NLIHC is excited to announce a new grant opportunity through our work with the Partnership for Just Housing (PJH) for state- and local-level organizations interested in advancing policies that promote opportunities for housing access for formerly incarcerated and convicted people and their families.
Convened by NLIHC, Shriver Center on Poverty Law, Formerly Incarcerated Convicted People and Families Movement (FICPFM), and the National Housing Law Project (NHLP), PJH is a national collaborative of directly impacted leaders and other advocates working to end housing discrimination against people impacted by the criminal legal system.
In support of our work with PJH, NLIHC is offering a limited number of grants to state- and local-level organizations to support policy efforts to remove unnecessary barriers and promote access to safe, affordable housing for formerly incarcerated and convicted people. This grant is an opportunity for state- and local-level organizations interested in increasing their capacity to:
- Directly involve formerly incarcerated and convicted people in policy and advocacy work.
- Engage state or local lawmakers on policies that would increase housing access for formerly incarcerated and convicted people, including (but not limited to) fair chance housing laws/ordinances.
Two organizations selected for the grant will receive financial assistance for a period of two years, at a rate of $50,000 per year; participate in cohort learning experiences with other grantees; and gain access to resources, networks, and technical assistance from NLIHC and PJH and its affiliates.
Grant Eligibility
Organizations eligible to apply for this grant opportunity must meet the following criteria:
- Commitment to PJH’s goals and values: Applicants must be committed to PJH’s goal of advancing housing access for formerly incarcerated and convicted people and ending the vicious cycle between incarceration and homelessness. In addition, PJH aims to center the needs and voices of people with lived experience in our policy work; as such, applicants should demonstrate a commitment to ensuring people who have experienced incarceration play an active role in creating and advocating for policies.
- Geographic scope: Organizations may have either a state, local, or regional focus. National organizations will not be eligible to apply.
- Eligible states: Organizations from all 50 states and D.C., as well as Tribal and territorial organizations, are eligible to apply.
- Preference for organizations led by and/or employing people who have experienced incarceration. While not mandatory, preference will be given to organizations led by and/or employing people who have experienced incarceration. People who have navigated the criminal/legal and reentry systems have a unique understanding of how these systems work and how they can work better, but too often their voices are left out of the conversation. PJH aims to ensure formerly incarcerated and convicted people have a seat at the table and are compensated for their expertise.
Grantee Reporting Requirements
Grant recipients will be required to provide a brief report every six months (four reports, total) outlining the ways in which grant funding is being used, including projects that are planned or underway, and the impact of the grantee’s engagement with state or local lawmakers.
Timing
Applications will be due no later than March 3, 2025, and grantees will be selected by April 4, 2025.
Apply today!
Interested applicants can fill out and submit an application form here, or email their completed application to Kim Johnson, manager of policy at NLIHC, at [email protected].