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Juvenile Community Alternatives Planning Grant Program

Program Overview

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Juvenile Community Alternatives Planning Grant Program

Grant Status Open

The Juvenile Community Alternatives Grant Program Fund was established in Indiana Code § 31-40-5-6. Pursuant to statute (IC § 31-40-5-3) the grant program has the following purpose areas: (1) to provide cost-effective, research- based alternatives in lieu of the use of secure detention, out-of-home placement, and department of correction facilities in the community, (2) reduce the use of secure confinement and out-of-home placement, and (3) reduce recidivism and improve positive outcomes for children.

Read the RFP

Eligibility

Public entities, state and local governments, nonprofit organizations, and nongovernmental organizations that provide services to youth 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 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.
  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.

Collaboration Requirements

Counties must convene their local or regional Justice Reinvestment Advisory Council (JRAC) or another local collaborative body that includes juvenile justice stakeholders and a juvenile court judge to assess needs for community alternative programs. The assessment must include:

  • Review of youth justice system data.
  • Review of existing programs and services.
  • Identification of community organizations and groups with which partnerships could be developed for program implementation.
  • Review of best-practices.
  • Consideration of any economies of scale in regionalization.

The award period for this grant shall be July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026. Planning grants should begin on July 1, 2025, and must be in operation no later than sixty (60) days after this date. Failure to have the funded project operational within sixty (60) days from July 1, 2025, may result in termination of the grant and the de-obligation of all awarded funds.

All planning grants must conclude, and all funding obligations must be made no later than June 30, 2026. All outstanding expenses must be paid, and the final fiscal report must be submitted via IntelliGrants within thirty (30) days of June 30, 2026. Proof of payment for all expenses must be provided with the final fiscal report. Late fiscal and programmatic reports will not be accepted.

Activities supported by this program are determined by statute (Indiana Code § 31-40-5 et seq.) and Indiana Criminal Justice Institute (ICJI) policies and procedures. If an applicant receives an award, the funded project is bound by the provisions of this solicitation and any other applicable laws, rules, policies, and regulations. Funds for this planning grant will be awarded up front, rather than on a reimbursement basis. Verification of expenses along with verification of payment of expenses must be provided to ICJI on a monthly or quarterly basis.

Allowable activities and costs are those that support planning for the implementation, operation and delivery of services to youth involved in the juvenile justice system. The activities carried out under this planning grant solicitation should be carried out to assist in the implementation of a program that will provide alternatives to juveniles becoming involved in the youth justice system. These activities include but may not be limited to:

  • Services or programs that develop community alternatives.
  • Collaborative activities to plan the programs.
  • Travel to observe promising programs in another area of the state.

ICJI strongly recommends programs that are evidence-based or considered to be promising practices. The selected program may be altered to meet requirements of the applicant, but fidelity should be maintained as closely as possible. More information regarding rated programs and practices, as well as examples of model programs may be found here or here.

Allowable Costs

Personnel, employee benefits, cost of supplies, and travel to perform the activities listed below are allowable costs. Overtime for grant funded staff is an allowable cost, but to claim the increased rate, there must be a separate line item in the budget that includes the overtime rate of pay.

  • Planning activities for the development of a collaborative program.
    • Reasonable purchase of food for the purpose of planning activities is allowable.
  • Technical assistance with respect to adherence, implementation, or application of model programs.
  • Preparations and implementation of a chosen evidence-based project.

The following budget items listed below are unallowable and will not be supported by this program’s funding:

  • Direct financial assistance to a client such as cash.
  • Supplanting existing positions or offsetting existing expenses of the recipient.
  • Lobbying.
  • Fundraising (including financial campaigns, endowment drives, solicitation of gifts and bequests, and similar expenses incurred solely to raise capital or obtain contributions) and time spent procuring funding including completing federal and state funding applications.
  • Purchase of real estate.
  • Construction and physical modification to buildings, including minor renovations (such as painting or carpeting).
  • Purchase of vehicles.
  • Indirect cost rate and/or de minimis rate.
  • Timeline: Please attach a timeline for the completion of the project and/or expenditure of the grant funds.
  • Collaboration Plan: Any county participating in the program is required by IC § 31-40-5-5 to have its local or regional justice reinvestment advisory council, or another local collaborative body that includes stakeholders across the juvenile justice system, oversee each grant award to the county and engage in collaborative service planning for the county. Audit Record: Include your most recent State Board of Accounts or independent audit.
  • Miscellaneous
    • If applying for funds for personnel costs, attach the relevant job descriptions.
    • If applicable, attach other requested information.

Webinar on the 2025-2026 Juvenile Community Alternatives Planning Grant Program RFP

ICJI’s Youth Services Division conducted a webinar on the 2025-2026 Juvenile Community
Alternatives Planning Grant Program request for proposal. The webinar included a basic overview of the program, important highlights, and what to know before applying.

Funding Availability

Awards provided by this solicitation are for a twelve-(12) month period of funding. This planning grant is funded by the Indiana General Assembly through the state’s biennial budget. All awards are subject to change and may be modified, reduced, or discontinued depending on the funding allocated during the current legislative session. The outcome of the current legislative session will also determine whether awards will be made via advance payment or on a reimbursement basis.

In the interest of supporting rural counties with limited-service capacity, each county is eligible for $20,000 for a one-year planning grant to prepare for implementation of any proposed program.

Technical Assistance

For technical assistance with submitting an application, contact the ICJI Helpdesk, which is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET, except state holidays. ICJI is not responsible for technical issues with grant submission within 48 hours of grant deadline.

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