Administered by ORP, the Reentry Solutions Microgrants for Community Engagement initiative focuses on soliciting community input to inform how people under county probation and parole supervision can best be supported and connected to services (such as workforce training, adult education, and primary healthcare), and how the City can build a more effective reentry services system. This microgranting is part of the broader work around Neighborhood Resource Centers, and will be managed by HR&A Advisors. NRCs will be a network of community centers where people on county probation and parole report to their probation officer in or near their own neighborhood and access services and resources alongside family members and neighbors. NRCs aim to reduce probation/parole violations, enable people on probation to thrive, and benefit neighbors by removing obstacles, meeting people where they are, and delivering critical programs in welcoming community-centered spaces. Although physical plans for the opening of the first NRC have been significantly delayed because of COVID-19, the City remains committed to engaging with justice-involved individuals to understand how to strengthen the City's reentry services system and better support people on county supervision. The City will award $60,000 through HR&A to community-based organizations to implement their own strategies to engage and solicit feedback from Philadelphians who are or have recently been under county supervision and/or have recently returned from incarceration. While proposals may differ in approach, depending on knowledge from local organizations of the best platforms to engage the target communities virtually, proposals are expected to include community engagement forums such as open houses, focus groups, and/or digital surveys. Grant funds must be partially used to compensate community members for leading and/or participating in the community engagement, and proposals from organizations led by people who are directly impacted by the criminal justice system will receive preferential treatment in the selection process. Click here for full program details.
The deadline to submit a proposal is October 15h, 2020.