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SACRAMENTO (November 21, 2024) – The Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) today approved the release of over $108 million in grant funding through the Cohort 4 Adult Reentry Grant (ARG).

The ARG supports community-based organizations (CBO) to provide warm handoff, reentry, and rental assistance programs that support individuals released from state prison.  The amount of funding available through this Request for Proposals (RFP) is $108.3 million, with $54.15 million available for the warm handoff and reentry of offenders transitioning from state prison and $54.15 million available specifically for rental assistance.  Eligible applicants may apply for a maximum of $4.5 million total over the 42-month grant period, which includes an audit and final evaluation report.

Providing supportive services and housing assistance to recently released individuals positively impacts their transition back into the community.  A recent BSCC evaluation of grant-funded programs, which included a variety of supportive services for system involved individuals, indicated recidivism rates were more than 50% lower for individuals who received ongoing supportive services and reduced the rate of homelessness, of which formerly incarcerated people are nearly ten times more likely to experience.  Supportive services have also shown to positively impact recidivism rates in analyses conducted by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

“I am very pleased the BSCC is able to offer valuable grant opportunities that reflect the priorities of our state and the Administration,” stated BSCC Chair Linda Penner. “Providing critical support to those recently released positively impacts recidivism and, in turn, creates safer communities.”

Prospective applicants are encouraged to attend virtual informational sessions on applying for grant funding under the ARG program.  The Grant Information Session is scheduled for December 17, 2024.  More information for the session and the ARG program, including details on prior cohort grantee services, can be found on the BSCC ARG webpage BSCC Adult Reentry Grant Program.

The BSCC has awarded more than $221 million in ARG funding to support 217 programs since the grant was established in 2018.  This release represents the fourth cohort, bringing the total funding to over $329 million.

The BSCC provides services to county adult and juvenile systems through inspections of county jails and juvenile detention facilities, technical assistance on local issues, promulgation of regulations, training standards for local correctional staff, and the administration of a wide range of public safety, reentry, violence reduction, and rehabilitative grants to state and local governments and community-based organizations.  The BSCC uses Executive Steering Committees (ESCs) made up of a variety of stakeholders to inform decision making related to programs, including distribution of grant funds.

More information on the BSCC can be found by visiting www.bscc.ca.gov or by contacting Communications Director Jana Sanford-Miller, at Jana.Sanford-Miller@bscc.ca.gov.