HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolutions - 2024.12.12 - 41765
AGENDA ITEM: Grant Acceptance from the Michigan Supreme Court State Court Administrative
Office for the FY 2025 Legal Self-Help Center Grant Program
DEPARTMENT: Clerk/Register of Deeds
MEETING: Board of Commissioners
DATE: Thursday, December 12, 2024 11:11 AM - Click to View Agenda
ITEM SUMMARY SHEET
COMMITTEE REPORT TO BOARD
Resolution #2024-4744
Motion to approve the grant agreement for the FY 2024 Michigan State Court Administrative Office
grant award in the amount of $14,949; further, appoint the County Clerk/Register of Deeds, Lisa
Brown, as the Grant Administrator as required by the State; further, authorize the Chair of the Board
of Commissioners to execute the agreement after final review of Risk Management and Corporation
Counsel; further, amend the FY 2025 budget as reflected in the attached Schedule A.
ITEM CATEGORY SPONSORED BY
Grant Brendan Johnson
INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND
The Oakland County Clerk’s Office is seeking to enter into a grant agreement with the State Court
Administrative Office (SCAO) for a SCAO Legal Self-Help Center Grant to assist the people of
Oakland County in accessing their legal system. The Clerk’s Office operates the e-Services Center
on the ground floor of the Oakland County Courthouse which provides free access to eight
computer stations for use by customers in e-filing court documents, searching court records,
obtaining copies of records, and access to legal help via michiganlegalhelp.org. The e-Services
Center has seen a spike in walk-in customers since reopening post-pandemic with a noticeable
increase of Self Represented Litigant (SRL) customers preparing their cases. Clerk’s office
personnel staff the e-Services Center but are not able to provide the guidance that so many
customers need.
The Board of Commissioners approved the Clerk's Office application for grant funds in FY23 and
FY24 which enabled the Clerk's Office to partner with Oakland University’s Paralegal Certificate
Program, University of Detroit Mercy Law School, and the Oakland Community College Paralegal
Program to identify and recruit students with the requisite level of aptitude, maturity, and availability
to provide an on-site presence at the e-Services Center. Grant funding will continue to be utilized to
compensate these College Student Interns to assist customers in the e-Services Center, among
other things.
The grant will benefit Oakland County by facilitating legal and paralegal students to aid in assisting
customers with identifying and completing appropriate legal forms, supporting legal research,
navigating the Michigan Legal Help site, assistance with e-filing, and providing basic guidance.
Approval of the grant will result in assistance in the form of paralegal students and other legal
professionals able to assist customers in preparing their cases and would enhance the value and
utility of this resource to the greater Pontiac and Oakland County communities.
This grant funds three College Student Intern positions, which were created through Board
approval. Approval of the grant will not require a match.
POLICY ANALYSIS
With the adoption of MR #2023-3103 on July 20, 2023, three part-time Special Revenue (SR)
funded College Student intern positions were created. The FY 2025 grant award for $14,949
continues to support the compensation of those interns who assist customers in the e-Services
Center with legal help. The e-Services Center provides free access to eight computer stations for
use by self-represented litigant customers.
There is no County match required. Acceptance of this grant does not obligate the County to any
future commitment, and continuation of this program is contingent upon future levels of grant
funding. A budget amendment is required. The grant period begins from the time of execution
through September 30, 2025, and the funds may only be used to cover expenses incurred on or
after October 1, 2024, through September 30, 2025, that are related to the operation and delivery of
services for the legal self-help center.
BUDGET AMENDMENT REQUIRED: Yes
Committee members can contact Barbara Winter, Policy and Fiscal Analysis Supervisor at
248.821.3065 or winterb@oakgov.com or the department contact persons listed for additional
information.
CONTACT
Lisa Brown, County Clerk / Register of Deeds
Frederick Miller, Deputy Clerk Register of Deeds
ITEM REVIEW TRACKING
Aaron Snover, Board of Commissioners Created/Initiated - 12/12/2024
AGENDA DEADLINE: 12/12/2024 7:00 PM
ATTACHMENTS
1. Clerk-Register of Deeds FY 2025 SCHEDULE A - SCAO Grant
2. Grant Review Sign-Off_final
3. NEWLegal_Self-Help_Center_Grant__Oakland_Co_New
COMMITTEE TRACKING
2024-12-03 Legislative Affairs & Government Operations - Recommend to Board
2024-12-12 Full Board - Adopt
Motioned by: Commissioner Linnie Taylor
Seconded by: Commissioner Penny Luebs
Yes: David Woodward, Michael Spisz, Penny Luebs, Karen Joliat, Christine Long, Robert
Hoffman, Philip Weipert, Gwen Markham, Angela Powell, Marcia Gershenson, William Miller III,
Yolanda Smith Charles, Charles Cavell, Brendan Johnson, Ann Erickson Gault, Linnie Taylor
(16)
No: None (0)
Abstain: None (0)
Absent: Michael Gingell, Kristen Nelson, Ajay Raman (3)
Passed
Oakland County, Michigan
CLERK/REGISTER OF DEEDS - MICHIGAN STATE COURT ADMINISTRATION OFFICE LEGAL SELF-HELP CENTER GRANT
Schedule "A" DETAIL
+
R/E Fund Name Division Name
Fund #
(FND)Cost Center (CCN) #
Account #
(RC/SC)
Program #
(PRG)Grant ID (GRN) #
Project ID #
(PROJ)
Region
(REG)
Budget Fund
Affiliate
(BFA)
Ledger
Account
Summary Account Title
FY 2025
Amendment
FY 2026
Amendment
FY 2027
Amendment
General Fund Grants
R General Fund Grants County Clerk Legal Records Unit FND10101 CCN2010210 RC615463 PRG125000 GRN-1004391 615000 Grant Fees and Collections $14,949 $-$-
$14,949 $-$-
E General Fund Grants County Clerk Legal Records Unit FND10101 CCN2010210 SC702010 PRG125000 GRN-1004592 702000 Salaries Regular $11,506.00 $-$-
E General Fund Grants County Clerk Legal Records Unit FND10101 CCN2010210 SC722790 PRG125000 GRN-1004592 722000 Social Security 175.00 --
E General Fund Grants County Clerk Legal Records Unit FND10101 CCN2010210 SC722770 PRG125000 GRN-1004592 722000 Retirement 324.00 --
E General Fund Grants County Clerk Legal Records Unit FND10101 CCN2010210 SC722820 PRG125000 GRN-1004592 722000 Unemployment 7.00 --
E General Fund Grants County Clerk Legal Records Unit FND10101 CCN2010210 SC722750 PRG125000 GRN-1004592 722000 Workers Compensation 77.00 --
E General Fund Grants County Clerk Legal Records Unit FND10101 CCN2010210 SC750399 PRG125000 GRN-1004592 750000 Office Supplies 2,860.00
$14,949 $-$-
GRANT REVIEW SIGN-OFF – Register of Deeds AWD00587
GRANT NAME: FY2025 Michigan Supreme Court State Court Administrative Office Legal Self-Help Centers Grant
FUNDING AGENCY: Michigan Supreme Court State Court Administrative Office
DEPARTMENT CONTACT PERSON: Fred Miller 248-858-2134
STATUS: Grant Acceptance (Greater than $10,000)
DATE: 12/09/2024
Please be advised that the captioned grant materials have completed the internal grant review. Below are the returned
comments.
The Board of Commissioners’ liaison committee resolution and grant acceptance package (which should include this sign-
off email and the grant agreement/contract with related documentation) should be downloaded into Civic Clerk to be
placed on the next agenda(s) of the appropriate Board of Commissioners’ committee(s) for grant acceptance by Board
resolution.
DEPARTMENT REVIEW
Management and Budget:
Approved – Shannon Lee (12/02/2024)
Human Resources:
Approved by Human Resources. Continues 3 positions with no changes. HR action not needed. NOTE: Position #16107
should be 16104. – Heather Mason (11/27/2024)
Risk Management:
Approved. Agreement allows the County to be self-insured. – Robert Erlenbeck (12/02/2024)
Corporation Counsel:
Approved. Corporation Counsel conducted a legal review of documents and initially discovered unacceptable
indemnification language. I contacted F. Miller, who secured changes and provided me with an updated agreement on
12.6.24 via email. The 12.6.24 agreement is satisfactory and approved. - Heather Lewis (12/09/2024)
[Revised agreement as noted by Heather Lewis is attached.]
State Court Administrative Office
Legal Self-Help Center Grant
Agreement Between
STATE COURT ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE
(SCAO)
and
GRANTEE:
Oakland County Clerk's Office
(e-Services Center)
Contract Number: SCAO-2025-075
Grant Amount: $14,949.00
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1. DEFINITIONS GOVERNING AGREEMENT
The definitions below govern the terms used in this Agreement.
1.01 The term “Agreement” as used in this document means the Agreement between the State
Court Administrative Office (the “SCAO”), located in Lansing, MI and the Grantee
located at 1200 N. Telegraph Rd., Pontiac, MI 48341, and includes any subsequent
amendments thereto.
1.02 The term “Approved Expenses” means all Program Expenses that have been timely
reported to the SCAO and verified by the SCAO as an eligible expense not subject to
recoupment from grantee.
1.03 The term “Authorizing Official” means the individual, named by the application
organization, who is authorized to act for the Grantee and to assume the Grantee’s
obligation imposed by laws, regulations, requirements, and conditions that apply to grant
awards.
