Number 4. Organization Address 5. Executive Director 6. Application Point of Contact 7. Financial Contact 8. Fellow Supervisor 9. Number of VLC Fellows Proposed 10. Total Funds Requested ($) 11. Number of AmeriCorps JD Members Proposed (minimum of 2 per Fellow) (2) Application Upload In addition to the completion of the Applicant Information form, applicants must upload the following documents, which should be provided in separate attachments. Applicants should use descriptive file names (e.g. Program Narrative or Budget Worksheet ) to identify all files. 1. Abstract 2. Program Narrative 3. Budget Worksheet 4. Financial Statements and Form Preaward Survey 6. Logic Models Equal Justice Works Page 10

15 B. Application Elements The information that follows is required for an application to be considered complete. Incomplete or missing responses will negatively affect the evaluation of the application. (1) Abstract The abstract should summarize the organization s qualifications and proposed activities (workplan) in 400 words or less. Abstracts should be written for a general public audience, uploaded as a PDF with Abstract as part of its file name, single-spaced, using the 12-point Arial font. (2) Program Narrative The program narrative should include the sections listed below and be uploaded as a PDF with "Program Narrative" as part of its file name, not exceeding eight single-spaced pages using the 12-point Arial font. Section Statement of the Problem and Need Project Design and Implementation Plan Organizational Capabilities and Competencies Requirements Problem Definition: Describe any gaps and demonstrated need for legal services to veterans and military families in the geographical area where you serve. Types of Services Explain what types of services will be offered. Describe proposed plan for identifying and screening individuals for service. Program Impact Describe anticipated program impact and service deliverables through Fellow(s), including numerical targets. Oversight Describe plan for providing supervision, training, and mentorship to the Fellow(s). Describe plan for providing supervision, training, and mentorship to the AmeriCorps JD Members. Sustainability Describe any sustainability plan to continue providing the proposed services beyond the one-year Fellowship. Past Performance Describe your organization's history and experience with providing legal services to veterans and military families, including the number of clients of this population served, and how well the VLC program fits with your organization's overall mission. Equal Justice Works Page 11

16 4 Plan for Collecting Data for Performance Measures Community Partnerships Describe your relationships with community partners and referral networks in the proposed civil legal issue area(s) and with local veterans organizations, agencies and/or task forces. Grants Management Describe your experience with managing federal grants. Describe the systems and process used to ensure compliance with federal financial requirements, including tracking funds and financial reporting, managing payroll, and compliance with audit requirements and/or general accepted accounting practices (GAAP). If you have not managed federal grants, explain your comparable grant management experience and capabilities. Organizational Capacity Describe the relevant experience of supervisory personnel who will be assigned to supervise the Fellow(s). State your plan for ensuring that, in the event of staff turnover at your organization, relevant personnel (e.g., human resources, financial program directors, supervisors, etc.) will be aware of the responsibilities and requirements of this program. Data Tracking Describe your experience with tracking and reporting data for performance measures and evaluation, including collection systems. Returning Sites As past performance of the VLC program will be considered in the evaluation of applications, returning host organizations are asked to include additional details related to the following: Programmatic performance, including success with meeting performance measures and overall program accomplishments; Fellow retention for the full term of service; Internal processes and systems implemented to monitor Fellow s performance and track outcomes. (3) Financial Statements and Form 990 Applicants must submit a copy of their most recent audited financial statements (in compliance with 2 C.F.R. Part 200 and 2205, and Form 990 Return of Organization Equal Justice Works Page 12

17 Exempt From Income Tax. If the audit resulted in any findings, include an explanation of those findings, as well as any corrective actions taken. (4) Budget Worksheet Applicants must complete the budget worksheet template to document their proposed budget and provide appropriate budget narrative. In preparing a budget, please note the following: For Fellows, Equal Justice Works will pay up to $24,930 towards a salary per year and $80 for the criminal background check. For law students, Equal Justice Works will pay $80 for the criminal background check. Selected organizations are required to provide a dollar for dollar match of the Fellow s Living Allowance specifically, a minimum of $24,930 in match funds. Selected organizations are required to provide funding for fringe benefits, including health insurance, FICA, Worker's Compensation (if applicable), and any other fringe benefits available to full-time staff members. Please see Section 2.D. Budget Information. The Fellow s Supplemental Benefits, or reimbursable living expenses, must range from $12,000 to $21,000 for each Fellow hosted. Fellow travel costs relating to participation in program-wide in-person training events organized by Equal Justice Works will be fully covered by Equal Justice Works. (5) Preaward Survey Applicants must complete the Preaward Survey ( Preaward Survey of Prospective Sub- Recipient Accounting System ). The purpose of this survey is to assess whether a host organization s accounting system is acceptable under the financial management requirements, as a subawardee of Equal Justice Works under the grant award with CNCS. Equal Justice Works Page 13

