Social Justice Grants
The Public Interest and Social Justice Law Board provides financial support to students and alumni through three programs: Public Interest and Social Justice Summer Grants, the Income Supplement Grant program, and Public Interest and Social Justice Scholarships.
1. Public Interest and Social Justice Law Board Summer Grants, Father Paul Goda and Mary Emery Summer Grants
These grants support students working in summer public interest positions as volunteers or for low pay. With the help of the Santa Clara Jesuit Community, the Law Board funded over $91,500 in 2012 summer grants to students volunteering with public interest and social justice legal organizations. This year, again with the Community's help, several grants honor beloved law faculty member Fr. Paul Goda and Mary Emery.
The Law Board funded $91,500 in Summer Grants for 20 students working as volunteers with public interest and social justice organizations. These organizations include: Bay Area Legal Aid (3); Centro de Ayuda Legal Para Imigrantes (CALI); East Bay Sanctuary Covenant; City of San Jose – Office of the City Attorney; San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office; City of Oakland – City Attorney’s Office; San Francisco Baykeeper; California Appellate Project – San Francisco; DNA People’s Legal Services, Inc.; California Rural Legal Assistance, Inc.; Environmental Law Foundation, Institute for Justice – Washington Chapter; Law Foundation of Silicon Valley, Fair Housing Law Project; Law Foundation of Silicon Valley, Health Legal Services Project; API Legal Outreach; Catholic Charities CYO – San Francisco; Legal Aid Foundation of LA; Santa Monica Self Help Legal Access Center and Santa Cruz County District Attorney. Additionally, the Endowment supported the Stevens Fellowship program.
Completed application forms for Summer 2013 grants are due at Noon on March 15, 2013, at the Center for Social Justice and Public Service, Santa Clara University, 3rd Floor Bannan Hall.
2013 Summer Grant Application (DOC)
2. LGBT Legal Issues Summer Grants
Santa Clara University School of Law students who plan to work full-time in a position doing legal work on LGBT issues may apply for this LGBT Legal Issues Summer Grant. Applicants should show a demonstrated commitment to and interest in the rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender individuals and people living with HIV, regardless of their sexual orientation. Two grants of $5,000 will be awarded.
Completed application forms for LGBT Legal Issues Summer 2012 grants are due at Noon on March 15, 2013, at the Center for Social Justice and Public Service, Santa Clara University, 3rd Floor Bannan Hall.
2013 LGBT Legal Issues Summer Grant Application (DOC)
3. Justice John Paul Stevens Public Interest Fellowships
In honor of United States Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens, Skip Paul '75 established the Justice John Paul Stevens Public Interest Fellowships at Santa Clara University School of Law. Beginning in Summer 2000, these Fellowships have been providing financial assistance to Santa Clara law students to fund public interest and social justice law summer positions. It is intended that students working in these positions will promote the public interest values that have characterized the work and career of Justice Stevens. Four Fellowships were awarded for Summer 2011 work, each in the amount of $5,000.
Fellowships will be awarded to Santa Clara law students who have completed at least one year of full-time or part-time study by the time the Fellowship is to begin.
Each applicant must have arranged a full-time summer law position with a public interest and social interest organization. Qualifying organizations include legal service agencies and government offices, but not judicial externships. Private sector public interest law firms also will be considered as qualifying employers, provided the firm provides a letter or other descriptive material that supports its public interest status.
Completed application forms for Justice John Paul Stevens Public Interest Fellowships for 2013 are due February 12, 2013, at the Center for Social Justice and Public Service, 3rd Floor Bannan Hall.
2013 Stevens Public Interest Fellowships Application (DOC)
More information on the Justice John Paul Stevens Public Interest Fellowships
4. Harry and Jean Gluck Social Justice Law Fellowship
To honor the memory of their parents, Rich Gluck, ’90 and Mitchell Gluck established the Harry and Jean Gluck Social Justice Law Fellowship at Santa Clara Law. Beginning in summer 2010, this grant provided financial assistance to a Santa Clara law student working in a public interest or social justice law summer position that will promote the public service values that characterized the work and lives of Harry and Jean Gluck. Harry Gluck devoted his professional life to bettering the lives and working conditions of public employees throughout California, while Jean Gluck worked tirelessly providing comfort and aid to the homeless and mentally ill. Both also contributed their talents, time, and money to organizations dedicated to promoting equal rights and fighting discrimination in all forms. Applicants should show a demonstrated commitment to and interest in one of these areas of law.
2013 Summer Grant Application (DOC)
More information on the Harry and Jean Gluck Social Justice Law Fellowship
The Income Supplement Plan ensures a minimum income to selected graduates accepting public interest and social justice jobs at low salaries. The Law Board awarded one grant in 2012.
Those receiving awards had law school debt ranging from $77,000 to $185,000. After applying the prescribed formula, which takes into consideration loan repayment expense and other deductions, the applicants were found to be eligible to receive a total of $6,000 among them. Sufficient Law Board's income was available to fund 100 percent of that amount. These graduates worked for organizations that seek to improve the lives of the marginalized, subordinated, and underrepresented clients and causes.
Income Supplement Grants are awarded for the period September 1 through the following August 31. The application deadline is January 10, 2013, and those receiving awards will be notified in early April, 2013. Applications should be submitted to the Center for Social Justice and Public Service, 3rd floor Bannan Hal, Santa Clara University, 500 El Camino Real.
2012-13 Income Supplement Grant Application (DOC)
6. Public Interest and Social Justice Scholarships
Public Interest and Social Justice Scholarships assist incoming students with a demonstrated commitment to public interest and social justice work. Five $5,000 scholarships were awarded to incoming students and ten were renewed for continuing students.
Public Interest and Social Justice Scholarship information
7. Additional Financial Support
Additional financial support is available through the Herman Wildman Social Justice Writing Award.