1.04 The term “Confidential Information” means confidential and/or Proprietary Information
belonging to the SCAO which is disclosed to the Grantee or which the Grantee otherwise
learns of during the course of or as the direct or indirect result of rendering its Services
for the SCAO.
Confidential or Proprietary Information is information not generally known to third
parties or to others who could obtain economic value from their disclosure or use of the
information. This includes all proprietary technical, financial, or other information owned
by the SCAO or any of its vendors, including by way of illustration, but not limitation,
computerized data, codes, programs and software, written material, inventions, whether
or not patented or patentable, designs, works of authorship, works subject to or under
copyright protection, trade secrets or trademark, protected material, performance
standards concepts, formulae, charts, statistics, financial records and reports of the SCAO
or any entity otherwise affiliated with the SCAO.
Confidential or Proprietary Information also includes all confidential and proprietary
material that the Grantee may design, author, create, distribute or produce during the term
of this Agreement when rendering Services thereunder. “Confidential Information” also
includes all individualized, nonaggregated data relating to individuals, including, but not
limited to, personally identifiable information (“PII”) and information protected by the
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. All information gained during the
course of Grantee’s retention should be presumed confidential unless the information is
clearly identified otherwise or the circumstances of disclosure demonstrate it not to be
confidential.
1.05 The term “Effective Date” means the date upon which this Agreement becomes effective,
which is the date the Agreement is signed by both Parties. If the Parties do not sign the
Agreement on the same date, the latest specified date will become the Agreement’s
effective date.
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1.06 The term “Employee Benefits” means any and all Employee Benefits the State Court
Administrative Office provides to its employees, including, but not limited to, workers’
compensation benefits, retirement benefits, pension benefits, insurance benefits, fringe
benefits, educational and/or training benefits, holiday pay, paid breaks, sick pay, vacation
pay, or other such benefits.
1.07 The term “Equipment” includes tangible property, excluding real property, with a useful
life of at least one year.
1.08 The term “Grant Amount” is the amount specified as “Grant Amount” on the first page of
this Agreement.
1.09 The term “Grantee” as used in this Agreement includes the Grantee(s)/party(ies) with
which the SCAO is contracting.
1.10 The term “Inventions, Patented and/or Copyrighted Materials” means such writings,
inventions, improvements, or discoveries whether or not under an existing copyright,
copyright application, patent, or patent application, trademark or trademark application,
or any other third party intellectual property right that were written, invented, made, or
discovered by the Grantee, including its employees and/or subcontractors under this
Agreement.
1.11 The term “Liabilities” means any and all liabilities, obligations, damages, penalties,
claims, costs, fees, charges, and expenses, including, but not limited to, fees and expenses
of attorneys, expert witnesses, and other consultants.
1.12 The term “Parties” refers to all parties to the Agreement, including the SCAO and all
other parties.
1.13 The term “Program Expenses” means all expenses including, but not limited to, license
fees and all other types of fees, memberships and dues, insurance premiums, copying
costs, telephone costs and all other types of costs, all salary and expenses incurred by the
Grantee, and all other compensation paid to the Grantee’s employees or subcontractors
that the Grantee hires, retains or utilizes for the Grantee’s performance under this
Agreement. This term also includes Travel Expenses as defined below.
1.14 The term “Services” refers to the goods, services, program activities, projects, and
initiatives that the Grantee agrees to develop or deliver under this Agreement, as
described in the Scope of Services, Scope of Work, and all descriptions of services in any
attachments and amendments to the Agreement.
1.15 The term “SHCGP” refers to the Legal Self-Help Center Grant Program which is the
subject of this Agreement.
1.16 The term “Taxes” refers to any and all federal, state, and local taxes, including, but not
limited to, income taxes, social security taxes, unemployment insurance taxes, and any
other taxes or fees for which Grantee is responsible.
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1.17 The term “Travel Expenses” means expenses Grantee incurs for travel including lodging,
mileage, and meals that the Grantee incurs in the reasonable fulfillment of the terms of
this Agreement. Travel expenses may not exceed the state rate or your local rate,
whichever is the lesser expense.
1.18 The term “Work Product” refers to documents, reports, programs, manuals, tapes and
videos and any Intellectual Property prepared under this Agreement, including training
materials, power point presentations and/or any other written or electronic materials
prepared under this Agreement and amendments thereto. It also includes computer data
such as programs and software in various stages of development and source codes and
object codes, and any other work product prepared by the Grantee under this Agreement
and amendments thereto.
2. PERIOD OF AGREEMENT
2.01 This Agreement shall commence upon the Effective Date.
2.02 This Agreement terminates on September 30, 2025.
3. AGREEMENT AMOUNT AND BUDGET
This Agreement incorporates the Grantee’s approved grant application request and most
recently approved budget included here as Attachment E. The SCAO agrees to provide
funding in an amount not to exceed the Grant Amount. In no event does this Agreement
create for the Grantee’s benefit a lien against or entitlement to any other funds of the
SCAO or the Michigan Supreme Court.
4. RELATIONSHIP
4.01 No employer/employee relationship exists between the Parties. Further, no employee or
agent of the Grantee is an employee of the SCAO. The Grantee is an independent
contractor, not an employee of the SCAO.
4.02 The SCAO is not obligated either under this Agreement or by implication to provide, and
is not liable to the Grantee for failure to provide, the Grantee with Employee Benefits.
The Grantee is not eligible for and will not receive any Employee Benefits from the
SCAO.
4.03 The Grantee is responsible for payment of all Taxes arising out of the Grantee’s Services
in accordance with this Agreement.
4.04 The Grantee shall not direct the work or utilize the working time of any SCAO employee
under this Agreement. To the extent that the Grantee seeks the assistance of any SCAO
employee to perform the Grantee’s responsibilities under this Agreement, the Grantee
must provide prior written approval from the State Court Administrator or his/her
designee.
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4.05 The Grantee does not, and shall not, have the authority to enter into contracts on the
SCAO’s behalf.
5. SIGMA SYSTEM FOR AWARD MANAGEMENT
The Grantee must register or update their account in the State of Michigan SIGMA
Vendor Self Service to receive distribution of this SHCGP grant administered by the
SCAO. The SIGMA Vendor Self Service website is
https://sigma.michigan.gov/PRDVSS1X1/Advantage4
6. CHANGE IN GRANTEE CONTACT
The Grantee must notify the SCAO of any changes in Grantee’s contacts identified in
Section 33, including changes in names, mailing addresses, e-mail addresses, and
telephone numbers.
7. USE OF FUNDING
7.01 Payments from the SHCGP funds may only be used to cover program expenses incurred
on or after October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2025 that are related to the operation
and delivery of services for a legal self-help center. See the SHCGP Guidelines for
further information regarding eligible expenses. Grantee agrees to comply with all
SHCGP Guidelines. These Guidelines are attached as Attachment C and may also be
accessed at https://www.courts.michigan.gov/49cf6f/siteassets/problem-solving-
courts/annual-reports/fy25-shc-grantprogramdetailsfinal.pdf
7.02 SHCGP funds cannot be used to pay expenses that will be or have been reimbursed by
the Grantee or another funding source program.
7.03 The Grantee must develop and implement effective internal controls to ensure that
funding decisions under the SHCGP award constitute eligible uses of funds.
7.04 The Grantee must submit expenditure reports, along with documentation to support the
reported expenditures, to the SCAO, which are due on the dates listed below:
• January 17, 2025 (reporting period of 10/1/24 – 12/31/24)
• April 11, 2025 (reporting period of 1/1/25 – 3/31/25)
• July 11, 2025 (reporting period of 4/1/25 – 6/30/25)
• October 10, 2025 (reporting period of 7/1/25 – 9/30/25)
7.05 The Grantee shall prepare expenditure reports using the provided expenditure reporting
template identified as Attachment B in this agreement.
7.06 To assure that expenditures are proper and in accordance with the terms and conditions of
the award and approved project budgets, the Grantee’s fiscal reports under this
Agreement must include a certification, signed by an official who is authorized to legally
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bind the Grantee. The Grantee must certify that to the best of its knowledge reports are
true, complete, and accurate, and the expenditures, disbursements, and cash receipts are
for the purposes set forth in the award’s terms and conditions, and have been incurred by
the Grantee. The Grantee is aware that any false, fictitious, or fraudulent information, or
the omission of any material fact, may subject the Grantee to criminal, civil, or
administrative penalties for fraud, false statements, false claims, or otherwise.
7.07 The Grantee shall submit expenditure reports to the SCAO via email by sending them
JFAC@courts.mi.gov with the subject line “SHCGP Report”.
7.08 Equipment purchases authorized under this agreement become the property of the
Grantee. The SCAO maintains no ownership interest in equipment purchased by the
Grantee. The Grantee is solely responsible for securing appropriate insurance on all
equipment. The Grantee assumes responsibility for all depreciation expenses for
equipment, unless specifically authorized in the Grantee’s most recently approved
budget, included as Attachment E.
8. PAYMENT PROCESSING
8.01 The Grantee agrees to lawfully use the grant funds for the purposes and under the
conditions specified in this Agreement and in the SHCGP Guidelines.
