Diversity scholarships available.

At its December meeting, the Board of Governors approved a $50,000 budget amendment to fund a new diversity program providing grant funding to local bar associations through the Bar's Special Committee on Diversity and Inclusion. The new program is part of the Bar's expanded efforts to promote diversity at the local level.

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Voluntary bar associations can be awarded individual grants up to $1,500, and up to $3,000 may be awarded to multiple voluntary bars working together on a project. Grant applications are due to the special committee by January 18.

"We want to let local bars know that there is a deadline, and they need to send in an application," said Arnell Bryant-Willis, a public board member and co-chair of the special committee. "We want to have personal contact with the local bars. That personal contact--not just that 'we have dollars for you'--does work."

Preparations for the grant program began last May, when the Board of Governors approved a dozen recommendations from the Program Evaluation Committee, including the creation of the special committee, a move promoted by former Bar President Jesse Diner.

"We wanted a fresh look at the entire diversity program and to reach further out to the voluntary bars to get more work done at the local level," Diner said at the May 2010 meeting.

Co-chaired by Bryant-Willis and Board member Dori Foster-Morales, the special committee was charged with developing guidelines for the diversity grant program, which will support and promote conferences, seminars, training, and dialogue through efforts by local and specialty bar associations.

Although some Bar members have expressed concern that these local efforts will distract from the Bar's own diversity initiatives--in particular those established by the Equal Opportunities Law Section --committee members believe the new grant program will actually ramp up overall efforts.

"We're trying to reach out to the community and ensure that diversity and inclusion are on everyone's radar, and that's why we've chosen the local...