$45 million available for community organizations through Illinois R3 program
SPRINGFIELD (WGEM) - Gov. JB Pritzker and Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton announced Wednesday that community organizations across Illinois can apply for $45 million from the Restore, Reinvest, and Renew program. This is the second round of R3 grants created by the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority.
The administration said $40.5 million is available for organizations providing services for violence prevention, youth development, re-entry from the justice system, civil legal aid, and economic development. Smaller organizations can apply for the remaining $4.5 million if they want to build the capacity for their services.
The R3 program was established through the law that legalized marijuana in Illinois in 2019. That money goes right back into communities hardest hit by the War on Drugs, violence, and disinvestment.
“We’re prioritizing investments in communities that were previously harmed for what is now legal,” Pritzker said. “The positive impact of these dollars looks different in every community because after decades of trauma, restoring justice requires a multi-pronged effort in every community.”
Pritzker said the second round of grants brings the R3 total to $80 million available for organizations during the first year of the program. He noted there is more funding to come in the future.
Stratton said the program is key to addressing the harms of the past and creating an equitable future for all.
“Solutions to the challenges that our neighborhoods face can be found in those very communities,” Stratton said. “R3 seeks to invest in organizations that have the closest ties to the communities they serve.”
The administration previously awarded $35 million in grants to 80 organizations. The first round grants will also be renewed for another year in order to have continuity of services throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Stratton chairs the R3 board that brings together community members, state agency leaders, lawmakers, service providers, people impacted by incarceration, and other experts.
“The numbers are only a part of the story because this is really about people,” Stratton said. “It’s about the people we made this promise to, including those who have felt the effects of failed policies and disinvestment. And it’s more than just about getting funding to their communities. It’s about actually including them in the rooms where decisions are made.”
You can find more information about the R3 program and how to apply for grants by clicking here.
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