The National Judicial Education Program (NJEP), a project of Legal Momentum, has been working to update training provided through its popular course, Intimate Partner Sexual Abuse: Adjudicating This Hidden Dimension of Domestic Violence Cases (SJI-11-E-154). The course contains 13 modules, case studies, and an array of valuable insights for judicial and legal audiences on this important issue. The most recent addition to the course is a Tribal Practice section that contains information specific to tribal courts, as provided by the American Indian Law Institute and the University of New Mexico/Southwest Indian Legal Clinic. The online course can be accessed free of charge. While SJI did not fund the tribal component of this grant (due to statutory prohibitions), it demonstrates how this course continues to be relevant to a broad judicial audience.
Category: News
SJI Receives 2nd Quarter Grant Applications
SJI received 20 grant applications requesting a total of $1,147,684 for the 2nd quarter of FY 2012. In addition, SJI received 45 Concept Papers totaling $4,695,208 for the recent Strategic Initiatives Grants solicitation for self-represented litigation in the state courts. The Board will meet in April to finalize decisions on both grant awards for the 2nd quarter, and on the Concept Papers submitted to address self-represented litigation in the state courts.
Potential applicants are strongly encouraged to: 1) reach out to SJI with any questions before applying; 2) thoroughly review the requirements contained in the Grant Guideline; and 3) use the National Center for State Courts (NCSC) Library eCollection to research past SJI grant reports and products that are similar to their proposed project, and inform SJI on how their project builds on that work. SJI is always available to help interpret the Grant Guideline and answer questions during the grant proposal development process. All applicants will be required to detail their level of research before and during the proposal preparation phase. Additionally, all applicants will be asked to describe how their proposed project addresses one or more of SJI’s new Priority Investment Areas. Applicants will also be asked to specify performance outcomes and define how success will be measured.
SJI Grant funding remains available on a first-come, first-served, basis for grant applications that merit funding. SJI Grant Application deadlines for the remainder of FY 2012 are as follows: 3rd quarter – May 1, 2012; and 4th quarter – August 1, 2012.
FY 2013 President’s Budget and SJI Budget Request to Congress
The White House released the FY 2013 President’s Budget on February 13th, which includes $5,121,000 for SJI. The President and the Office of Management and Budget continue to support SJI’s mission. The funding requested will enable SJI to continue addressing issues impacting the state courts, foster innovative solutions, and share information on successful approaches nationwide. The FY 2013 President’s Budget in its entirety can be viewed online. The President’s Budget for SJI is available on the SJI website. In conjunction with the President’s Budget, SJI also submitted its detailed budget request to Congress. SJI’s budget request is available on the SJI website.
SJI Grant Products are Available at the NCSC Library
The National Center for State Courts (NCSC) Library is the official repository for all SJI grant products, including reports, curricula, media, and any documents in their final version created by SJI grant funding. Beginning in FY 2011, The NCSC Library became a centralized holding of these items, which replaced the previous requirement for SJI grantees to disseminate their final products to all 50 state court libraries.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to research previously-funded SJI grants by reviewing grant products and presenting this information in their application. A benefit of the collaboration with the NCSC Library is their convenient online searchable catalog and digital archive. The catalog contains a list of all holdings at the physical location in Williamsburg, Virginia, and the digital archive allows users to access the electronic versions.
All grantees are required to forward one hard copy and one digital copy (preferably in Adobe PDF or Microsoft Word) of their final grant product(s) to SJI. Project Grant recipients are requested to send three hard copies and one digital copy upon completion of their grant product(s). SJI makes all final grant products available to the NCSC Library for posting.
Request For Concept Papers: Self-Represented Litigation In The State Courts
SJI is accepting concept papers to address self-represented litigation in the state courts – one of SJI’s new Priority Investment Areas. SJI is seeking to fund project(s) that are innovative and national or statewide in scope, and will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the state courts in addressing this critical issue. Some examples include (but are not limited to) unique approaches to maximizing court self-help centers and court-based volunteer attorney programs, and application of technology solutions to improve access for self-represented litigants and the state courts.
Applicants must follow the guidelines.
Concept papers will be reviewed and the SJI Board will decide which potential project(s) merit further exploration and possible funding. Concept papers must adhere to the guidelines below and address issues of content specified in this request. In addition, SJI may have additional requirements should the project(s) be funded. SJI’s Grant Guideline will govern any award(s). The project(s) will be funded as a Strategic Initiatives Grant (SIG).
Concept papers are due to SJI via mail by February 15, 2012. Submit one original and two hard copies. The Board will make final decisions on award(s) by the end of April 2012.
If you have questions regarding this solicitation, please email contact@sji.gov or call 571-313-8843.
GUIDELINES FOR SUBMITTING A CONCEPT PAPER
Concept papers must not exceed more than 2 pages in length. All papers should be on official letterhead, structured according to the four sections below.
Section I: Organization Information
Provide the following information about your organization in narrative form:
- Name of organization and mission;
- Services provided and target population;
- Current organizational budget;
- Tax Status (nonprofit, government agency, etc.); and
- Any work performed in the past 5 years in partnership, or on a contract basis with the state courts.
Section II: Project Description
Provide the following information about your proposed project in narrative form:
- Summarize in not more than one page your project; include its goals, target population, your capacity to provide the services, etc.;
- Specify whether this project has national, state, and/or local significance, and to what extent this project could be replicated;
- Identify any state court support specific to this project that has already been secured;
- List your measurable outcomes and briefly describe how you will evaluate impact;
Section III: Budget Information
In narrative form, provide information specific to only this proposed project:
- Dollar amount requested from SJI and number of months required for this project;
- Total cost of the project (if different from requested amount);
- Specify when your most recent audit was performed and if there were any findings.
Section IV: Contact Information and Authorization
Provide the following information as part of the overall concept paper:
Contact Information for Project Lead:
- Full Name, Title
- Phone and Fax Numbers
- Mailing Address
- E-mail Address
- Organizational Website
SJI may seek additional information during the concept review process. It is important that the P.O.C. for the proposed project be available to respond in a timely manner.