PILA GRANT
2020-2021 Fast Facts

Eligibility

Grants will be 100% guaranteed to all applicants who complete their applications on time and meet the following requirements: 

Policy Change for 2021 Grant Eligibility: 
  • 1Ls – In light of COVID-19, in order to be eligible for 2021 grants, 1Ls are required to earn a total of 20 hours of either pro bono hours or public service hours prior to February 12, 2021. A student is also eligible for a 2021 grant by participating in the 2020-21 Alternative Break program. See the section on what counts as pro bono or public service hours for more information.
  • 2Ls who did not receive a PILA grant in 2020 – You must also have completed 20 hours of some combination of pro bono and public service hours prior to February 12, 2021. These hours must be completed between August 2020 and February 12, 2021 (but not double-counting any hours you worked as part of your summer internship). A student is also eligible for a 2021 grant by participating in the 2020-21 Alternative Break program. 
  • ​​​2Ls who received a PILA grant in 2020 – You must complete 20 hours in addition to the 40 hours* that were required to receive your 2020 PILA grant. However, any hours you completed during the 2019-2020 academic year that were beyond the required 40 hours* for the 1L grant can be counted towards your 2021 PILA Grant application. A student is also eligible for a 2021 grant by participating in the 2020-21 Alternative Break program. ​*If you participated in the 2020 Alternative Spring Break Program to fulfill your pro bono requirement for a 2020 PILA grant, your 20 hours must be  done in addition to the total number you were able to complete on your trip (if any).
  • At least 320 hours of work performed at a qualifying public service or judicial internship during the summer
​Grant Amounts

Grant amounts pre-tax are $4,000 for 1Ls and $7,000 for 2Ls.  Actual check amounts, after deducting all applicable taxes, will vary based on grantees’ individual tax withholdings and exemptions.  The Public Service Center will provide detailed information about the tax forms you must provide in late February.  The Law School Foundation, PILA, and the Public Service Center are all prohibited from giving individual tax advice to students. ​
​Grant Conditions

Summer 2021 grants are awarded on the following conditions:
  • (1) Completion of the specified number of required PILA  hours during the academic year following receipt of a PILA grant, which will amount to no more than 15 points for 1L grant recipients and no more than 10 points for 2L grant recipients* or Service on the PILA Board in the 2020-21 school year; and 
  • (2) Submission of a summer internship evaluation survey to the Public Service Center.


*The exact number of hours will be announced once the total number of grantees has been determined.
​Application and Disbursement Timeline
  • ​Grant applications will be posted online by the PSC in January.
  • Grant applications will be due by February 12, 2021.
  • Grant notifications will go out to grantees by February 26, 2021.
  • Grantees must generally accept or decline grants, confirm accepted internship, and turn in relevant tax forms by March 26, 2021.
  • Grants will be disbursed by April 16, 2021.
​Questions