8.02 Unless otherwise pre-approved in writing by the SCAO under the notice provisions of
Section 33, only program Services and Program Expenses outlined in the approved
budget incurred during the grant period are eligible for approval. Program Expenses
incurred that are not identified in Grantee’s approved original or amended budget or are
incurred outside the grant period of October 1, 2024 through September 30, 2025 will not
be approved.
8.03 The Grantee is aware that this is a lump-sum grant awarded at the beginning of the grant
period and all Expenses are subject to eligibility determination and approval by the
SCAO. Grantee’s reported Program Expenses that are not approved by the SCAO are
subject to recoupment.
8.04 Approved Travel Expenses cannot exceed the lesser of the Grantee’s published travel
rates or allowable State of Michigan travel rates.
8.05 Any unobligated balance of grant funds held by the Grantee at the end of the Agreement
period will be returned to the SCAO via a check payable to the State of Michigan and
mailed to MSC Finance, PO Box 30052, Lansing, MI 48909. Grantee shall provide
notice to the SCAO upon mailing of the check.
9. SCOPE OF SERVICES
The Grantee shall use reasonable best efforts and devote such time, attention, skill,
knowledge, and professional ability as necessary to most effectively and efficiently carry
out and perform the Services.
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10. STATEMENT OF WORK
The Grantee agrees to undertake, perform, and complete the Services described in their
approved grant application attached to this Agreement as Attachment E. This includes
the delivery of legal self-help services. The Grantee may not assign the performance of
Services under this Agreement to any other entity or person who is not an employee or
volunteer of the Grantee except with prior written approval of the SCAO. If performance
is so assigned, all requirements in this Agreement shall apply to such performance and
the Grantee shall be responsible for the performance of such Services.
11. DATA REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
11.01 The Grantee agrees to timely provide all applicable data, including complete and accurate
reports as identified in Attachment A related to this Agreement.
11.02 When any required report is 30 calendar days past due, a delinquency notice will be sent
notifying the Grantee that it has 15 calendar days to comply with the reporting
requirement. When any required report is 45 calendar days past due, the Grantee’s
funding award, minus the total amount from Grantee’s approved expenditure reports, will
be rescinded and the SCAO will send a notice of recoupment notice to the Grantee. The
Notices will be sent as provided in Section 33 of this Agreement.
12. STAFF AND VOLUNTEER TRAINING
Grantee agrees to use reasonable best efforts to ensure all program staff or volunteers
complete self-help training provided by Michigan Legal Help, if offered.
13. MICHIGAN LEGAL SELF-HELP CENTER GUIDELINES
The Grantee shall use their best efforts to follow and engage in the activities outlined in
the Michigan Legal Self-Help Center Guidelines adopted by the SCAO. The operational
guidelines are included here as Attachment D and are available online at
https://www.courts.michigan.gov/48cbfe/siteassets/reports/special-initiatives/justice-for-
all/final-shc-guidelines.pdf
14. RIGHTS TO WORK PRODUCT AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
14.01 All reports, programs, manuals, tapes, listings, documentation, and any other work
product created under this Agreement, and amendments thereto (the “Work Product”),
belong to the Grantee. Any Work Product created under this Agreement shall be used for
the public good.
14.02 The Grantee grants the SCAO a perpetual, royalty-free, unlimited license to the Work
Product for non-commercial purposes to use, display, reproduce and distribute final
versions of such Work Product as the SCAO sees fit.
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14.03 The Grantee may publish or distribute any printed or visual reports or press releases
relating to the services provided under this Agreement but may not include information
about the SCAO or its role without the SCAO’s permission as outlined in Section 26.02.
14.04 The Grantee shall safeguard the Grantee’s property, materials and Work Product. The
SCAO is not responsible and will not be subject to any Liabilities for any claims related
to the loss, damage, or impairment of Grantee’s property, materials, and/or Work
Product.
14.05 The Grantee shall promptly disclose in writing to the SCAO all Inventions, Patented
and/or Copyrighted Materials jointly with the SCAO or singly by the Grantee or the
Grantee’s employees or agents while engaged in Services under this Agreement. As to
each such disclosure, the Grantee shall specifically point out the features or concepts
related to the Inventions, Patented and/or Copyrighted Materials that are new, unique, or
different such that they may qualify for copyright, patent, or other intellectual property
protection. Further, upon the SCAO’s request, the Grantee shall assist the SCAO in
determining and acquiring copyrights, patents, or other such intellectual property
protection for any Inventions, Patented and/or Copyrighted Materials for which the
SCAO desires to obtain such protection.
14.06 The Grantee warrants that as of the Effective Date of this Agreement, there are no such
Inventions, Patented and/or Copyrighted Materials for which the Grantee seeks protection
or which the Grantee desires to remove from this Agreement. Further, the Grantee
warrants that its performance under this Agreement will not infringe upon or
misappropriate any third party’s Inventions, Patented and/or Copyrighted Materials.
14.07 Section 14 of this Agreement survives termination or expiration of this Agreement.
15. INSURANCE
The Grantee is self-insured/has procured insurance in an amount and scope sufficient to
cover all claims and Liabilities related to the Grantee’s Services, Grantee’s performance
of or failure to perform as required under the Contract and as required by law.
16. RECORD MAINTENANCE/RETENTION AND INSPECTION
16.01 All record retention guidelines set by the SCAO and/or the Grantee must be adhered to if
they require additional years beyond the retention guidelines stated herein. The Grantee’s
accounting system must be maintained to keep grant records separate from the Grantee’s
other financial records.
16.02 The Grantee agrees to maintain adequate program and fiscal records and files, including
source documentation to support program activities and all expenditures made under the
terms of this Agreement, as required. The Grantee must assure that all terms of this
Agreement will be appropriately adhered to and that records and detailed documentation
for the project or program identified in this Agreement will be maintained in accordance
with generally accepted accounting principles and will be kept for at least five years after
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the SCAO’s final payment to the Grantee. The Grantee is responsible for the costs to
retain these records.
16.03 If an audit begins before the five-year period expires, and it extends past that period, the
Grantee must retain all records until the audit is complete.
17. AUTHORIZED ACCESS
The Grantee must permit, upon reasonable notification and at reasonable times, access by
authorized representatives of the MSC, the SCAO, the Michigan Department of Treasury
and State Auditor General, or any of their duly authorized representatives, to records and
documentation related to this Agreement, as authorized and required by law. The SCAO
and/or an outside team may conduct on-site monitoring visit(s), evaluations and/or grant
audit(s) any time during the grant period. All grant records and personnel must be made
available during any visit, if requested. The Grantee shall work cooperatively with the
monitoring, audit, and/or evaluation team to permit full review of the program. Based on
the audit, the SCAO may adjust payments. If the audit reveals that the SCAO overpaid
the Grantee, the Grantee must immediately refund those amounts to the SCAO.
18. CONFIDENTIALITY INFORMATION
18.01 In the performance of its obligations under this Agreement, the SCAO may disclose
Confidential or Proprietary Information pertaining to the SCAO’s past, present, and
future activities to the Grantee. The Grantee agrees to limit access of Confidential or
Proprietary Information to those of its employees who have a need for such access and
such employees are bound to the Confidentiality provisions in this Contract. The Grantee
shall not disclose Confidential or Proprietary Information to any third party without prior
approval from the SCAO, unless disclosure is required by law or court order.
18.02 If disclosure of Confidential or Proprietary Information is required by law or court order,
the Grantee must notify the SCAO within five (5) business days as provided in Section
33 of this Agreement before disclosure and shall reasonably cooperate with the SCAO to
narrowly tailor disclosure and obtain protective orders or other relief as appropriate.
18.03 The Grantee agrees to return all Confidential or Proprietary Information to the SCAO
immediately upon the termination of this Agreement and permanently delete any
electronic copies of the data stored by the Grantee within 30 calendar days after the
conclusion of this Agreement. If requested by the SCAO, the Grantee will provide
written confirmation that deletion has been completed.
18.04 Section 18 of this Agreement survives termination or expiration of this Agreement.
19. NOTIFICATION OF CRIMINAL OR ADMINISTRATIVE
INVESTIGATIONS
If the Grantee becomes aware of a criminal or administrative investigation or charge that
directly or indirectly involves grant funds referenced in this Agreement, the Grantee shall
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immediately notify the SCAO of the investigation or charge as provided in Section 33 of
this Agreement.
20. AGREEMENT/REDUCTION/SUSPENSION/TERMINATION
20.01 The SCAO and/or the Grantee may reduce the project budget, suspend, or terminate this
Agreement without further liability or penalty to the SCAO under any of the following
circumstances:
A. If any of the terms of this Agreement are not adhered to by the Grantee.
B. If the Grantee fails to make progress satisfactory to the SCAO toward the project
goals, objectives, or strategies set forth in this Agreement, including but not
limited to a determination by the SCAO after expenditure reports due April 11,
2025 are submitted, in its sole discretion, that project funds are not reasonably
likely to be fully expended by the termination date.
C. If the Grantee proposes or implements substantial changes to the Scope of
Services/Work such that, if originally submitted, the application would not have
been selected for funding.
D. The Grantee submits false certification or falsifies any other report or document
required hereunder.
E. If the Grantee is convicted of any activity referenced in Section 19 of this
Agreement during the term of this Agreement or any extension thereof.
