Question: Thank you for the information on upcoming Prop 207 funding. Can you help me understand what the similarities and differences are between this opportunity and the JustReinvest funding administered through Just Communities Arizona? Is an organization eligible for both opportunities?

Answer: Thank you for asking this great question! An organization is eligible for both opportunities. JustReinvest funding administered through Just Communities Arizona is specific to Maricopa County. Arizona Justice Reinvestment funding is administered through Vitalyst Health Foundation statewide.

The JR grant is available to Arizona 501(c)(3) public charities, such as:

• Organizations that are community-based or grassroots-focused
• Nonprofits offering services to eligible Tribes located on a reservation or federally recognized Tribal land, accompanied by a letter of support from the relevant Tribal council
• Community health centers, rural health centers, safety net clinics, or federally qualified health centers
• Group settings such as sober living facilities, shelters, group homes, etc.
• Healthcare-related organizations
• Organizations with a faith-based focus
• Entities that receive fiscal sponsorship from a nonprofit organization
• NOTE: Organizations that do not have their own 501(c)(3) status can apply under a fiscal sponsorship agreement

For-profit entities that are not an Arizona-based 501(c)3 organization or applying under a 501(c)3 organization functioning as their fiscal sponsor.

Non-Arizona-based 501(c)3 organizations are not eligible

A review committee made up of community members will review the grant proposals. The proposals will be graded based on the grant evaluation rubric.

The amount awarded each year is based on the tax revenue received from the Arizona State Treasurer and can fluctuate year by year. Funds awarded in 2023 also included previous years distributions.

Below are the basics of the grant:

• Approximately $10 million in awards
• One (1) to four (4) year awards periods
• Cost reimbursement grants
• Two (2) application tiers
  • Tier 1: $50,000 to $500,000
  • Tier 2: over $500,000 up to $1 million

While we cannot tell you how to respond, this sounds most closely aligned to Priority 1 – Public health initiative.

Yes, current grant recipients are eligible. However, proposals must specify how the new funds would be additive (extending time, serving additional individuals, etc.) or complementary (adding related services).

The JR grant can fund both existing and new programs.

While we cannot tell you how to respond, housing could fall within public health or addressing underlying causes of crime depending on the programmatic focus.

A fiscal sponsor is a 501(c)(3) organization that can partner with individuals, groups, and/or organizations to apply for funding opportunities.  The fiscal sponsor is the legal entity responsible for the execution of the program and manages all financial components of the work including paying vendors and providing monthly reporting.

Yes.

The JR grant can fund across all Arizona counties. Please refer to the evaluation rubric for questions on how proposals will be scored.

Organizations applying for the JR grants can serve anywhere across the state. Please refer to the evaluation rubric for questions on how proposals will be scored.

Upon the Grantee’s request, Vitalyst Health Foundation may, at its sole discretion, provide funds in advance of expenditure (Advanced Funds). The Total Advanced Funds will not exceed the expected expenditures for the following forty-five (45) days.

Advanced Funds may only be used for expenses allowable in accordance with the Grant terms. Any Advanced Funds used for non-allowable expenses must be repaid immediately.

Yes, an organization may only apply as the lead applicant on one application.

Yes, the lead applicant must be based in Arizona.

If your organization needs a fiscal sponsor and does not currently have, TAPAZ can become your fiscal sponsor if awarded a JR grant. This must be indicated while completing the application under “Are you using a fiscal sponsor?”

The Justice Reinvestment Data Landscape Summary used incarceration data from Department of Corrections. The analysis of crime, demographic and social data highlighting the Arizona communities most impacted by all arrests and incarceration used data that spanned from 2017 to 2021 and the 2019 American Community Survey 5-year population.

No preference is given to any organization type. The only requirement is that the organization or fiscal sponsor be an Arizona-based 501(c)(3) organization.

There is no annual budget preference. Your organization can choose which funding category it would like to apply to, but there is no preference in the annual budget.

A singular organization that meets eligibility should be the lead applicant, though collaborative work efforts can be proposed.

Applications can address multiple priority areas, but one primary area must be selected during the application process.

