Guardian ad Litem Grant Program

The FY2026 Grant application period is now closed. Please check back here next year for information on applying.

State law directs the Idaho Supreme Court to serve as grant administrator for funds the Legislature appropriates to the guardian ad litem account (I.C. 16-1638). A guardian ad litem (GAL) is a person appointed to advocate for the best interests of a child in certain court proceedings. This grant program focuses particularly on funding guardians for child protection cases. The Court awards funding to organizations in each of the seven judicial districts to maintain GAL programs and train volunteers to serve as these advocates.

To qualify, applicants must demonstrate they can assemble and operate a guardian ad litem program within their judicial district as provided in Idaho Code 16-1632 [1], 16-1633 [2] and Idaho Juvenile Rule 35 [3]. This includes:

• • Recruiting, backgrounding, training, and retaining volunteer guardians ad litem.
• • Striving to provide a guardian for each child brought within the purview of Idaho’s Child Protective Act.
• • Conducting an independent factual investigation of the circumstances of each child, providing a report on such to the court, and continuing to advocate for the child’s best interests throughout the proceedings.
• • Maintaining required training, confidentiality, financial principles and other practices required in the above statutes and rules.

Each year, GAL organizations interested in receiving funding will submit their applications to the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC). After careful review by the GAL Grant Review Board [4], the applications are then forwarded to the Court with recommendations for funding. The Court makes final funding decisions.

The AOC administers the money to the successful applicants monthly, while monitoring each program’s progress and use of funds through monthly progress and financial reports.

If you have any questions or would like to speak to someone about this program, please contact the GAL Grant team at [email protected] [5].

Links

• • Idaho Code 16-1632 to 16-1639 (guardians ad litem) [2]
• • Idaho Court Administrative Rule 91 [6]
• • GAL Grant Program Policies and Procedures [7]