F. If the SCAO terminates this Agreement under Section 20.01, the Grantee is not
eligible for the SCAO grant funding for two years. After the two-year period, the
Grantee must verify in writing with the SCAO that the Grantee has corrected the
issues.
G. If funding for this Agreement becomes unavailable to the SCAO due to
appropriation or budget shortfalls.
20.02 Each Party has the right to terminate this Agreement without cause, including termination
by the Grantee if the Grantee has indicated that they do not plan to spend all or some of
the grant funds. If the Grantee is the terminating party, the Grantee must notify the
SCAO in writing of such termination in accordance with Section 33 of this Agreement.
The Grantee will still be required to fulfill the grant reporting requirements under
Attachments A and B as required by the terms of the grant and as otherwise directed by
the SCAO. The termination date of this Agreement will be the date that the Grantee has
met all grant reporting requirements as determined by the SCAO.
20.03 Any unused Grant Amount funds are subject to recoupment from Grantee.
20.04 Any funds received by the Grantee that are expended in a manner that does not comply
with applicable federal and state laws, guidelines, rules, and regulations shall be returned
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to the State of Michigan. Any amounts subject to recovery must be repaid within 120
calendar days of receipt of any notice of recoupment.
21. FINAL REPORTING UPON TERMINATION
21.01 Should this Agreement be terminated by either party, within 30 calendar days after the
termination, the Grantee shall provide the SCAO with all financial and other reports
required as a condition of this Agreement. The Grantee shall immediately return to the
SCAO any grant funds paid to the Grantee in excess of Grantee’s approved expenses.
21.02 If this Agreement is terminated by the SCAO for the Grantee’s failure to meet the grant
management requirements, the Grantee shall not be eligible to seek future grant funding
from the SCAO.
22. INDEMNITY
22.01 Each party to this Agreement will remain responsible for any claims arising out of that
party’s performance of this Agreement as provided by this Agreement or by law. This
Agreement is not intended to increase or decrease either party’s liability for or immunity
from tort claims. This Agreement is not intended to nor will it be interpreted as giving
either party a right of indemnification, either by Agreement or at law, for claims arising
out of the performance of this agreement.
22.02 In the event any action or proceeding is brought against the Grantee by reason of any
claim covered under this Agreement, the Grantee will, at the Grantee’s sole cost and
expense, resist or defend the action or proceeding.
22.03 In the event that the Grantee consists of more than one entity/individuals, all Liabilities of
the Grantees under this Agreement are joint and several.
22.04 Nothing herein shall be construed as a waiver of any governmental immunity.
22.05 Section 22 of this Agreement survives termination or expiration of this Agreement.
23. COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS
The Grantee shall comply with all applicable laws, ordinances, ethics rules and codes of
the federal, state, and local governments and the judiciary, and shall save and hold the
SCAO harmless with respect to any damages arising from any violation of the same by
the Grantee.
24. MICHIGAN LAW
This Agreement shall be subject to, and shall be enforced and construed under, the laws
of the state of Michigan. Further, the Parties agree to litigate any disputes arising directly
or indirectly from the Agreement in the Court of Claims in the state of Michigan, or if the
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Court of Claims cannot take jurisdiction over the dispute then by the circuit court
determined appropriate by the SCAO.
25. CONFLICT OF INTEREST
The Grantee presently has no personal or financial interest, and shall not acquire any such
interest, direct or indirect, that would conflict in any manner or degree with the
performance of this Agreement. The Grantee is not subject to any nondisclosure,
noncompetition, or similar clause with current or prior clients or employers that will
interfere with the performance of this Agreement. The SCAO will not be subject to any
Liabilities for any such claim.
26. PROHIBITION ON USE OF THE SCAO FOR PROMOTIONAL OR
MARKETING PURPOSES
26.01 The Grantee is not permitted to utilize the SCAO’s or the MSC’s name, logo or other
images, or website information for promotional or marketing purposes.
26.02 The Grantee shall not issue press releases, make public statements about or share any of
the terms of this Agreement with any third party without doing all of the following: 1)
Disclosing to the SCAO the complete content of the intended communication; 2)
obtaining the SCAO’s written consent; and 3) obligating the third party to abide by the
terms of the Confidentiality provisions in this Agreement, including obtaining a written
agreement if requested by the SCAO.
27. DEBT TO STATE OF MICHIGAN
The Grantee covenants that it is not, and will not become, in arrears to the State of
Michigan or any of its subdivisions upon contract, debt, or any other obligation to the
State of Michigan or its subdivisions, including real property, personal property, and
income taxes.
28. DISPUTES
The Grantee shall notify the SCAO in writing of the Grantee’s intent to pursue a claim
against the SCAO for breach of any term of this Agreement within 10 business days of
discovery of the alleged breach. Notice must be provided by both electronic mail and by
an overnight delivery service that can track and confirm delivery as provided in Section
33 below.
29. AMENDMENT TO AGREEMENT
This Agreement, including but not limited to the Scope of Services/Statement of Work
and project budget changes, may only be amended by a writing signed by all Parties.
30. ENTIRE AGREEMENT
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This Agreement contains the entire agreement between the parties. It does not include
any other written or oral agreements, except the following:
A. Data Reporting Requirements (Attachment A),
B. Program Expenditure Reporting (Attachment B)
C. FY25 Legal Self-Help Center Grant Program Guidelines (Attachment C)
D. Michigan Self-Help Center Guidelines (Attachment D)
E. Approved grant application and budget (Attachment E)
31. PROGRAM REVIEW OR SITE VISIT
The SCAO may review the Grantee’s performance onsite. As part of the review, the
SCAO may interview team members, observe staff meetings, review files, review data,
and review financial records.
32. SEVERABILITY
If any provision of this Agreement or of any document attached to or incorporated by
reference is waived or held to be invalid, such waiver or invalidity shall not affect other
provisions of this Agreement.
33. DELIVERY OF NOTICE
33.01 Written notices and communications required under this Agreement shall be delivered in
one of two forms to all of the individuals listed below: (1) by electronic mail, with
confirmation of delivery receipt; or (2) by overnight delivery sent by a nationally
recognized overnight delivery service, upon written confirmation of delivery from the
service to the following:
33.02 The Grantee’s contacts are:
Fred Miller
1200 N. Telegraph Rd., Pontiac, MI 48341
millerf@oakgov.com
248-858-2134
AND
Jennifer Howden
1200 N. Telegraph Rd., Pontiac, MI 48341
howdenj@oakgov.com
248-858-2944
33.03 The SCAO’s contacts are
Noah A. Bradow
State Court Administrative Office
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Michigan Hall of Justice
P.O. Box 30048
Lansing, MI 48909
BradowN@courts.mi.gov
517-373-4601
and
Alicia Moon, General Counsel
State Court Administrative Office
Michigan Hall of Justice
P.O. Box 30048
Lansing, MI 48909
MoonA@courts.mi.gov
517-373-1294
34. GRANTEE’S AUTHORIZING OFFICIAL
Only one person may sign this Agreement as the Grantee’s Authorizing Official. The
Grantee might have more than one individual who is authorized to enter into binding
contracts for the Grantee that is receiving funds, or the Grantee’s local rules might
provide that multiple people must sign contracts. In either case, the Authorizing
Official’s signature on this Agreement represents the mutual agreement and acceptance
of this Agreement by all persons who are authorized to enter into binding contracts for
the Grantee.
35. COUNTERPARTS
This Agreement may be executed by electronic signature in any number of counterparts,
each of which when so executed will be deemed an original, and all of which together,
will constitute one and the same agreement. Signatures sent electronically, by DocuSign,
or by similar means (including scanned images of signatures forwarded by e-mail) will
have the same binding effect as original signatures.
The remainder of this page is intentionally left blank.
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SIGNATURES OF PARTIES
Legal Self-Help Center Grant
CONTRACT NUMBER: SCAO-2025-075
36. SIGNATURE OF PARTIES
36.01 This Agreement is not effective unless signed by both Parties.
36.02 The signatures on this Agreement are electronic through the DocuSign system.
36.03 Selecting from the dropdown menu confirms that the Agreement can now be sent to the
Grantee’s Authorizing Official for signature.
36.04 The DocuSign system requires an agent of the SCAO to send this Contract to the Deputy State
Court Administrator for review and signature.
Oakland County Clerk’s Office State Court Administrative Office
________________________________ ___________________________________
Authorizing Official’s Signature SCAO Official’s Signature
________________________________ ___________________________________
Authorizing Official’s Name SCAO Official’s Name
________________________________ ___________________________________
Authorizing Official’s Title SCAO Official’s Title
________________________________ ___________________________________
Date Signed by Authorizing Official Date Signed by SCAO Official
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Attachment A:
“Data Reporting Requirements”
Data Collection Activities
For this grant period, each grantee will be required to collect some data regarding access to the
self-help center services provided. Grantees must submit data collection reports along with their
expenditure reports. The deadlines for reporting are as follows:
•April 11, 2025 (reporting period of Effective Date – 3/31/25)
•October 10, 2025 (reporting period of 4/1/25 – 9/30/25)
What Data Must be Collected?
