Federal Grant Award Summary

The Supreme Court of Texas received a formula grant of $2.73M from the Administration on Children, Youth and Families under the State Court Improvement Program (CFDA 93.586) for the period October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2027. This award supports the continued delivery of statewide legal services designed to improve court processes and expand access to justice in child welfare matters. The primary service initiative under this grant is the POLL LiveChat Project, a sub-awarded program administered in partnership with the Attorney General of Texas that provides limited, unbundled legal advice via live chat to non-custodial parents on parenting order-related issues. Services include explanation of parenting time orders, assistance with legal form completion, pro se coaching, drafting of simple modification and enforcement documents, and guidance on accessing the legal system. These services are delivered in both English and Spanish to maximize reach and voluntary compliance with court orders.

The award funds the development of local legal service resources through partnerships with law schools, bar associations, dispute resolution centers, and legal aid organizations throughout Texas. These collaborative efforts enhance the state court system's capacity to provide quality legal representation and improved judicial decision-making in child welfare cases involving family preservation, reunification, guardianship, and adoption proceedings. The formula grant mechanism ensures baseline funding support to Texas as a high-population state participating in the national State Court Improvement Program infrastructure.