PRIMARY FUNDING STREAMS AVAILABLE TO ASSIST
PEOPLE WITH CRIMINAL RECORDS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

States and local governments seeking funding and other types of assistance in developing or expanding reentry programs can turn to a number of sources depending on the program focus. This toolkit first lists a number of issue-specific sources of assistance as well as additional sources of information. Following the list is a description of each funding source.

Federal Resources:

Funding through the U.S. Department of Justice:

  • SERIOUS AND VIOLENT OFFENDER REENTRY INITIATIVE (SVORI)

  • NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CORRECTIONS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FUNDS

Funding through the U.S. Department of Education:

  • WORKPLACE AND COMMUNITY TRANSITION TRAINING FOR INCARCERATED YOUTH OFFENDERS

  • LIFE SKILLS FOR STATE AND LOCAL PRISONERS

  • VOCATIONAL EDUCATION: BASIC GRANTS TO STATES PROGRAM

Funding through Department of Labor:

  • WORK OPPORTUNITY TAX CREDIT (WOTC)
  • WELFARE-TO-WORK TAX CREDIT

  • WORKFORCE INVESTMENT ACT (WIA)

  • READY 4 WORK INITIATIVE
  • ADDITIONAL DOL GRANT PROGRAMS

Funding through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services:

  • COMPASSION CAPITAL FUND
  • TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE TO NEEDY FAMILIES PROGRAM (TANF)

Additional Federal Resources

 

State Resources:

  • STATE VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION SERVICE PROGRAM
  • STATE EQUIVALENT TO WORK OPPORTUNITY TAX CREDIT
  • ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON STATE REENTRY ACTIVITIES AND RESOURCES





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Description of Funding Streams

 

Funding through the U.S. Department of Justice:

  • SERIOUS AND VIOLENT OFFENDER REENTRY INITIATIVE (SVORI)
    http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/reentry/learn.html#serious

    The Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative (SVORI) directs funding toward high-risk juveniles and adults returning to the community from the criminal justice system. Although some SVORI funds are utilized for in-prison services, SVORI also funds services and supervision during reentry. Both state and local governments can apply for SVORI funds.

    The Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs developed the SVORI program to assist communities in identifying gaps in their reentry strategies and developing a vision for reentry that seeks to fill those gaps and sustain the overall strategy. Communities are encouraged to use the funding to enhance existing reentry strategies with training and technical assistance that will build community capacity to effectively, safely, and efficiently reintegrate people who are returning from involvement in the criminal justice system.
  • TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE THROUGH THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CORRECTIONS
    http://www.nicic.org/WebGateway_48.htm

    The DOJ’s National Institute of Corrections provides a number of training programs to probation, parole and community corrections officers to help them better assist people in the criminal justice system. The training services often focus on the needs of individuals reentering society after incarceration. For example, technical assistance is provided to corrections staff assisting people with criminal records in gaining employment.

 

Funding through the U.S. Department of Education:

  • WORKPLACE AND COMMUNITY TRANSITION TRAINING FOR INCARCERATED YOUTH OFFENDER
    http://www.ed.gov/programs/transitiontraining/index.html

    The Workplace and Community Transition Training for Incarcerated Youth Offender program provides grants to designated State Correctional Education Agencies to establish postsecondary education or vocational training programs for eligible incarcerated youthful offenders. Overseen by the Department of Education’s Office of Safe and Drug-free Schools, these grants are intended to assist people with a criminal record who are under 25 years of age and within 5 years of their release.
  • LIFE SKILLS FOR STATE AND LOCAL PRISONERS
    http://www.ed.gov/offices/OVAE/AdultEd/OCE/demoproj.html

    The Life Skills for State and Local Prisoners program provides financial assistance for establishing and operating programs designed to reduce recidivism through the development and improvement of life skills necessary for reintegration of adult prisoners into society. Also a part of the Office of Drug-free Schools’ Character, Civic, Correctional Education initiative, the Life Skills for State and Local Prisoners program is a discretionary grant program that provides funds for job training and life skills training. State and local correctional agencies or state and local correctional education agencies are eligible to apply for these funds.
  • VOCATIONAL EDUCATION: BASIC GRANTS TO STATES PROGRAM
    http://www.ed.gov/programs/ctesbg/index.html

    The Vocational Education Basic Grants to States program, administered by the Office of Vocational and Adult Education, provides vocational-technical education programs and services to youth and adults. State boards for career and technical education are eligible to apply for these funds. Local educational agencies and postsecondary institutions are also eligible to receive sub-grants under this Basic Grants program. Although there is a limit to the amount grantees can use for youth and adults in state correctional institutions, the funding restrictions do not apply to money to programs for people reentering from the criminal justice system.