For this grant cycle, grantees may satisfy your data reporting requirements through any of the
following options:
1.Michigan Legal Help Survey Instruments
If your organization does not currently have a data collection process in place, you may
utilize the Michigan Legal Help (MLH) user survey instruments that may be delivered
pre-and-post-service delivery. A staff survey is also provided to capture the service
delivery experience from the self-help center staff perspective. Data collected via the
MLH surveys may be reported directly by MLH to satisfy data reporting requirements
under this agreement. These survey instruments may be found in Appendix A of the
FY25 Legal Self-Help Center Program Guidelines accessible at
https://www.courts.michigan.gov/49cf6f/siteassets/problem-solving-courts/annual-
reports/fy25-shc-grantprogramdetailsfinal.pdf.
Please contact Michigan Legal Help’s Statewide Self-Help Center Coordinator, Charlie
Campbell at Ccampbell@lsscm.org for additional details.
2.New or Existing Organizational Data Collection
If your organization is currently collecting data regarding the delivery of self-hep center
services or establishing a new data collection system, you can satisfy your data reporting
requirements by reporting your data collection statistics. However, to aid in the
standardization of data collection and analysis, grantees must ensure that their data
collection includes information substantially similar to information collected on the
standardized pre- and post-service survey instruments.
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Attachment B:
Quarterly Program Expenditure Reporting Template
* An editable Excel version of the template will be provided to grantee.
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Assigned Contract Number:
Reporting Organization:
Report Contact Name & Email:
Expense Report Start Date:
Expense Report End Date:
Certification:
* Reporting Instructions * -->
Total Grant Funds Awarded:$0.00 * amount of grant funds awarded
Total Expenditures - Quarter 1:
Report Due Date: 1/17/2025 $0.00 * Effective Date through December 31, 2024
Total Expenditures - Quarter 2:
Report Due Date: 4/11/2025 $0.00 * January 1, 2025 through March 31, 2025
Total Expenditures - Quarter 3:
Report Due Date: 7/11/2025 $0.00 * April 1, 2025 through June 30, 2025
Total Expenditures - Quarter 4:
Report Due Date: 10/10/2025 $0.00 * July 1, 2025 through September 30, 2025
Total Funds Remaining:$0.00 * Calculated remaining grant funds after reported expendtures
Expenditure Category
(select from dropdown)
SHC Grant Funds
Expenditure Amount Expenditure Description
TOTAL $0.00
Michigan Supreme Court
Legal Self-Help Centers Grant Program
Quarterly Expenditures
Grant Funds Balance
Quarterly Expenditure Report
In the area provided below, please list all individual expenditures made with grant funds during the reporting
period. For each reported expenditure select the category for the expenditure, enter the amount for the line
item, and provide a brief description of the expenditure. Insert additional lines if necessary to report all
expenditures.
Note: If you're reporting staff expenses (wages/salary and fringe/tax benefits), you must also complete the
supplemental report on the STAFF DETAIL tab.
Supporting Documentation Required:
Please attach supporting documentation for each expenditure (i.e. invoice/reciept, payroll report, etc.).
Submitting Your Report:
Send completed report and supporting documentation to JFAC@courts.mi.gov with the subject line "SHC
Grant Program Quarterly Report"
To the best of my knowledge these reports are true, complete, and accurate, and the expenditures,
disbursements, and cash receipts are for the purposes set forth in the award’s terms and conditions,
and have been incurred by the Grantee. The Grantee is aware that any false, fictitious, or fraudulent
information, or the omission of any material fact, may subject the Grantee to criminal, civil, or
administrative penalties for fraud, false statements, false claims, or otherwise.
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Pay Period Start Pay Period End Payroll Date Staff Member Name Total Salary Total Fringe/Tax Salary Fringe/Tax
From Payroll Records Amounts Charged to SHC Grant
STAFF SALARY & FRINGE/TAX DETAILS
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Attachment C:
FY 25 Legal Self-Help Center Grant Program Guidelines
* NOTE: These guidelines are also accessible online at
https://www.courts.michigan.gov/49cf6f/siteassets/problem-solving-courts/annual-reports/fy25-
shc-grantprogramdetailsfinal.pdf
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Michigan Supreme Court
State Court Administrative Office
Legal Self-Help Centers
Grant Program Guidelines
FY 2025
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Contents
I. Self-Help Center Services in Michigan ............................................................................................... 3
II. Grant Announcement .......................................................................................................................... 3
a. Summary ....................................................................................................................................3
b. Michigan Legal Help and Support for Legal Self-Help Centers in Michigan ...........................3
c. Grant Process Timeline ..............................................................................................................4
d. Grant Submission Instructions ...................................................................................................4
e. Grant Program Contact ..............................................................................................................4
III. Selection Process and Criteria ............................................................................................................. 4
a. Grant Review Panel ...................................................................................................................4
b. Grant Considerations .................................................................................................................5
c. Maximum Grant Award .............................................................................................................5
d. Notification ................................................................................................................................5
e. Grant Agreement and SIGMA Registration ..............................................................................5
IV. Grant Application Guidelines and Requirements ................................................................................ 5
a. Program Criteria.........................................................................................................................5
b. Application Format and Content ................................................................................................6
c. Fiscal Management ....................................................................................................................6
Budget Components and Template
................................................................................................................................................
6
Non-Permitted Expenditures
................................................................................................................................................
6
V. Data Collection Requirements ............................................................................................................. 7
VI. Budget Terminology ............................................................................................................................ 7
Appendix A – MLH Standardized Data Collection Survey Instruments .................................................. 10
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I. Self-Help Center Services in Michigan
Legal Self-Help Centers provide services to those who are seeking to solve legal problems by
providing legal information, forms, resources, guidance, and referrals. These services are
designed to help educate and empower individuals to effectively advocate for themselves within
the legal system. The first 1 self-help center in Michigan was established in 2002. Since that
time, Michigan has taken a decentralized approach to opening and operating self-help centers.
The Michigan Justice for All Commission (Commission), created by the Michigan Supreme
Court in 2021, is working to ensure that everyone in Michigan is able to access legal services
when needed. The Commission is working with the State Court Administrative Office (SCAO)
to expand and enhance effective, efficient, and sustainable self-help center services across
Michigan.
II. Grant Announcement
a. Summary
As part of its effort to achieve 100% access to justice, the Commission continues to
advocate for resources to expand legal assistance and self-help services throughout
Michigan. With funding from the legislature, SCAO has established a grant program to
expand legal self-help services in Michigan. The grant program will continue to award
funds each year that funds are available.
Eligibility
Nonprofit and governmental organizations in Michigan are eligible to apply. Grant funds
may be used for a broad category of expenditures necessary to establish, continue, or
enhance legal self-help center operations or services. See Section IV.d for additional
details.
Grant Period
Contingent on the legislative appropriation of funds, the fiscal year 2025 grant program
period will start on October 1, 2024, and end September 30, 2025.
These guidelines set forth the administrative and programmatic requirements for the
SCAO legal self-help center grant program for fiscal year 2025.
b. Michigan Legal Help and Support for Legal Self-Help Centers in Michigan
As part of the Michigan Advocacy Program, Michigan Legal Help (MLH) is a statewide
program which operates the michiganlegalhelp.org website. MLH has provided support
for self-help centers in Michigan for over ten years and is available to provide support to
grantees, as appropriate. MLH is the host of the Michigan Self-Help Center Alliance
which serves as a hub for all legal self-help centers in Michigan (mishcalliance.org).
1 Legal Assistance Center located in Grand Rapids, MI. https://legalassistancecenter.org/
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New centers established under this program can expect MLH staff to assist with holding
planning meetings; creating and executing a timeline to opening a center; outreach,
including brochures for the community and signage for the center (for centers that choose
to partner with MLH); selecting appropriate equipment for the center; and initial
navigator training for staff working at a self-help center. Existing centers can expect
MLH, through the Michigan Self-Help Center Alliance, to provide ongoing training and
updates on changes to the law or forms. The Alliance is the host of a statewide data
collection system for participating self-help centers. MLH staff will assist centers in
implementing existing tools, reporting using those tools, and assist with other data
collection issues that may arise.
c. Grant Process Timeline
The following is the timeline for the fiscal year 2025 grant cycle:
• Application Period Opens: May 13, 2024
• Application Period Closes: July 14, 2024, at 11:59 pm EDT
• Application Review and Award Notification Period: July - August 2024
• Grantee Contracting and Disbursements: August - September 2024
• Grant Period Begins: October 1, 2024
• Report Due: January 17, 2025 (reporting period 10/1/24 – 12/31/24)
• Report Due: April 11, 2025 (reporting period 1/1/25 – 3/31/25)
• Report Due: July 11, 2025 (reporting period 4/1/25 – 6/30/25)
• Grant Period Ends: September 30, 2025
• Final Report Due: October 10, 2025 (reporting period 7/1/25 – 9/30/25)
d. Grant Submission Instructions
All grant application materials must be submitted via email to JFAC@courts.mi.gov no
later than 11:59 pm EDT on July 14, 2024. Please use the following subject line for
your emailed materials “FY25 Self-Help Center Grant Application Materials.”
e. Grant Program Contact
Please contact the following SCAO staff with any grant program questions:
Noah A. Bradow
Councils and Commissions Manager
BradowN@courts.mi.gov
517-373-4601
III. Selection Process and Criteria
a. Grant Review Panel
All timely submitted grants will be reviewed by a panel of individuals and considered for
funding.
