There were over 1.8 million Americans imprisoned in 2024. Few incarcerated people have a safe and secure home to return to once they're released. This issue causes high recidivism rates, which is the amount of people who are arrested and put in jail again after their initial release. People experience extreme barriers when they're released from prison, including:
- Difficulty obtaining employment
- Lack of stable housing
- Insufficient education
- The absence of a prosocial support network (people who can help without expecting anything in return).
The best way to reduce recidivism rates is through successful reentry programs. State-level reincarceration rates are currently 23% lower than what they were in 2008, thanks to funding like the Second Chance Act of 2007. In this article, we'll discuss what reentry programs are and how to secure nonprofit grant funding.
What Are Reentry Programs for Parolees, Felons, and Ex-Offenders?
A reentry program offers services to help inmates transition from prison or jail back into their homes and communities. Reentry programs look different based on the services needed for each individual. On a federal level, the Federal Bureau of Prisons funds Residential Reentry Centers. Colloquially known as a halfway house, these reentry housing programs provide a safe location outside of prison for recently released inmates to prepare for society.
Residential Reentry Centers offer assistance with employment. They connect residents to job fairs and offer guidance with resume writing and interview strategies. Additionally, these centers provide substance abuse treatment and mental health care. Residents receive referrals for further treatment and continue medications and other services received while in prison.
Countless community-based (CBO) and state-level organizations provide reentry program services as well, particularly in large cities. In Los Angeles, CBOs, such as the Chrysalis community reentry program, offer services to help released prisoners secure jobs. Due to California's Fair Chance Act, it's illegal for employers with five or more employees to ask about a person's criminal record. This act allows CBOs to help hiring organizations get to know the person before making a snap employment decision based on their criminal history.
What Is Reentry Software for Case Management?
Reentry software for case management offers an organized, self-contained system to quickly match clients with their service needs. Case managers work in reentry programs to match clients with their service needs quickly. They needed data-driven, holistic solutions to factor in each client's unique background and struggles, such as life experiences before prison, the age they were incarcerated, and their existing family structure.
PlanStreet's reentry software helps case managers offer the best care possible to their clients with:
- Centralized and up-to-date data insights. Check on the status of each client and follow up as needed through the software.
- Personalized reporting and case plan builder to create a one-of-a-kind plan.
- Detailed program progress and attendance tracking to ensure no client slips through the cracks.
- Customizable document library to take the guesswork out of critical paperwork such as intake forms.
- Reliable security and encryption that safely stores your client's personal information.
Reentry case management software simplifies the administrative process. That way, case managers can spend more time working one-on-one with clients to problem-solve for optimal solutions.
How to Secure Funding for Successful Reentry Programs
Money for prisoner reentry programs can come from a multitude of places, including private donations, tax dollars, and grant funding. A large portion of grant funding comes from the federal government.
As of January 6, 2025, the US Department of Labor had announced $25 million in funding to support pre-release training for incarcerated individuals. However, due to the current administration, it's uncertain if promised funding will still be delivered.
If you're operating a nonprofit reentry organization, take a look through the resources below to learn more about grant opportunities that could be open to you in 2025.
Federal Grants for Reentry Programs 2025
The Bureau of Justice Assistance released limited funding opportunities for 2025. To stay updated on the most current available grants, be sure to subscribe to their email updates and social media. This will alert organizations to when grants become open and other potential opportunities to support your clients.
As of March 11, 2025, these grants are available, although not directly related to reentry programs:
- FY25 Advancing Data in Corrections Initiative
- FY25 Byrne State Crisis Intervention Training and Technical Assistance Program
- FY25 Harold Rogers Prescription Drug Monitoring Program Training and Technical Assistance Program
- FY25 US Department of Justice Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation
The State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Account
Every year, the Bureau of Justice Assistance allocates discretionary funding at the state and local levels. These funds can be used for a myriad of solutions, including:
- Systemic criminal justice system reform
- Alternatives to incarceration
- Violent crime prevention
- Evidence-based reentry programs
- Help with substance misuse through treatment and diversion programs
For 2025, the funding granted for this account is $3B. While not all of this money is for grants, there will be formula and discretionary grant programs that come from this funding. One of those grant programs is the Byrne Justice Assistance Grant. This provides state, local, and tribal governments with resources to prevent and control crime. A portion of this funding goes to programs for prevention and education, as well as drug treatment.
