Public Interest Resources

Office of Public Interest

Useful Links

Funding Information

WCL’s Office of Public Interest can provide you information and assistance in obtaining information about funding for the summer or a post-graduate career. OCPD can provide you with assistance in completing applications, mock interviews, and other aspects of the application process. Seeking out funding is a very individualized process, and usually requires more than one counseling appointment and several resources. However, here are a few basic tips to get you started.

Summer Funding for Public Interest Work

Although some summer public interest positions are paid, most are not. It is recommended that you research summer funding opportunities as well as employment opportunities. The Office of Public Interest and PSLawNet provide a comprehensive guide to summer funding. Deadlines are earlier than you might expect, so plan ahead.

  • Equal Justice Foundation
    This WCL student organization awards $4,000 summer fellowships to students working for public interest organizations. Applicants must volunteer at least 10 hours with EJF to be eligible for the grant. Applications are generally due in March.
  • Public Service Law Network (PSLawNet)
    Visit the Summer Funding section for funding sources nationwide.
  • Equal Justice Works Summer Corps
    Equal Justice Works provides small grants of an $1,175 education award voucher through its Summer Corps program for public interest internships. Apply on the Equal Justice Works website in the Spring.

Funding for Post-Graduate Public Interest Positions

Most individuals are aware of the larger and more well-known funders such as Equal Justice Works and the Skadden Foundation. But, there are many other funders depending on the project or type of organization you seek. PSLawNet has a comprehensive list of funding options. If you’ve missed those deadlines or otherwise are looking for other funders, there are additional resources. First, if you’ve identified an organization you’d like to work with, speak to them about where they seek funding.

Besides working with the grant seekers at your organization, here are some additional suggestions. Along those lines, start with legal funders and go outwards. For example, the DC Bar Foundation has a grant program which may be helpful. It also has an LRAP program, so that may be some relief at least for student loans. Don't forget WCL has an LRAP program as well. You can find details on this and other financial support items at the Office of Public Interest website.

You may also use the SPIN tool (a tool for grantseekers). There is a link to the “How to Use SPIN” Handout for individuals seeking grants. The handout is just a one page document, similar to a “Quick Start” guide, that also contains a link to a more detailed power point presentation about the SPIN, SMARTS, and GENIUS tools. In addition, the Office of Sponsored Programs' webpage describes these tools.

Another search tool that can be effective is a key word search - for instance "grant seeker information." You’ll find a good number of general foundations and gives you the sense for the specialized areas you can search (for instance grants for women or minorities or for a particular type of work). You'll see a number of government sites as well as the foundations.

Here are some additional sites:

Loan Repayment Assistance Programs (LRAPs)

Loan repayment assistance programs (LRAPs) generally help defray the educational debt payments of graduates who go into qualifying public service. LRAPs can be offered by law schools, employers, states and at the Federal level. To learn more about LRAPs, visit these resources:

Federal Loan Repayment and Forgiveness Programs

Income-Based Repayment (IBR) is available for all federal student loans (graduate and undergraduate). Under IBR, monthly payments are capped at an amount intended to be affordable based on income and family size. The type of employment is not a factor in the calculation, only income and debt. For public sector employees, all federal loans must be in the federal direct loan program for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF). For some graduates, their Grad PLUS loans are federally-guaranteed (FFEL) loans and must be consolidated into a Direct Consolidation loan for PSLF. IBR is not available for private loans. Information can be found at: https://www.myedaccount.com/. Additional information available at: WCL Financial Aid Office.


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