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b. Grant Considerations
Legal self-help services may take many forms. Organizations applying for the grant
should assess and articulate their ideal plan for offering legal self-help services in their
community. The proposed plan should seek to maximize resources to serve all self-
represented litigants and specifically those who belong to underserved geographic and
demographic populations. While not a requirement to receive funding, applications that
discuss plans for sustainability through funding and/or community support may be given
priority.
c. Maximum Grant Award
The maximum grant award for the fiscal year 2025 program is $100,000 for grant
proposals establishing a new self-help center and $75,000 for proposals to expand or
continue services of existing centers.
All grants will be disbursed in a lump-sum payment up front subject to expenditure
reporting.
d. Notification
The SCAO will send applicants written notice via email of the decision to approve or
deny the grant application. A decision to deny an application may not be appealed but
does not prohibit resubmission of an application in a subsequent funding cycle.
e. Grant Agreement and SIGMA Registration
All applicants receiving an approved award determination must sign a grant agreement
before disbursement of any grant funds. The grant agreement will be sent for signature
via DocuSign. Additionally, all grantees are required to become a registered vendor in
the State of Michigan’s SIGMA financial system. You may access the SIGMA Vendor
Self Service website at https://sigma.michigan.gov/webapp/PRDVSS2X1/AltSelfService
IV. Grant Application Guidelines and Requirements
a. Program Criteria
All applicants must agree to and meet the following criteria:
• comply with application process requirements;
• agree to an SCAO audit of financial records related to the grant program, if
requested;
• comply with Self-Help Center Best Practices adopted by SCAO;
• comply with grant program and data reporting requirements (see section V);
• comply with required staff and volunteer training provided by Michigan Legal
Help;
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• agree to not use grant funds to supplant existing funding for new or existing self-
help center operations.
b. Application Format and Content
The grant application must contain the following items listed below:
1. Legal Self-Help Centers Grant Application FY 2025
2. Grant Application – Budget Worksheet (must be prepared using the provided
budget detail worksheet)
3. Budget Line-Item Narrative (must be prepared using the provided budget detail
worksheet)
4. An Appendix containing relevant supporting documentation. Each item in the
Appendix must be clearly labeled.
c. Fiscal Management
Budget Components and Template
All applicants must complete the provided budget template, which includes the following
components:
• Accounting
• Contractual
• Equipment
• Travel
• Personnel (i.e. salaries and fringe benefits)
• Operating Expenses
• Other
See the budget terminology companion below for additional details and
description of these items.
Non-Permitted Expenditures
Supplanting of Existing Funds. No expenditures shall be made with awarded grant
funds that would result in the supplanting of existing funding received for operation of
the self-help center.
Advertising / Promotional Materials. Upon request by partnering programs, MLH will
provide MLH and center specific branded materials such as signage and brochures at no
cost to a Self-Help Center. Since these materials are provided by MLH they are not a
permitted expenditure under this grant program.
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V. Data Collection Requirements
Standardizing data collected by legal self-help centers is critical to statewide and long-term data
sharing efforts. Robust statewide data regarding the legal self-help center services provided will
assist in design and development of effective self-help center services, as well as ongoing
advocacy efforts.
MLH Standardized Self-Help Center Surveys
MLH has developed a set of three online surveys (see Appendix A for additional details) to assist
self-help centers with standardized data collection. Self-help centers may partner directly with
MLH to utilize a central survey platform (hosted by the Alliance) to administer surveys and
collect data. MLH will provide participating self-help centers with custom survey links, as well
as access to an online data dashboard containing the center’s survey data. For each reporting
period, MLH will report the survey data results to SCAO on behalf of grantees, which will
satisfy the grantee’s quarterly data reporting requirements. All grantees are encouraged, but not
required, to partner with MLH for data collection and reporting.
Please contact MLH Self-Help Center Coordinator, Charlie Campbell (ccampbell@mplp.org)
with questions you may have regarding the details of the MLH data collection and reporting
assistance program.
Independent Data Collection and Reporting
Grantees may choose to independently collect and report data. However, to aid in the
standardization of data collection and analysis, grantees must ensure that their data collection
includes information substantially similar to information collected on the standardized pre- and
post-service survey instruments (see Appendix A for more details). Grantees are encouraged, but
not required, to share their data with MLH, in their capacity as the host of the Alliance, to
assemble and analyze comprehensive statewide self-help center data.
VI. Budget Terminology
Accounting
Fees paid for contractual services by persons or organizations that perform the activities of
designing and maintaining financial, staff, program, or property records. This includes
summarizing, analyzing, verifying, controlling, and certifying expenditures and receipts. Costs
incurred for the performance of financial audits and agreed upon procedures are also appropriate.
Contractual
Amounts paid for services rendered by persons who are not on payroll. This category also
includes the services of an interpreter to make accommodations under the American Disabilities
Act. The self-help center is responsible for determining if the relationship is that of a contractual
nature or employee per IRS regulations.
Equipment
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Equipment includes items necessary for the operation and provision of the self-help center
program services proposed under the grant. Examples include, but are not limited to, the
following:
• Office - adding machines, phones, copy machines, computers, software, and equipment
maintenance contracts
• Furniture – desks, chairs, filing cabinets, tables, display easels.
Funding Sources
• SHC Grant Funds – Financial support received from SCAO under the Self-Help Center
grant program. This does not include any grant funding the organization receives from
other sources.
• Agency Funds - Financial support contributed to the center by itself or an umbrella
organization.
• Other Grant Funds - This includes any grant funds the organization receives for the
center—other than those provided by the SCAO legal self-help center grant program.
• In-Kind - Support that is given in which no cash transaction is realized. Examples of in-
kind support are: volunteer time, donated office space, and donated furniture.
Operating Expenses
• Insurance – Liability insurance that protects the center in the event of property loss or
damages.
• Maintenance - Expenditures for repairs and maintenance services that are not provided
directly by personnel or landlords.
• Postage - Examples: bulk mailings, postage stamps, and express mail.
• Printing - Expenditures for job printing, brochures, newsletters, and binding.
• Rent - Expenditures for office space or self-help facilities.
• Supplies - Expenditures for all supplies that are necessary for the operation of the center.
Examples: pens, paper, printer paper, etc.
• Telephone and Internet - Expenditures for telephone service including both local and
long-distance charges and internet service provider fees. This line item is also appropriate
for website hosting fees.
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• Utilities - Expenditures for services usually provided by public utilities such as water,
sewage, electricity, gas, and garbage.
Other
Expenses that are not related to any of the previously mentioned categories. These must be
itemized and described separately.
Personnel
• Wages - Gross (before federal, state, local taxes) amounts paid to employees. These
amounts can be paid on an hourly or salary basis.
• Benefits - Amounts paid by the center on behalf of employees for fringe benefits. These
amounts are not included in gross salary but are over and above and are generally not
paid directly to employees. Examples: health insurance, dental insurance, life insurance,
employer paid FICA and Medicare, worker compensation, unemployment insurance,
disability insurance, and retirement plans.
Travel
Grant funds may be used to reimburse travel expenses incurred as a result of the regular duties or
training of staff. Reimbursements using grant funds may not exceed the approved SCAO rates.2
Any reimbursements over these amounts must be paid by other sources.
2 The schedule of approved travel rates can be accessed at https://www.courts.michigan.gov/siteassets/court-
administration/resources/travel.pdf
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Appendix A – MLH Standardized Data Collection Survey
Instruments
• Pre-Service Delivery
• Post-Service Delivery
• Staff Survey
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Attachment D:
Michigan Self-Help Center Operating Guidelines
* NOTE: These guidelines are also accessible online at
https://www.courts.michigan.gov/48cbfe/siteassets/reports/special-initiatives/justice-for-all/final-
shc-guidelines.pdf
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Legal Self-Help Center
Guidelines
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Table of Contents
About Legal Self-Help Services ................................................................................................. 3
Self-Help Services in Michigan .................................................................................................. 3
Core Principles of Self-Help Services ....................................................................................... 4
Self-Help Center Programs and Services ................................................................................. 5
I. Self-Help Center Services .................................................................................................. 5
II. Service Delivery .................................................................................................................. 7
III. Program Integrity and Quality Assurance ........................................................................... 8
IV. Program Evaluation ............................................................................................................ 9
Self-Help Center Operations ...................................................................................................... 9
I. Operational Models............................................................................................................. 9
II. Facilities .............................................................................................................................. 9
III. Staff .................................................................................................................................. 10
IV. Volunteer Program............................................................................................................ 10
V. Marketing and Communication ......................................................................................... 11
VI. Stakeholders, Relationships, and Collaboration ............................................................... 11
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About Legal Self-Help Services
Across Michigan, just as across the nation, there are vast unmet civil legal
needs. For most, traditional legal representation is out of reach. As a result, 70–80% of
people who appear in civil court are not represented by a lawyer but represent
themselves. The self-represented encounter a legal system that was not designed for
them and remains complex, opaque, and unwelcoming. This is our Justice Gap.
Work is ongoing on many fronts to meet this challenge. Efforts are underway to
expand legal aid services and pro bono legal services for those with low income.
Courts are working to simplify their processes and become more accessible. Access to
personal legal self-help services is essential in meeting the civil legal needs of the
public.
Legal self-help services make available to those who are seeking to solve basic
legal problems or to use courts on their own access to legal information, forms,
resources, guidance, and referrals. These resources help educate and empower them
to more effectively use and to better advocate for themselves within the legal system.
