精东影业

精东影业 DEI Pathway Grant Guidelines

Purpose of Grants

The 精东影业. (鈥溇耙碘) is committed to promoting access and equity in legal education and the legal profession. The DEI Pathway Grant (the 鈥淕rant鈥) program makes awards to institutions assisting individuals who are underrepresented in the legal profession, and who face historical, social, political, economic, and educational barriers. Institutions will be considered for grants if their programming focuses on at least one of the following goals:

  • Goal 1: Early Access/Outreach
    Introducing the law and careers in law to students, particularly students from underrepresented populations, before high school graduation
  • Goal 2: Score Gap
    Reducing LSAT score disparities
  • Goal 3: Equitable Admissions
    Reducing disparities in admission rates across populations
  • Goal 4: 1L Retention
    Reducing disproportionate attrition rates across populations after the first year of law school

The Grant is available to fund initiatives and projects for U.S. and Canadian institutions. Individuals may apply for Grant funding on behalf of their respective institutions; however, individuals are not eligible for Grant funding in their capacity as individuals.

Eligibility

精东影业 will consider Grant proposals from Institutions for projects that: 

  1. Represent programs affiliated with U.S. or Canadian institutions.
  2. Focus on one of the aforementioned goals.
  3. Center on the experiences and needs of minoritized students.
  4. Focus on attracting students based on low socioeconomic status, geography, and/or first-generation status, and other special circumstances such as experiencing homelessness, undocumented status, students connected to the foster care system, and students diagnosed with disabilities.

Eligible institutions include U.S. and Canadian 501(c)(3), nonprofits, not-for-profit, or postsecondary institutions with projects aimed at diversifying the legal profession by focusing on one or more of the goals listed above.

Institutions may also submit a Grant proposal for research projects or other innovative initiatives that align with 精东影业鈥檚 mission and strategic plan. 精东影业 will not consider any request to support one-day events or ceremonies, or for any projects or initiatives that do not align with 精东影业鈥檚 mission and strategic plan.

Each institution may only receive one Grant from 精东影业 during each fiscal year (July 1 through June 30). Institutions are unlikely to receive more than two awards in a four-year period. Members of the 精东影业 Board of Trustees; the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, its subcommittees, or work groups; and persons who have been members of one or more of these bodies within one year of the Grant application deadline (individually, a 鈥淕roup鈥 and, collectively, the 鈥淕roups鈥) are not eligible to apply on behalf of any institution that is considered to be their employer. If an individual belongs to any Group, and their respective Institution applies for an 精东影业 DEI Pathway Grant, then this individual will not be able to participate in or observe the review process for the institution鈥檚 Grant that occurs during the term of the Institution鈥檚 existing Grant.

Evaluation

The purpose of the evaluation is to demonstrate the effectiveness of the Grant project and to contribute to a growing repository of best practices for supporting minoritized individuals during the administration of Grant projects. Each institution shall submit its Grant proposal in an accessible PDF format or screen-reader-accessible PDF format to 精东影业.

Grant Proposal Components

Each Grant proposal must include (at a minimum):

  1. an introduction, including a stated alignment with one of the four target goals
  2. a description of your organizational background and a Statement of Need
  3. a program narrative
  4. a program description, including a description of the individuals the Grant program will serve
  5. a proposed program schedule
  6. an evaluation plan for how the institution will collect data to evaluate targeted program outcomes based on clear, measurable goals (e.g., pre-surveys, post-surveys, and interviews)

Download the grant proposal template (123 KB, PDF)

Deadlines and Review

Grant applications may be submitted at any time. However, 精东影业 will only review applications four times a year: July 1, October 1, January 1, and April 1, or on the first business day thereafter. All proposals received by the above-mentioned dates will be reviewed. Applicants are encouraged to submit applications at least two months before the start of their program. Grantees will be notified of the funding decision within six weeks.

Grant Amounts

The amount of the Grant award will vary depending on the proposed Grant project; however, the range of any Grant issued by 精东影业 shall be $2,500 to $9,000 each fiscal year in which the Grant program is administered. The Grant may not be used by any Institution to cover indirect expenses incurred by the Institution (e.g., office expenses, telephone expenses, rent, etc.).

Distribution of Grant Funds

Grant funds will be distributed by 精东影业 to the Institution based on the agreed upon payment schedules for the Grant program as mutually determined by 精东影业 and the Institution. 精东影业 will issue the first installment of the Grant award to the Institution upon the execution of the Grant Agreement entered into by 精东影业 and the Institution. Subsequent installments of the Grant award will be distributed to the Institution upon receipt and acceptance of an interim and/or final report and issuance of an invoice by the Institution to 精东影业. The specific terms of each Grant award will be subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Grant Agreement entered into by 精东影业 and the Institution.

For the purposes of receipt of Grant funding, 精东影业 requires that a single Institution is the designee and recipient of the Grant funding.

Contact Information

For further information and to , please contact Kamisha Rogers at krogers@精东影业.org.