 

Funding through Department of Labor:

  • WORK OPPORTUNITY TAX CREDIT (WOTC)
    http://www.uses.doleta.gov/wotcdata.asp

    The Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) is a tax credit that functions as an incentive to employers who hire people with certain criminal records. The credit can provide up to $2,400 per person per year in tax breaks for a full-time employer. The WOTC can also apply to an individual working part-time or completing summer youth work.

    The WOTC is available to employers who employ people from one of eight targeted groups, including "qualified ex-felons." A "qualified ex-felon" is defined as an individual who (1) has a state or federal felony conviction; (2) is a member of an economically disadvantaged family and (3) is hired within one year of release from prison or from date of conviction.
  • WELFARE-TO-WORK TAX CREDIT
    http://www.uses.doleta.gov/wtw.asp

    The Welfare-to-Work Tax Credit is a federal income tax credit that encourages employers to hire "Long-term TANF Assistance Recipients," including those with criminal records, who begin to work before January 1, 2006. Established by the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997, this new tax credit can reduce employers' federal tax liability by as much as $8,500 per new hire.

    The program applies to any individual who has been certified by the "designated local agency" as one who a) is a member of a family that: received TANF or AFDC for at least the 18 consecutive months before the date of hire, or b) had his or her TANF/AFDC eligibility expire under Federal or State law after August 5, 1997, for individuals hired within 2 years after their eligibility expired or; c) received TANF/AFDC for any 18-month period, and who is hired within 2 years after the end of the earliest 18-month period.
  • WORKFORCE INVESTMENT ACT (WIA)
    http://www.doleta.gov/usworkforce/wia/

    The Workforce Investment Act (WIA) provides workforce training and placement services for a variety of clients, including individuals with criminal records. Local WIA one-stops provide core services, intensive services, and training services to eligible adults. All adults, including people with criminal records, are eligible for core services. The WIA Youth Activities program is also available to offer similar services for low-income youth.
  • READY 4 WORK INITIATIVE
    http://www.dol.gov/cfbci/Ready4Work.htm

    Ready4Work is a three-year, $22.5 million program to assist faith-based and community programs that provide mentoring and other transition services for men and women returning from prison. The Ready4Work program receives funding through the Departments of Labor and Justice.

 

Funding through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services:

  • COMPASSION CAPITAL FUND
    http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ccf/

    Funds from The Compassion Capital Fund (CCF), overseen by HHS’s Administration for Children and Families and the White House Office of Faith-Based Initiatives, are aimed at helping faith-based and community groups build capacity and improve their ability to provide social services to those in need. The CCF administers two grant programs, the Demonstration Program and the Targeted Capacity-Building Program. The Demonstration Program, which allocates nearly all of the CCF funds, supports intermediary organizations that provide faith-based and community organizations with training, technical assistance, and capacity-building sub-awards. The Targeted Capacity-Building Program, also referred to as the “mini-grant program,” directly funds faith-based and community organizations with one time $50,000 awards to build their capacity to deliver services to various populations including at-risk youth and the homeless.
  • TEMPORARY ASSISTANCE TO NEEDY FAMILIES PROGRAM (TANF)
    http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofa/index.html

    The Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) Program, which replaced the federal welfare system, provides assistance and work opportunities to needy families by granting states the federal funds and wide flexibility to develop and implement their own welfare programs.

 

ADDITIONAL FEDERAL RESOURCES:

  • The Federal Register
    http://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/index.html

    Federal funding announcements are made daily in the Federal Register. The online Federal Register also allows individuals to sign-up to receive the Register’s electronic index daily.

 

STATE RESOURCES:

  • STATE EQUIVALENT TO WORK OPPORTUNITY TAX CREDIT

    A number of states offer a tax credit to business owners who hire people with criminal records. Similar to the federal Work Opportunity Tax Credit Program, these state tax incentives support the reentry of those who are trying to return to the job market in order to support their families and rejoin their communities.

    Five states – California, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland and Texas – currently provide state income tax credits to employers who hire people with criminal records. Additional information about these states’ tax credit programs can be found through the following websites:

    California Employment Development Department
    http://www.edd.ca.gov/wotcind.htm

    Iowa Department of Revenue
    http://www.state.ia.us/tax/educate/78522.html

    Louisiana Department of Revenue
    http://www.rev.state.la.us/

    Maryland Department of Employment Services
    http://www.careernet.state.md.us/

    Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
    http://www.window.state.tx.us/

  • ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON STATE REENTRY ACTIVITIES AND RESOURCES
    http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/reentry/sar/welcome.html

    This Office of Justice Programs website includes links to the state departments of corrections and education, description of state and local reentry funding grantees, and local reentry-related organizations and resources.

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