Question and Answer Immigrant Legal Support Program 25-444-80-3403-01

  1. Question: How will multiple applications with overlapping sub-grantees be treated in IDHS's review? Would this be permitted?
    • Answer: While organizations can only submit one application as a prime grantee, there is no limit on the number of applications an organization can be included on a sub-grantee. Each application is assessed via a Merit Based Review and evaluated independently. The proposals for roles of sub-grantees in other applications will not be considered.
  2. Question: Could you clarify - do the pre-qualifications apply to just the prime grantees or to the sub-grantees, too?
    • Answer: Pre-qualification applies to entity that has contract with state, which will be prime grantee. Sub-grantees do not need to fill out any pre-award paperwork.
  3. Question: Are those UGA and Conflict of Interest forms to be completed by the prime grantee only?
    • Answer: Pre-qualification applies to entity that has contract with state, which will be prime grantee. Sub-grantees do not need to fill out any pre-award paperwork.
  4. Question: I know there can be no promises across fiscal years, but can you provide any guidance on sustainability and what is envisioned for future fiscal years? Any full representation cases accepted will likely take more than 9 months to be completed.
    • Answer: It depends on future funding.
  5. Question: More than one organization has reached out to us to ask if we would be interested in participating as a sub-recipient on their application. Would this be permitted? Is there any insight you can share on how multiple applications with overlapping sub-grantees and how they would be treated in IDHS's review?
    • Answer: While organizations can only submit one application as a prime grantee, there is no limit on the number of applications an organization can be included on a sub-grantee. Each application is assessed via a Merit Based Review and evaluated independently. The proposals for roles of sub-grantees in other applications will not be considered.
  6. Question: Can you please share how IDHS is defining pro se versus pro bono workshops?
    • Answer: A pro se workshop assists individuals to advocate for themselves in legal proceedings.  A pro bono workshop refers to a workshop supported by attorneys working on a pro bono basis.
  7. Question:  What is the difference between "workshops" and "clinics" as referred to in the NOFO? a. i.e., Number of clinics held and number of workshop events held are reported under two separate categories (workshops and legal aid/information resources)."
    • Answer:  Workshops and clinics are distinguished by the types of services offered.  Workshops refer to events specifically to support the submission of certain applications (Asylum, TPS, EAD, I-485, Change of Address, Change of Venue, and Humanitarian Parole). Legal aid clinics can provide limited scope legal services that are not connected to a specific remedy and can vary in number of clients served depending on services supported.
  8. Question:  Can you define workshop vs legal clinic? What is the difference between a clinic, a workshop and legal aid?
    • Answer:  Workshops and clinics are distinguished by the types of services offered. Workshops refer to events specifically to support the submission of certain applications (Asylum, TPS, EAD, I-485, Change of Address, Change of Venue, and Humanitarian Parole). Legal aid clinics can provide limited scope legal services that are not connected to a specific remedy and can vary in number of clients served depending on services supported.
  9. Question:  While we cannot speak for any Federal Agency, IDHS has valued the partnership with USCIS and hopes to continue to work together where needs align.
    • Answer:  While we cannot speak for any Federal Agency, IDHS has valued the partnership with USCIS and hopes to continue to work together where needs align.
  10. Question:  Under priority 4, strengthening referral services, it notes that full scope representation is allowable if identified through previous IDHS programming or other established referral channels. Does this allow for funding on-going representation for pending cases from prior years through the Afghan Legal Services and/or Legal Services for Recent Arrivals/Southern Border Arrivals programs?
    • Answer:  Yes.
  11. Question:  The NOFO requests a number of documents from subgrantee partners, including letters of partnership and a list of subgrantees, their experience, and activities. Are Appendix 7-9 in addition to the above requested information? If so, is there a specific template that IDHS can provide? And do the budgets and agreements need to be per individual organization or templates/summary? a. Appendix 7: Sub-recipient agency profile (if applicable) Appendix 8: Sub-recipient Budgets (if applicable) c. Appendix 9: Sub-recipient Agreement (generated by the applicant agency outlining the scope of work/deliverables the subrecipient will be completing for this program).
    • Answer:  Appendix 7: Sub-recipient agency profile, Appendix 8: Sub-recipient Budgets and Appendix 9: Sub-recipient Agreement are to be submitted in addition to a cumulative list of subgrantees, their experience and activities, as well as letters of partnership. IDHS does not have a prescribed templates for the requited Appendices. The budgets and agreements must be submitted per individual organization.
  12. Question:  The link for the Conflict-of-Interest Disclosure is broken. Can you please provide an updated link?
    • Answer:  The link has been fixed. 
  13. Question:  Is IDHS available to assisting organizations identify space for centralized workshops (i.e., leasing or using IDHS space in various cities in Illinois)?
    • Answer:  IDHS cannot guarantee assistance with workshop space. Organizations are responsible for identifying all necessary workshop locations.
  14. Question:  Do we need to have the two attorneys today to qualify to apply for the NOFO? Or is it okay to have one attorney and one DOJ?
    • Answer:  To be eligible for this grant, applicants must have at minimum two (2) licensed attorneys on staff that are members in good standing of the bar of the highest court of any state in the country or U.S. territory; and have at least two (2) years of experience handling immigration remedies cases OR have two (2) staff recognized and accredited by the Office of Legal Access Programs (OLAP) under the U.S. Department of Justice's Executive Office for Immigration Review for at least two (2) years. Applicants may fulfill this requirement through a combination of one attorney and one staff recognized and accredited by the OLAP under DOJ who meet the above qualifications.