LSAC Pathway Grant Guidelines

Purpose of Grants

The Law School Admission Council, Inc. (“LSAC”) is committed to promoting access in legal education and the legal profession. The LSAC Pathway Grant (the “Grant”) program makes awards to nonprofit institutions for programming focused on one or more of the following strategic goals:

  • Goal 1: Early Access/Outreach
    Introducing the law and careers in law to students, particularly students facing access and opportunity barriers to information and education, before high school graduation
  • Goal 2: Score Performance
    Increasing the LSAT scores of program participants, particularly participants facing access and opportunity barriers to information, education, and other supports/resources
  • Goal 3: Supporting Admissions
    Ensuring all applicants, including applicants facing access and opportunity barriers to information, education, and other supports/resources, have access, opportunity, and support in the law school admission process
  • Goal 4: 1L Retention
    Reducing attrition rates and increasing persistence for law students after the first year of law school, particularly students facing access and opportunity barriers to information, education, and other supports/resources

Eligibility

Nonprofit institutions meeting the following criteria are welcome to apply:

  1. U.S. and Canadian 501(c)(3), nonprofits, not-for-profit, or postsecondary institutions. Individual applicants are not eligible for Grant funding.
  2. Proposals must:
    1. Focus on one of the strategic goals listed above.
    2. Demonstrate inclusive recruitment and selection practices for individuals of all identities, including, but not limited to, race/ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, first-generation college or law student status , disabilities, and socioeconomic status. We encourage you to contact our team to discuss any innovative proposal ideas before submitting your application.
  3. Proposals for project periods that have already begun will not be considered; all activities must start after the Grant award date.

Essential Information

  1. A legal pathway program is defined as a model that utilizes a cohort or group structure and is primarily aimed at enhancing access to or through legal education.
  2. LSAC is also interested in supporting intervention-based research projects that evaluate and improve specific skills necessary for success in law school.
  3. Programs providing LSAT test preparation must use an officially authorized and licensed provider. View our list of official LSAT content licensees External link opens in new browser window. If you are unable to locate the desired test preparation provider on our webpage of official LSAT content licensees, it may be based on a request from the test preparation provider not to be listed on this webpage. Please contact krogers@LSAC.org to inquire about whether a specific test preparation provider is an official LSAT content licensee.
  4. Programs or services that operate on a fee-for-service basis or through structured consulting engagements are not eligible for funding. Funding requests must support programs, initiatives, or activities that are accessible to participants without any direct fees and align with the Grant’s purpose of promoting broad community access.
  5. LSAC will not consider any requests to support one-day events or ceremonies.
  6. Each institution may only receive one Grant from LSAC during each fiscal year (July 1 through June 30). Institutions are unlikely to receive more than two awards in a four-year period.

Project Period

Project periods will vary depending on the design of the program. However, all projects must be completed within one year of the start date, and all activities and expenses must be fully executed and reported within this timeframe.

Deadlines and Review Process

Grant applications may be submitted at any time. However, LSAC 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, any Grant issued by LSAC generally will not exceed $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 LSAC to the institution based on the agreed upon payment schedules for the Grant program as mutually determined by LSAC and the institution. LSAC will issue the first installment of the Grant award to the institution upon the execution of the Grant Agreement entered into by LSAC 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 LSAC. The specific terms of each Grant award will be subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Grant Agreement entered into by LSAC and the institution.

For the purposes of receipt of Grant funding, LSAC requires that a single institution is the designee and recipient of the Grant funding.

Evaluation

All Grants must include an evaluation plan that is based on clear, measurable goals that explicitly satisfy the purpose outlined in the grant proposal. LSAC will work with selected grantees to ensure measurements are effective and appropriate for each unique program.

Inclusivity Statement

We require that all funded activities be conducted in a fair, inclusive, and impartial manner. Grantees must ensure that their programs are designed to encourage participation from all individuals and communities while identifying and removing barriers that may limit access or engagement. Funded projects should demonstrate a commitment to inclusion through equitable outreach, program delivery, and communication practices. Grantees are expected to monitor fairness in access and outcomes, take reasonable steps to accommodate diverse needs, and document their efforts to support equitable participation.

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 (130 KB, PDF)

Post-Award Follow-Up and Compliance Guidelines

  1. Grantee Obligations

    Grantees are required to acknowledge the award and submit all required documentation within the specified deadlines. Responses to LSAC inquiries are expected within seven business days. All reporting requirements must be met as scheduled.

  2. Delays and Extensions

    If a delay is anticipated, the grantee must notify LSAC in writing prior to the deadline. Requests for extensions must include justification and a proposed new date. Approval of extensions is at LSAC’s discretion and must be confirmed in writing.

  3. Non-Response Procedure

    If required materials or communication are not received:

    • A first reminder will be issued following the missed deadline.
    • A second notice will be sent after ten business days of no response.

    Ongoing non-response may lead to withheld payments, suspension, termination of the grant, or even ineligibility for future funding.

  4. Enforcement

    Failure to maintain timely communication or submit required documentation will be considered non-compliance, which may affect both current and future grant applications.

  5. Financial Responsibility

    Grantees must track actual expenditures and submit a financial report along with a final programmatic report at the project's conclusion. This requirement includes providing receipts or other supporting documentation to substantiate the expenditures.

Site Visits and Program Review

To support shared learning and transparency, LSAC may conduct site visits during the project period to observe progress and discuss program outcomes. These visits are designed to highlight achievements, address challenges, and strengthen collaboration. Grantees may be asked to share updates and relevant materials or to connect with key participants as part of the review.

Contact Information

For further information and to submit a Grant application External link opens in new browser window, please contact Kamisha Rogers (she/her) at krogers@LSAC.org.