Grant Bulletin
NEW YORK STATE LAWYER ASSISTANCE TRUST
PLEASE NOTE: As of May 2011, the NYLAT Grant Program has been suspended, as no funding has been made available in the State Budgeting process. Check back on this site in April 2012, to learn whether the program has been re-activated.
GRANT BULLETIN #2010-1
Through its Grant Program, the New York State Lawyer Assistance Trust provides funding to support the prevention and treatment of alcohol and substance abuse and mental health issues among lawyers, judges and law students. By this Bulletin, the Lawyer Assistance Trust provides the latest information concerning the process governing grant applications.
Applicants for funding may include, but are not limited to, lawyer assistance committees, bar associations, bar foundations and law schools.
Grant Categories; Multiple Purposes. Services or projects that may be eligible for LAT funding include: educational materials; New York State conference/event expenses; enhancing professionalism; treatment-related expenses; and existing and new substance abuse prevention or mental health programs. With respect to funding for CLE programs, no LAT funding may be used to pay honoraria to speakers at CLE programs, although Applicants may utilize their own funding for that purpose; up to $500 in LAT funding may be used for CLE program-related administrative costs, on the condition that the bar association charges no fee to attend, or charges a registration fee at a discounted rate approved by the LAT. [The low cost or no charge is to be made available to any attorney attending the CLE program, whether or not the attorney is a member of the association sponsoring the program.] A full breakdown of expenses must be included with the application.
Applicants are encouraged to consider the variety of projects and services that may be supported through LAT funds and to develop a comprehensive plan to accomplish the desired goals. Applicants intending to request funding in several categories are encouraged to apply in a single application.
Treatment-related expenses, if allowed, may not exceed $5,000 per individual during any 12-month period. Certain additional information must be provided in support of applications for this purpose. [See the application itself.]
If you are applying to the Lawyer Assistance Trust for funding to purchase goods or services, you need to comply with the following Judiciary requirements:
For purchases $15,000 or less:
Select a reliable vendor; obtain written price confirmation from the selected vendor and document the reasonableness of the price; submit that documentation to the LAT along with your application.
For purchases over $15,000:
To be eligible for LAT funding for the procurement of goods or services valued at $15,000 or more, you will need to conduct a formal, competitive bid among a reasonable number of potential providers. If you have a bidding policy and procedure, please attach them to your application for LAT review. Otherwise, the policies and procedures of the Unified Court System will prevail, and you may contact the LAT for further information.
Travel reimbursement, if allowed, shall be at then current non-judicial rates.
Application deadlines: The NYLAT Board of Trustees considers applications throughout the year, but applicants should recognize that the grant cycle coincides with the State’s fiscal year [April 1 – March 31]. Accordingly, applicants requesting funding to support programs/services to be rendered throughout a twelve month period should submit their applications by no later than December 1 for review in January, with the twelve-month cycle to begin as of the following April 1. Applicants submitting requests for individual projects or programs may do so throughout the year.
Multi-year grants: In appropriate circumstances, the Trust may award grants for a term that extends beyond one year. However, such awards would be conditioned upon the Unified Court System [UCS] having funding available to support the grant and upon the UCS retaining the right to terminate the grant, or reduce the amount of the grant, in the event that funding is not available or performance is unsatisfactory.
Please forward your applications to: the Lawyer Assistance Trust, 54 State Street, Suite 802, Albany, NY 12207. Please contact LAT Executive Director Barbara F. Smith with any questions about the process at (518) 285-4545 or [email protected].
2010.1 April 1, 2010