Grants Grants Grants
The last weeks with IBJ have been very grant heavy. As a non-profit, IBJ is dependent on grants of many types to fulfill its important work.
For the Myanmar project, I have been searching for foundational grants and grants from multinational organizations. The grants must be functionally relevant (i.e., rule of law or human rights), timely (open or soon to open), and locationally specific (Myanmar). This can be like a fun puzzle, attempting to find a grant that matches all these criteria. I am also learning a lot about international legal foundations, and the grant application process in general. A part that I find particularly fun is attempting to track down the contact information for people in each organization. Email addresses may not be readily apparent but can be found with a bit of digging. For example, if someone were to speak at a conference, their contact information would likely be listed there. It is a neat device, and I am glad to be mastering it.
I have also been working to help prepare a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) application for IBJ. A NICRA is a federal program from the United States that helps organizations cover operations costs. As most federal programs, the NICRA application is filled with complicated instructions and legal jargon, all dictated by part 200 of the Code of Federal Regulations: Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards. I have been spending a significant amount of time combing through 2 CFR §200 for definitions and instructions on processes. I have also worked with a team to create a checklist and a plan for completing IBJ’s NICRA application. I feel as though I have learned more about reading and understanding the CFR than in any writing or research class I’ve taken yet!
Finally, I have begun working on the Lawyer2Lawyer project. The Lawyer2Lawyer project is a program for lawyers all over the world to contribute to a body of legal resources. Currently, we are working on outreach to law schools and law firms in the United States, to ensure that they are aware of the opportunities and benefits of participating in Lawyer2Lawyer.