What is the Arizona Justice Reinvestment Grants Program?
The Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) has selected Vitalyst Health Foundation and the Technical Assistance Partnership of Arizona (TAPAZ) as the fiscal agent to manage the Marijuana Justice Reinvestment grant for the next five years.
When Arizona voters approved Proposition 207 in 2020, it legalized recreational cannabis use for adults aged 21 and over and introduced an excise tax on marijuana. A portion of the tax revenue is allocated to the Justice Reinvestment Fund, which aims to address substance use and mental health issues that often contribute to incarceration.
What organizations qualify for Reinvestment Grants?
If your organization supports people impacted by substance use or the justice system, you may qualify for a new grant opportunity. As part of Proposition 207, Arizona is providing funding to organizations that help these communities.
This grant is designed for organizations working on:
- Public and behavioral health initiatives for substance use prevention, treatment, and early intervention services.
- Restorative justice, jail diversion, workforce development, and mentoring services for economically disadvantaged individuals in communities disproportionately affected by higher arrest and incarceration rates.
- Addressing the root causes of crime, reducing drug-related arrests, and lowering the prison population.
- Developing technology and programs to restore civil rights and expunge criminal records.
đź“… Deadline to Apply: May 31, 2025 by 5:00 P.M. Arizona time
đź”— Apply Here: https://goapply2.akoyago.com/vitalyst
Applications can also be mailed in, brought in-person to the Vitalyst office, and online through the portal above.
Information Sessions
 If you missed our virtual information session, watch it here to find out:Â
- Who qualifies for funding
- How the grant works
- How to apply
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Grant Documents and Requirements
The documents below provide an overview and instructions for the Arizona Justice Reinvestment Grants. If anything is still unclear, please contact
Instructions to Applicants (this document)
Terms and Conditions
Insurance Requirements
Scope of Services
Attachment A: Narrative Responses
Attachment B: Budget Workbook
Exhibit 1: Data and Funding Landscape
Exhibit 2: Priority Area Maps
Exhibit 3: Prop 207 Community Listening Session Report
Exhibit 4: Instructions for Budget WorkbookÂ
Exhibit 5: Evaluation RubricÂ
Exhibit 6: Monthly Invoice (sample)
Frequently Asked Questions Section
All questions asked about the grant will be answered publicly through this section. Questions can be asked directly at jrg@vitalysthealth.org
What is the difference between JustReinvest funding and the Arizona Justice Reinvestment Grant?
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.
What types of organizations are allowed to apply for the JR grant?
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
What types of organizations are NOT allowed to apply for the JR grant?
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
How are the JR grant applications reviewed and by whom?
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 current award total ($10m) is less than the last round ($18m). Can you explain the reason for this reduction?
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.
What are the key grant considerations?
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
Where does Harm Reduction fall in these categories? Are you funding harm reduction services?
While we cannot tell you how to respond, this sounds most closely aligned to Priority 1 – Public health initiative.
Are current JR grant recipients eligible for funding this round? If so, would it extend the grant or co-occur?
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).
Does the JR grant fund existing programs or only new/expanded programs?
The JR grant can fund both existing and new programs.
Where does housing fall into the funding priorities?
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.
What is a fiscal sponsor?
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.
Can funds be used for low-barrier job training?
Yes.
Will the grant only fund the counties with the highest Social Vulnerabilities, or will it fund all counties?
The JR grant can fund across all Arizona counties. Please refer to the evaluation rubric for questions on how proposals will be scored.
Based on the exhibits, are the target areas only the five counties discussed? If so, can an agency in Maricopa include Maricopa in addition to the counties targeted in the exhibits?
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.
How will cost reimbursement work for organizations that do not have the capital up front?
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.
Can an agency apply as a lead applicant on only one application, regardless of tier?
Yes, an organization may only apply as the lead applicant on one application.
Do lead applicant organizations have to be based in Arizona even if they serve Arizonans?
Yes, the lead applicant must be based in Arizona.
Does the prison population include federal prisons, or is it just based on state prisons?
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.
Is preference given to applicants that are community-based organizations over university entities?
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.
Is there a preference for organizations in a certain annual operating budget range (i.e.: smaller orgs vs larger orgs)?
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.
Are collaborative applications allowed?
A singular organization that meets eligibility should be the lead applicant, though collaborative work efforts can be proposed.
Would collaborative grant applications be accepted to address multiple priority areas?
Applications can address multiple priority areas, but one primary area must be selected during the application process.
Regarding capital purchases, approval of the budget doesn't also approve those itemized purchases? We need to also get approval from the state before/at the time of purchase?
For purchases over $5,000, approval is required at the time of purchase.
Is braided funding allowable, i.e., clinician being able to bill to build a case load, moving into sustainability for that position?
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.
Are grants multi-year or single year grants?
Applicants may choose a timeframe of one to four years.
Can funds be used to add personnel?
Funds can be used to add personnel as long as the work performed falls within one or more of the priority areas.
Are local and state agencies eligible to apply with a fiscal sponsor?
Yes, state and local agencies can apply under a fiscal sponsor.
Does my fiscal sponsor need to be the lead applicant when filling out the application?
No, but organizations applying under fiscal sponsorship must specify their fiscal sponsor and provide letters of support from the fiscal sponsor.
Do we need to pick just one priority when applying or can we apply under multiple priorities? Ex: using restorative justice (priority 2) to provide substance use prevention and early intervention (priority 1)
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.
Will this conflict with the AHCCCS Targeted Investment Program 2.0?
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.
Are there audit requirements for applicants?
There are no audit requirements for applicants.
Are stipends for youth participation permissible, and would they be considered an indirect cost?
Stipends can be paid to youth. Stipend recipients would be considered contractors.
Can the funding be utilized for parks and recreation related infrastructure?
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.
Can organizations apply for several different programs in one application?
Organizations can include different programs in their proposals as long as they are related to the JR grant priority areas.
Are organizations at risk for reduced chances of funding based on which tier they decide to apply?
We anticipate that approximately $7 million will be awarded in Tier 1 grants and approximately $3 million in Tier 2 grants.
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