Policy

Sierra Nevada Association of Paralegals Scholarship Policy and Procedures

(Revised and adopted December 2012)

This is now part of SNAP’s Standing Rules and Procedures.

Purpose

1. To assist in funding the registration and textbooks of student members enrolled in a program leading to a paralegal degree or certificate.
2. To assist SNAP members with the costs of attending the NALA CLA/CP short course.
3. To assist SNAP members with the expense of sitting for the NALA CLA/CP examination. Funding is available for retaking an exam only if the applicant was not awarded a scholarship in connection with taking the initial exam. Funding is not available for the cost of changing exam dates.
4. To assist SNAP members with the expense of completing the NALA ACP course.
5. To assist SNAP members with the costs of attending the annual NALA convention.
6. To assist in funding the registration for SNAP’s annual seminar or other legal education seminars.
7. To assist in funding professional enhancement course or seminars, such courses or seminars to be approved at the sole discretion of the Scholarship Committee (defined in 3A, below).

Guidelines

1. Applicants must be members in good standing of SNAP for a minimum of six (6) months prior to the event/class for which the scholarship is being sought AND prior to submitting a scholarship application.
2. Applicants must submit the approved SNAP scholarship application form, as that form may be amended from time to time.
3. Scholarships will be awarded on a reimbursement basis. Applications must be submitted within 60 days after completion of the event/class for which assistance is sought. Proof of payment and completion of the event/class must be submitted with the application.Applications may be submitted for pre-approval no more than 90 days prior to the event/class. In the case of the NALA certifying exam, should the exam be postponed after pre-approval, the pre-approval will be extended up to the maximum extension allowed by NALA. Proof of payment and completion of the event/class must be submitted before a scholarship will be funded.
4. In extenuating circumstances, the scholarship committee shall have the sole discretion to approve prepayment directly to the organization or educational institution providing the event/class. The applicant shall submit proof of the circumstances requiring prepayment with the application at least 60 days prior to the event for which the scholarship is sought.

Award Procedure

1. Applications will be evaluated and voted upon by SNAP executive committee members (the “Scholarship Committee”), who do not have a currently pending application.
2. This is an equal opportunity scholarship fund. No decision for awarding any scholarship will be based on race, religion or gender. Sierra Nevada Association of Paralegals (“SNAP”) is a non-profit corporation. Persons who are nonmembers of SNAP are not eligible for consideration.
3. The Scholarship Committee shall notify the applicant of its decision within 60 days of receipt of the application.
4. Names of award recipients and the purpose for the scholarship may be published in the SNAPSHOT.

Amount of Individual Awards

1. Individual scholarships shall not exceed the sum of $300.00 in any fiscal year (July 1 – June 30).
2. The amount of each scholarship shall be determined by the Scholarship Committee in its sole discretion.
3. In no event shall scholarships be granted if the resulting balance in the SNAP scholarship fund would be less than $801.00.
4. In the event the Scholarship Committee receives more qualified applications than it can reasonably fund in any given period, the decision of which application(s) will be approved will be made by a random and impartial method adopted by the Scholarship Committee in its sole discretion.

Application Period

Applications will be accepted year round.

Record Keeping

The SNAP President shall be responsible for maintaining a record of the applications received, the applications approved, and any sums paid under this program in accordance with SNAP’s record retention policy.

Ratified, Confirmed and Approved June 3, 2008.