The Second Chance Act (SCA) Program funds reentry services for state, local, and tribal agencies, including:
- Housing
- Educational and employment assistance
- Mental health services
- Substance abuse treatment services
- Family-support services
All of these services work toward the goal of reducing recidivism and helping men and women reenter their communities safely.
State Reentry Nonprofit Grants 2025
Every state has a separate system of grants for reentry. If you're a nonprofit, find the state grant website where your agency is located. Below are reentry program grant opportunities and relevant programs for three of the most populated states: Michigan, Georgia, and Illinois.
Michigan: Michigan Justice Fund Rapid Response Grant Program
The Michigan Justice Fund's Rapid Response Grant program gives Michigan-based advocacy and direct service delivery organizations funding to support time-sensitive resource needs or strategic opportunities. All of these opportunities must align with the primary mission of the Fund, improving Michigan's justice reform platforms. This is a rolling grant opportunity, and all applications will be considered and responded to within 30 days.
To learn more and see if your nonprofit is eligible, download the grant guidelines.
Georgia: Reentry Partnership Program
While this is not a grant, Georgia offers many state-funded programs that nonprofits can look to to help their clients. One of these is the Reentry Partnership Housing Program, which provides housing to parolees (who don't have valid residence plans) for six months.
If your organization is interested in becoming a housing provider for this program, download these documents to learn more.
Illinois: Charitable Trust Grant
Illinois offers the Charitable Trust Grant twice a year, which comes from fees paid by nonprofits to operate in the state. This grant focuses on a wide variety of areas, including food, housing, and workforce development programs. Any nonprofit can apply for this grant as long as it meets the following criteria:
- A not-for-profit corporation that is exempt from federal income taxation
- A not-for-profit organized under the Illinois General Not-for-Profit Corporation Act of 1986
- The organization is domiciled in the State of Illinois and provides services exclusively in Illinois.
- Has the equivalent of at least one full-time paid employee.
- Has an operating budget of $1 million or less.
- Has adopted a policy of non-discrimination based on race, gender, sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability, family status, or religion.
- Additionally, not-for-profits with a person or immediate family member holding an elective office making more than $60,000 will not be eligible.
- The total grant request can't exceed 30% of the organization's budget and should not exceed 25% of overhead costs unless the grant will be used for a one-time expenditure.
- Organizations that do not file AG990-IL forms regularly due to an exemption must provide a recent audited financial statement to be considered.
Access the online application to apply for your Illinois-based nonprofit. The Spring 2025 Grant Cycle runs from January 1-March 31, 2025.
SAMHSA Reentry Grants
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Organization regularly offers grants for nonprofits and other entities that offer services for substance abuse and mental health. Sometimes, these grants are specifically for prisoner reentry programs.
The 2025 grants have been announced, and many are posted on the website. While these may not directly be for reentry, they cover many of the problems that imprisoned people face. Additionally, they can help communities address concerns such as mental health, preventing at-risk populations from facing incarceration in the first place. The entire list of grants can be found on SAMHSA's website.
If you think your organization would be the perfect fit for a SAMHSA grant, be sure to sign up for their email updates about new grant funding announcements.
Prepare for Grant Funding With PlanStreet
Grant applications often require thorough reporting and evidence-based practices to secure the grant. Provide data-driven applications with PlanStreet's case management software. Create tailored reports with hundreds of data visualizations to showcase your nonprofit's successful services easily.
Additionally, the software simplifies grant accounting as well. Once you've won your grant, you can manage every element in PlanStreet's grant management software. It offers:
- Simple grant distribution: Disperse money for activities on a micro-level.
- Unified reporting of grant use: See the entire history of your grant in one click.
- Uncluttered grants assigning: Once a grant has been completely used, the option disappears, protecting your organization from overspending.
To learn more about how PlanStreet's customizable software can simplify grant funding and other case management needs, schedule a live demo with our team today.