With origins in the late 1990s, legal self-help services have grown over the years.
In some places such as California, New York, and Maryland, self-help services are
widely available and their effectiveness well-demonstrated. In other parts of the
country, the development of legal self-help services has been less comprehensive,
developing within some courts and communities, and not at all in others.
Self-Help Services in Michigan
The Michigan Justice for All Commission (JFAC), created by the Michigan
Supreme Court in 2021, has undertaken to assure that everyone in Michigan is able to
access the legal services they need when they need them. Toward that goal, the JFAC
Self-Help Center Work Group is working to expand and enhance effective, efficient, and
sustainable self-help center services across Michigan.
Michigan is fortunate to have Michigan Legal Help (MLH), a nationally recognized
online legal self-help platform, as the backbone of legal self-help services for the people
of Michigan. The Michigan Legal Help website, and its companion Spanish site, Ayuda
Legal de Michigan, offer articles on a wide variety of substantive and procedural legal
topics along with the ability to use document assembly toolkits to prepare legal forms
and court filings. The MLH Guide to Legal Help directs users to resources on the site
and other sources of additional legal services, for individuals who might need more
assistance with a legal issue. Existing and new Michigan self-help centers can build
their services with Michigan Legal Help at the core and can further leverage that tool by
helping the public to make the best possible use of Michigan Legal Help.
Michigan is also fortunate that the Michigan Supreme Court’s State Court
Administrative Office (SCAO) provides a suite of legal forms for use by courts, lawyers,
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and the public. Many, not initially designed for public use, will be part of a
comprehensive plain language forms revision project to make them simpler and more
user friendly in the coming years.
Even with these resources, many without the technology tools and skills to work
effectively online risk being left behind. It is also true that often people just need or want
to talk to someone about their unique circumstances; someone who will listen to their
needs, answer their questions, and help them better understand the path to legal
problem solving. For that reason, it is essential to assure that staffed, effective legal
self-help centers are available to everyone in Michigan.
Currently across Michigan, 28 counties have self-help centers, located in 58
separate sites. Existing centers are diverse – located in courts, law libraries, public
libraries, and community centers. Many are affiliated with Michigan Legal Help and use
it exclusively. Many are in libraries; some are in law libraries. A few centers are
independent, nonprofit organizations. The services offered are diverse as well, ranging
from busy, robustly staffed centers to those with some dedicated staff to those
consisting of unstaffed computer kiosks.
These Guidelines are designed to serve as an outline of best practices for self-
help centers in Michigan with the expectation that they will be used to expand and
enhance effective, efficient, and sustainable self-help center services across Michigan.
Recognizing that we all must begin where we are, the intention is to help start new
centers, expand and elevate existing centers, and to support the important services they
all provide.
Core Principles of Self-Help Services
• Commitment to Public Service
Self-help centers must be focused on meeting the legal needs of the public and
should be a source of neutral, accurate, and reliable legal information and
guidance.
• Commitment to Excellence
Self-help centers must assure that they have the legal expertise to support the
services they provide and assure that individuals with sufficient knowledge and
training are responsible for the design, scope, implementation, delivery, and
oversight of self-help services.
• Commitment to Respect
Self-help centers must provide service that is welcoming, kind, respectful,
empathetic, and empowering. Self-help center patrons should feel seen, heard,
and understood.
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• Commitment to Neutrality
Self-help services must be neutral such that that all persons seeking assistance
receive the same level of service and such that others do not influence the
services provided.
• Commitment to Clarity
All self-help center communications, including forms, resources, tools, signage,
and materials must be clear, simple, and accessible following the principles of
plain language writing and user-centered design.
Self-Help Center Programs and Services
I. Self-Help Center Services
a. Eligibility for Services
Self-help services should be available to all unrepresented persons,
without income limitations or other criteria for service. Self-help centers
must not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, religion, age,
physical or mental disability, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation,
marital status, pregnancy, or parenthood.
b. Fees for Services
Basic legal self-help services must be free including legal information,
resources, guidance, and referrals. Some reasonable costs for resources
(such as copies) may be charged to recoup costs expended by the center
for providing those resources.
c. Scope of Services
Self-help centers should help with as broad a range of substantive legal
areas as they can competently and effectively provide, prioritizing areas of
greatest need. Each self-help center should intentionally identify and
make clear the types of legal issues with which they are able to help.
Areas of greatest need include family matters such as divorce, custody,
paternity, child support, and parenting time. Additional areas include
housing matters such as eviction, security deposits, and repairs;
consumer matters such as responding to a claim for debt, garnishments,
and payment plans, as well as small claims cases. Requests for
assistance with guardianships and probate indicate a growing need in
these areas.
Self-help services should be limited to civil matters, although some
matters filed in criminal cases such as a request to waive fines and fees or
a request for expungement of a criminal conviction are quasi-civil and are
appropriate areas for self-help assistance.
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Self-help centers should not assist in the filing of general civil cases for
which it would be necessary to craft a unique complaint consistent with the
applicable jurisdictional requirements and the elements of the cause of
action that form the basis of the complaint.
d. Legal Information v. Legal Advice
Self-help centers may provide general legal information, define legal terms
and concepts, explain a legal process, describe procedural options,
explain what a form may be used for and what it requires, and review
forms for completeness. Self-help centers may not recommend a course
of action, suggest what someone should or ought to do, predict an
outcome, prepare the substance of a form or pleading, or suggest that
someone has no legal remedy. Self-help centers may act as scribes,
helping people who can’t read or read English complete legal forms by
reading questions and recording answers.
Self-help center staff may provide legal information, but not legal advice.
Staff should be well trained on this distinction and how to manage those
limitations in interactions with patrons.
e. No Attorney-Client Relationship, Waiver
Self-help centers should make clear that they are not providing legal
advice, legal representation, or taking responsibility for any aspect of a
patron’s legal matter or case and that no attorney-client like relationship is
suggested or created when services are provided. This can be
accomplished by disclosure of these limitations in signage, a service
agreement or waiver, and/or by direct communication to each patron.
Self-help centers should be cognizant that where conversations and how
conversations with patrons occur may affect perceptions of the limits of
self-help center services.
f. Confidentiality
Communications with self-help center patrons should be private to the
extent that information shared with self-help center staff should not be
communicated publicly, with the opposing party to the case or matter, or
with the court. Self-help center communications with patrons are not
confidential in the same way that attorney-client communications are
confidential.
Some affiliated organizations such as libraries have stricter duties of
confidentiality. This provision is not intended to supersede those duties or
to limit communication with courts about general procedural issues.
g. Limits on All Self-help Center Staff and Volunteers
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Self-help center staff and volunteers regardless of education, experience,
or license, including paralegals and licensed attorneys, are subject to the
same limitations on self-help services. This includes providing legal
information only, refraining from creating or suggesting an attorney-client
relationship, and assuring appropriate self-help center confidentiality.
Should a self-help center offer legal clinics, workshops, or lawyer-for-the-
day programs, the role and scope of services provided by the lawyers
involved should be clearly defined both internally for the self-help center
and for the public who participate in such programs. In addition, it should
include, where appropriate, clear agreements about those legal services.
h. Assistance Limited to Self-Represented Persons
Self-help center assistance should not be provided to persons who are
represented by an attorney. The self-help center may assist persons
receiving limited representation by an attorney with the parts of their case
or matter for which they are responsible.
i. Referrals – Legal
Self-help centers should offer referrals to other legal services such as
legal aid, legal clinics, and to attorneys when the assistance needed is
beyond the scope or capacity of the self-help center. The self-help center
should not refer to individual attorneys or firms, but should refer to the
local or state bar lawyer referral service or to an established list of
attorneys providing limited scope legal services.
Lawyers or others who volunteer at the self-help center, including at clinics
or workshops, should be prohibited from referring matters to themselves,
their firms, or other individual attorneys or firms.
j. Referrals – Community Services
Self-help centers should maintain or have access to a directory of
community services that may be able to assist with patrons’ non-legal
needs and refer patrons to these services when appropriate. Examples
include housing assistance, domestic violence services, disability
advocacy, alternate dispute resolution services, discrimination agencies
and advocates, and the like.
II. Service Delivery
a. Delivery Channels
Self-help centers should provide services in person, either directly or
remotely. Other remote delivery channels may also be appropriate
including services by phone, email, text, chat, or video conference. Self-
help centers should be intentional in their choice of service delivery
channels to assure that they have the capacity, expertise, and technology
to effectively deliver services by the chosen methods.
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b. Customer Service
Self-help centers must provide excellent customer service, to engage with
those needing assistance in ways that are welcoming, kind, respectful,
empathetic, and empowering. The self-help center should be the place
where people are and feel seen, heard, and understood. The self-help
center should be a source of neutral, accurate, and reliable legal
information and guidance.
Self-help center staff should be trained and familiar with the challenges
faced by people attempting to solve legal problems and use the courts on
their own. This includes understanding the impact and effect of stress,
trauma, and varied cultural and economic circumstances on capacity,
problem solving, and the ability to self-represent. The SHC Coordinator
will provide trainings on these topics.
c. Accessibility
Self-help center services should be accessible to persons with disabilities.
Self-help center design should use the physical configuration of the space
and technology to eliminate barriers to service. If possible, self-help
centers should try to assist patrons with a preferred language other than
English through staff or a translation tool such as Language Line.
