The Attorney and Advocate Grant Programs accepts applicants with income greater than 125% and less than 300% of the federal minimum poverty level. Please review the income chart below to determine if you qualify for this program. If your income exceeds the maximum amount for your family size, you are not eligible to apply. If your income level is below the minimum amount for your family size, you are not eligible to apply for the attorney or advocate grant. Proof of income is required during the application process.
In addition to income, eligibility is based on residency and special education status. If you are a resident of Connecticut or Westchester County, New York, you may be eligible to apply. If your child has a current IEP (Individualized Education Plan), you may be eligible for the Attorney Grant. If your child has a current 504 Plan, you may be eligible for the Advocate Grant ONLY; you are not eligible for the Attorney Grant. The Grants Programs are available to residents of Connecticut or Westchester County, New York ONLY. Proof of residency and a current Individualized Education Program (Attorney) or 504 Plan (Advocate) are required during the application process.
Do I need a Special Education Advocate or Attorney?
Advocate
Advocates provide knowledge & guidance to families in the special education process.
They can help you write letters, rewrite goals, understand timelines, attend meetings with you, & much more. Advocates do not practice law & cannot attend a due process hearing with you or review legal documents.
The Advocate Grant Program provides a one-time $1500 grant to families who:
Attorney
Families sometimes need legal support because they have reached an impasse with their school about their student’s education.
The Attorney Grant Program provides a one-time grant of $6000 for a qualified special education attorney. Families must:
If you meet the income, residency, and special education requirements, you may be eligible to apply for the Grants Programs. To complete a prescreen to determine if you are eligible, click the button below. Do not submit a prescreen if you do not meet ALL THREE of the requirements. Once you’ve decided which program is right for you, click on the button for the Advocate Grant Program or the Attorney Grant Program to begin the application process. You may only apply to one program at a time. If you submit a prescreen for both programs, both prescreening requests will be denied.
If you are eligible to apply, you will receive a link to the application immediately upon submission and through email after completing the prescreen. Complete the application through the link and attach the required documents, including proof of income, current IEP (for Attorney Grant) or 504 Plan (for Advocate Grant) and Educational Evaluation. No applications will be accepted without these documents. Any applications submitted without documentation and without prior admin approval will be deleted. The completed application and documentation are due by the 15th of each month for both programs.
If the completed application including documents is accepted for review, an interview is required. S.E.L.F. will contact the applicant to arrange the interview. No applications without an interview will be considered; completing an interview does not guarantee that the application will be approved.
All interviews must be completed by the 22nd of each month.
S.E.L.F. reviews applications for the Attorney Grant and Advocate Grant Programs on a monthly basis through the academic year.
All applicants will be notified of the status of their application by the end o the month in which they apply.
Once you’ve been approved, you must complete a mandatory on-boarding call with S.E.L.F. If you have an attorney already, you will receive documents to sign for you and your attorney upon notification. Check your approval email for links to those documents. If you do not yet have an attorney, you have 30 days from the notice of your grant approval to select an attorney. Please interview more than one attorney if possible and indicate that you are a S.E.L.F. grant recipient. While initial consultations are not funded under the Attorney Grant Program, some attorneys may waive initial consultation fees for S.E.L.F. grant recipients.
Watch How to Apply for a Grant
Attorneys must meet the following requirements: practice special education or disability rights law for 7 years or more, practice special education law as a majority of their practice, and be affiliated with the American Bar Association, Connecticut Bar Association, or New York Bar Association, and be licensed to practice law in Connecticut or New York.
Wealthspire Advisors is an independent registered investment adviser and subsidiary of NFP Corp, currently overseeing approximately $29.3 billion in Assets Under Management* and firmly committed to serving clients in a fiduciary capacity. Though our size means we have a variety of clients, we work most extensively with high net worth and ultra-high net worth individuals and families. We lead with planning that is tailored to meet the goals and needs of our clients, we invest with a long-term approach that focuses on a disciplined strategy and avoids emotional decision-making, and we aim to simplify lives by coordinating seamlessly with outside advisors and building our client teams around a collaborative structure.
* Reflects combined data as of 12/31/2024 for Wealthspire Advisors LLC and its subsidiaries.