For purchases over $5,000, approval is required at the time of purchase.

Partial funding for a position is common; however, if services have already been billed to one grant, they cannot also be reimbursed through the JR grant.

Applicants may choose a timeframe of one to four years.

Funds can be used to add personnel as long as the work performed falls within one or more of the priority areas.

Yes, state and local agencies can apply under a fiscal sponsor.

No, but organizations applying under fiscal sponsorship must specify their fiscal sponsor and provide letters of support from the fiscal sponsor.

Proposals must indicate a priority area where most of the work will occur, but can also mention other priorities as they apply to the proposed scope of work.

This isn’t related to Prop 207.  Per AHCCCS website:  Eligible Medicaid provider organizations that meet certain benchmarks will receive financial incentives through managed care plans for developing infrastructure and protocols to optimize coordination of services designed to meet the member’s acute, behavioral, and health-related social needs (HRSN) and address identified health inequities among their patient population.

There are no audit requirements for applicants.

Stipends can be paid to youth. Stipend recipients would be considered contractors.

Possibly, if it is tied to the program and aligns with one of the four definitions of “justice reinvestment programs” within the statute.  Parks and recreation related infrastructure is considered capital equipment or capital improvement project, would need state prior approval and follow SAAM accordingly.  It would also need to be placed on private property, such as the organization’s building, and not city or state owned property.  Any purchase over $5,000 would require approval prior to purchase.

IT purchases over $250 and capital equipment above $5,000 would be owned by the state and at the end of the grant term may be “disposed of” or released to organization if the state permits.

Organizations can include different programs in their proposals as long as they are related to the JR grant priority areas.

We anticipate that approximately $7 million will be awarded in Tier 1 grants and approximately $3 million in Tier 2 grants.

Member assistance funds are available under the grant.

As far as billing AHCCCS for services, you will need to be careful that you are not requesting reimbursement for time already covered by billing to AHCCCS.  You may not receive double funding for the same service

The exhibits don’t have to be verbally referenced. A text line is fine.

We don’t have any additional guidelines available for the video narrative. (This is our first time having a video submission option, so it’s in the “beta” testing phase.)

The priority areas are not exclusive to marijuana related charges. However, part of the evaluation rubric does call out “Describe how these area(s) and/or community(ies) have been disproportionately impacted by marijuana-related arrest and incarceration. Refer to Exhibits 1-3.”

The organization would need to make a case in its proposal connecting the population served with area(s) and/or community(ies) that have been disproportionately impacted by marijuana-related arrest and incarceration.

Question: 

1. Gift Cards – it has been communicated that $25 gift cards are allowed, but have to be logged, and there’s an up to total amount.
2. Incentives for participants – it has been communicated that stipends are allowed. Do stipends differ from “incentives”? I’ve included a specific case scenario in the email directly below.
3. Legal services or legal fees – one of the priority areas is associated with legal services. Is there additional clarification we can provide to applicants to expand on this?

Answer: 

1. Gift Cards – it has been communicated that $25 gift cards are allowed, but have to be logged, and there’s an up to total amount limit. That is correct, that is allowed for certain programmatic expenses, and internal controls must be followed for tracking purposes. Please refer to SAAM 8005. 
2. Incentives for participants – it has been communicated that stipends are allowed. Do stipends differ from “incentives”? I’ve included a specific case scenario in the email directly below. “Incentives” are allowed in which it is cash-like, similar to stipends based on recognition of accomplishments. Therefore, for example provided in the email, it would be allowable if it is programmatically related. The issue is when “incentives” are given to staff overseeing the grant.
3. Legal services or legal fees – one of the priority areas is associated with legal services. Is there additional clarification we can provide to applicants to expand on this? If the fees are programmatically needed, it is allowable, however, state funds restrict the use of legal services or legal fees for instances where legal services are required to support/defend the organization. For example, if this organization is involved in a lawsuit, state funds cannot be used for the retainer of an attorney. However, it is allowed for a legal aid clinic to pay for expungement of judicial records, and retaining counsel to defend a participant.