III. Program Integrity and Quality Assurance
a. Legal Resources
Self-help centers should have access to the legal resources and reference
materials needed to support the services provided.
b. Education and Training
Self-help centers will assure that all staff and volunteers have access to
the initial and ongoing education and training necessary to support the
self-help services provided. This should include an understanding of the
justice gap, the access to justice movement, the needs and challenges of
the self-represented, the self-help center service model, providing high-
quality customer service, Michigan court structure and jurisdiction, the
relevant aspects of civil procedure, and the substantive and procedural
aspects of the areas of legal assistance provided by the self-help center.
The SHC Coordinator/SHC Alliance will facilitate these trainings.
c. Program Development/Innovation
Self-help centers that offer forms or resources other than those provided
by Michigan Legal Help should have a process for form and resource
development, review, and quality assurance.
d. Complaints
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Self-help centers should have a process for receiving and addressing
patron complaints. Self-help centers that are programs of courts, libraries,
or others may use that organization’s complaint process.
IV. Program Evaluation
Data Collection and Reporting
The Self-Help Center Alliance will create a common framework for self-help
center data collection to allow for the compilation of statewide data about self-
help center services to advocate for and support funding for self-help center
services. Self-help centers should cooperate with statewide data collection and
reporting efforts including alignment with standard data metrics and processes.
Self-Help Center Operations
I. Operational Models
Self-help centers are nonprofit programs offering legal self-help services to
persons who are not represented by counsel. Self-help centers can operate as
programs and services provided by courts, public libraries, law libraries,
universities, or as independent, nonprofit organizations. The stakeholder
community seeking to offer self-help services should be intentional in selecting
the operational model that best meets the needs of their community and with the
understanding that the choice of operational model will impact funding, structure,
and other operational needs.
II. Facilities
a. Location
The self-help center location should be selected to best meet the needs of
the community it intends to serve. Options include locations at or near a
courthouse, at or near court related services, or at locations familiar to the
public such as libraries and community centers. Consideration should be
given to public access including hours, security, parking, and bus service.
b. Hours
Self-help centers should offer consistent hours, make clear the hours
during which staff assistance is available, and make sure that the self-help
center hours are posted and easy for the public to find. Self-help center
hours should be aligned with community needs and the self-help center
capacity. Consideration should be given to staffing for high volume hours
which may include normal business hours, lunch hours, and evening and
weekend hours.
c. Space
Self-help centers should be clearly visible and easily accessible, ideally
close to the building entrance or, if not, have clear, visible signage
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directing the public to the self-help center location. Self-help centers
should be configured and furnished in a way that supports the service
delivery model and meets the needs of the public and the staff including
adequate and functional furnishings, equipment, and supplies. Space and
configuration consideration should be given to the possible need for
patrons to wait for service, take time to complete paperwork and use
computers, and be accompanied by their children.
d. Equipment and Technology
Self-help centers should have the equipment and technology needed by
patrons and staff. This would include, at a minimum, computers, printers,
copiers, scanner, and adequate internet service. Where appropriate, the
self-help center may wish to offer public wi-fi to support patron devices
and have the capacity to fax documents. Consideration should be given
to the IT services that will be necessary to install, support, and maintain
self-help center technology.
Self-help centers should have the software needed to support both patron
services and staff operational needs. Electronic access to court records
where available and to court registers of actions (where available) is
essential to effective legal self-help services.
e. Security
Self-help centers should have safety, security, and emergency plans that
provide for protocols and training in case of fire, threat, or another
emergency, and/or follow the security and emergency plans for the
building they occupy.
III. Staff
Self-help centers should have staff with the education, training, skills, and
experience needed to provide quality self-help services. Self-help center staff
may include attorneys, paralegals, and/or other trained staff.
Self-help centers should have a director to manage and oversee the services and
operations of the self-help center.
The director should be familiar with the challenge of access to justice, the needs
of self-represented litigants, court structure and jurisdiction, court processes,
rules, and procedures, and the substantive legal areas in which the self-help
center provides services.
IV. Volunteer Program
Trained, supervised volunteers can help to provide self-help services. Using
volunteers can be an effective way to leverage limited staff to expand self-help
center services. A self-help center using volunteers should have a structured
volunteer program that includes recruitment, training, supervision, management,
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and recognition. Such a program may include interns who volunteer for
academic credit.
A self-help center using volunteers should be prepared to and able to commit the
time necessary to sustain the program. Time and resources will be needed to
recruit and train volunteers, manage volunteer schedules, and supervise
volunteers. The volunteer program should be structured to assure consistency
and continuity. Self-help centers should be aware of and plan for the staffing and
infrastructure needed to develop and sustain a volunteer program.
Experienced and skilled staff should assure adequate supervision of volunteers
when serving the public to assure that the public receives quality service and
addresses any needs that are beyond the skills of volunteers.
V. Marketing and Communication
MLH provides marketing materials (SHC-specific brochures and signage, and
generic business cards) free of charge to all SHCs wishing to use them.
Otherwise, self-help centers should develop and maintain the tools, resources,
and capacity to effectively communicate their services to the public and to
stakeholders. They should also employ the principles of plain language and
user-centered design to assure communications are accessible and easy to
understand.
VI. Stakeholders, Relationships, and Collaboration
a. Stakeholders
Positive, ongoing relationships with self-help center stakeholders are
essential for success. Stakeholders who understand and support the self-
help center can help communicate the availability of self-help center
services and advocate for support of the self-help center in the
community. Stakeholders can also provide a valuable perspective to aid
in identifying community needs and evaluating self-help center programs
and services.
Self-help centers should identify their key stakeholders. Stakeholders
may include courts, including Friends of the Court, legal aid providers,
libraries, community social service providers – particularly including those
providing domestic violence, housing, and 211 services, as well as
neighborhood associations, faith communities and organizations, and
others.
Having identified key stakeholders, self-help centers should work to
develop and sustain ongoing collaborative relationships based in an
understanding of one another’s goals, needs, programs, and services.
Regular and ongoing communication with key stakeholders will assure
positive and sustainable working relationships. The self-help director
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should lead in creating and sustaining relationships and assuring regular
communication.
b. Relationships with Courts
Self-help centers should develop and sustain strong working relationships
with the courts in their community. Regular communication and
collaboration is essential to keep the self-help center informed of changes
in court operations. In addition, a working relationship with the court is
imperative to assure that the self-help center receives feedback about the
quality and effectiveness of their services, and that the unique voice
offered by self-help center leadership and staff is present and considered
in the development of court operations and functions. Court and self-help
center representatives should meet regularly to exchange information and
ideas.
c. Other Community Relationships
Self-help centers should develop mutually supportive relationships with
community organizations where members of the public are served. By
exchanging program information and promotional materials, self-help
centers can be well positioned to refer and receive referrals from
community organizations.
d. Michigan Self-Help Center Alliance
Self-help centers should actively participate in the Michigan Self-Help
Center Alliance to facilitate professional development of self-help center
staff; increase collaboration, coordination, and communication among
centers; access shared resources including education, training, and tools
for communication and outreach; and support the effort to expand and
fund self-help center services across Michigan.
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Attachment E:
Approved Grant Application and Budget
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Applicant Organization:
Budget Contact Person:
E-Mail:
Budget Category SHC Grant Funds Agency Funds Other Grant
Funds In-Kind Total Budget:
Personnel - Wages/Salaries $12,089.00 $70,905.00 $82,994.00
Personnel - Fringe Benefits $34,230.00 $34,230.00
Contractual $0.00
Equipment $35,860.00 $35,860.00
Travel $0.00
Operating Expenses - Rent $0.00
Operating Expenses - Maintenance $0.00
Operating Expenses - Utilities $0.00
Operating Expenses - Phone/Internet $840.00 $840.00
Operating Expenses - Supplies $0.00
Operating Expenses - Printing $0.00
Operating Expenses - Postage $0.00
Operating Expenses - Insurance $0.00
Other $2,860.00 $2,860.00
TOTAL $14,949.00 $0.00 $0.00 $141,835.00 $156,784.00
Oakland County Clerk's Office
Frederick Miller
millerf@oakgov.com
Michigan Supreme Court
Legal Self-Help Centers Grant Program
Grant Application - Budget Worksheet (Required)
NOTE: Completion of the separate "Budget Line-Item Narrative" is also required
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Grant Budget Line-Item Detail
State Court Administrative Office
Legal Self-Help Centers Grant Application FY 2025
Budget Line-Item Narrative (Required)
Applicant Organization: Oakland County Clerk’s Office
Grant Budget Total: $14,949.00
INSTRUCTIONS:
For each budget category listed below, please indicate the total amount from your budget worksheet and provide a description of the
intended use of the funds budgeted for the line-item.
Total
Budget
Grant Funds Agency Funds Other Grants In-Kind
Personnel - Wages/Salaries $0 $12,089 $0 $0 $0
Maintaining the college internship program.
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Grant Budget Line-Item Detail
Total
Budget
Grant Funds Agency Funds Other Grants In-Kind
Other $0 $2860 $0 $0 $0
As part of the FY23 and FY24 SCAO grants, the Clerk’s Office worked with Oakland County IT to develop a sign-in/customer
queue app to better facilitate flow of customers, monitor customer progress and service, and to collect survey data for grant
requirements. These funds will be utilized to finalize this project and cover any IT support costs incurred.
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