18 5. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION The applications will be reviewed and scored by Equal Justice Works. The application will be evaluated based on four factors to be weighted equally: A. Technical Experience This shall be specific, detailed, and complete as to demonstrate clearly and fully that the applicant has the technical experience to accomplish requirements of the program. Technical experience should be reflected in the (1) Abstract, (2) Statement of the Problem and Need, and (3) Project Design and Implementation Plan. Reviewers will consider adequate demonstration of: Experience providing direct legal representation to veterans, active duty servicemembers, and military families; Demonstrated need in the service delivery area for the services to be provided; Strength of relationships with community partners and referral networks; Proposed service deliverables and impact, and sustainability plan. B. Organizational Capacity This shall be specific, detailed, and complete to demonstrate clearly and fully applicant s organizational capacity. Reviewers will consider adequate demonstration of: Managerial capabilities and competencies; Financial management disclosures including financial infrastructure, financial statements, Preaward Survey, representations, and certifications; Program performance measurement systems; For returning host sites, evaluation of past performance will also be taken into consideration, including programmatic performance, fiscal performance, responsiveness, and host site monitoring findings. C. Past Performance Past performance must relate to experience detailed in the Technical Experience factor. Reviewers will consider demonstration of: Prior funding award information; Performance history in similar areas/projects; Adequate key personnel; Support capacity and capability of administration. Equal Justice Works Page 14

19 D. Budget Reviewers will consider demonstration of: Budget completeness; Cost effectiveness and permissibility (reasonable, allocable, and necessary for project activities proposed); Budget justification showing that the proposed match funding is consistent with a dollar-for-dollar match of the Fellow s Living Allowance; Budget justification demonstrating the range of Supplemental Benefits provided is between $12,000 and $21,000; Implemented process or system to account for separate management of Living Allowance and Supplemental Benefits. Additional considerations include: Distribution of host organizations across geographic locations, including urban, rural, and tribal areas. Preference may be given to host organizations successfully demonstrating capability to host more than one Fellow. E. Logic Model Applicants must complete the logic model template, which includes program activities, outputs, and impact. Equal Justice Works Page 15

20 6. TIMELINE The timeline listed below represents the current projection and is subject to slight modifications. A. Key Dates Date Item May 31, 2018 June 5, 2018 June 14, 2018 June 28, 2018 July 19, 2018 August/September 2018 October 1, 2018 Solicitation released. Informational Webinar hosted. Registration can be submitted by Tuesday, June 5, 2018 at 3:00 p.m. (EDT) at Questions related to this solicitation are due by 3:00 p.m. (EDT). Applicants may send questions via to Selena Hunn at Applications are due. Applications must be submitted by Thursday, June 28, 2018 by 11:59 p.m. (EDT) through the online portal available at the link below. Applicants may be asked to submit additional information. Selected applicants are notified. Fellow recruitment by host organizations begins. Fellows are expected to begin their term of service by October 1, B. Questions Period The questions period ends on Thursday, June 14, 2018, 3:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. Applicants with any questions regarding the requirements of the solicitation or the application process should contact VLC Program Manager, Selena Hunn, by June 14, 2018, 3:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The VLC Program Manager is the sole point of contact for all questions under this solicitation. Responses to all questions will be in the form of an amendment to this solicitation and posted at Equal Justice Works Page 16

21 AmeriCorps Prohibited Activities APPENDIX A While charging time to the AmeriCorps program, accumulating service or training hours, or otherwise performing activities supported by the AmeriCorps program or CNCS, staff and members may not engage in the following activities: A. Attempting to influence legislation; B. Organizing or engaging in protests, petitions, boycotts, or strikes; C. Assisting, promoting, or deterring union organizing; D. Impairing existing contracts for services or collective bargaining agreements; E. Engaging in partisan political activities, or other activities designed to influence the outcome of an election to any public office; F. Participating in, or endorsing, events or activities that are likely to include advocacy for or against political parties, political platforms, political candidates, proposed legislation, or elected officials; G. Engaging in religious instruction, conducting worship services, providing instruction as part of a program that includes mandatory religious instruction or worship, constructing or operating facilities devoted to religious instruction or worship, maintaining facilities primarily or inherently devoted to religious instruction or worship, or engaging in any form of religious proselytization; H. Providing a direct benefit to 1. A business organized for profit; 2. A labor union; 3. A partisan political organization; 4. A nonprofit organization that fails to comply with the restrictions contained in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 related to engaging in political activities or substantial amount of lobbying except that nothing in these 9 provisions shall be construed to prevent participants from engaging in advocacy activities undertaken at their own initiative; and 5. An organization engaged in the religious activities described in Section G above, unless CNCS assistance is not used to support those religious activities; I. Conducting a voter registration drive or using CNCS funds to conduct a voter registration drive; J. Providing abortion services or referrals for receipt of such services; and K. Such other activities as CNCS may prohibit. AmeriCorps members may not engage in the above activities directly or indirectly by recruiting, training, or managing others for the primary purpose of engaging in one of the activities listed above. Individuals may exercise their rights as private citizens and may participate in the activities listed above on their initiative, on non-americorps time, and using non-cncs funds. Individuals should not wear the AmeriCorps logo while doing so. Equal Justice Works Page 17

22 Additional note: The AmeriCorps prohibited activities apply to Veterans Legal Corps Fellows and the volunteers whom they recruit and manage. The prohibited activities do not apply to other staff in the organization. Equal Justice Works Page 18