2025-2027 Juvenile Diversion Planning Grant Program
This funding opportunity provides financial support to public entities and nonprofit organizations in Indiana to develop and implement programs that divert youth from the juvenile justice system, focusing on restorative justice and reducing recidivism.
The Juvenile Diversion Planning Grant Program for the 2025-2026 funding cycle is administered by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute (ICJI). This program is authorized under Indiana Code § 31-40-5-6 and seeks to support local efforts to reform juvenile justice practices through diversion programs that prioritize restorative justice, risk assessment, and reducing recidivism. The program's primary objective is to prevent deeper involvement of youth in the formal legal system by encouraging the use of evidence-based or restorative justice strategies tailored to the needs of the youth while also maintaining community safety. Eligible applicants include public entities, state and local governments, nonprofit organizations, and nongovernmental organizations that serve youth involved in or at risk of entering the juvenile justice system. To qualify, applicants must be in good standing with several state departments, including the Department of Revenue and Department of Workforce Development. Non-governmental entities must have a collaboration agreement with a referring entity, and all applicants must coordinate their projects with their local or regional Justice Reinvestment Advisory Council (JRAC) or an equivalent collaborative body. Funding will be awarded as a one-year planning grant of $20,000 per county, made possible through the Indiana General Assembly’s biennial state budget. Counties with limited service capacity, particularly rural ones, are prioritized. Applicants may serve multiple counties if they provide individualized plans for each. Funds are awarded upfront, and recipients are required to submit regular reports and maintain detailed, case-level data for performance evaluations. Allowable uses of funds include planning activities, technical assistance, stakeholder meetings, travel to observe other programs, and preparation for evidence-based project implementation. However, funds may not be used for construction, real estate, lobbying, fundraising, direct client assistance, or supplanting existing expenses. Administrative costs are allowed up to 10% of the total budget and must be included within the staff budget rather than as a separate line item. Applications must be submitted through the IntelliGrants system by 11:59 p.m. ET on April 17, 2025. A preparatory webinar is scheduled for March 20, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. ET. Applicants are encouraged to register in IntelliGrants early and familiarize themselves with the user guide to avoid technical issues near the deadline. The grant period runs from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026. Projects must start no later than 60 days from July 1 or risk termination. Application evaluation criteria include completeness, alignment with program goals, compliance with legal requirements, budget appropriateness, potential conflicts of interest, and financial standing. Each application must include a collaboration plan, audit records, relevant job descriptions, and a detailed budget outlining intended uses of the funds. For assistance, applicants can contact the ICJI Helpdesk at CJIHelpDesk@cji.in.gov or 317-232-1233 during business hours.
Award Range
$20,000 - $20,000
Total Program Funding
Not specified
Number of Awards
Not specified
Matching Requirement
No
Additional Details
Awards are for 12 months Funds are distributed upfront Monthly or quarterly reporting and final fiscal report with receipts required Administrative costs capped at 10% of total budget Unallowable expenses include lobbying, fundraising, real estate, construction, and supplanting
Eligible Applicants
Additional Requirements
Public entities, state and local governments, nonprofit organizations, and nongovernmental organizations who provide services to youth involved in or at risk of being involved in the juvenile justice system may apply for funding. An entity may apply, but will not be eligible for a grant until the entity has prequalified through a series of threshold requirements including: 1. A review of the entity’s good standing with Indiana Department of Revenue (DOR), Indiana Department of Workforce Development (DWD), and Secretary of State (SOS). 2. Any non-governmental entities must have an operating agreement or collaboration plan, including letters of support, with the referring entity prior to receiving funding. 3. Each grant awarded must be overseen by the local regional Justice Reinvestment Advisory Council (JRAC) or another local collaborative body that includes juvenile justice stakeholders and engages in collaborative service planning for the county. For more Information about local Justice Reinvestment Advisory Councils and member requirements, please visit the Indiana Office of Court Services JRAC page. Contact information for existing local JRACs can be located in the JRAC Directory. 4. All grant recipients must agree to report performance measures on a monthly or quarterly basis and are required to provide an aggregate report at the end of the grant cycle. Recipients will be required to maintain case-level data for the purposes of research and evaluation. The required performance measures are outlined in the Youth Justice Oversight Committee’s Grant Processes Report. JUVENILE DIVERSION PLANNING GRANT PROGRAM FUND FY25 RFP | 6 5. Applicants may apply to serve multiple counties. In a multi-county application, the grantee must explicitly explain the approximated percentage of services that will be provided to each county they plan to work with. Individualized plans for each county are required.
Geographic Eligibility
All
Application Opens
Not specified
Application Closes
Not specified
Subscribe to view contact details
Subscribe to access grant documents