WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Application Process
The Letter of Connection (LOC) is a brief, initial expression of interest. It includes:
- Organization name and contact
- Brief background and founding story
- Description of core work
- Relevance to JFG’s focus areas
- Role of justice-impacted leadership in mission and organization
This step helps us understand alignment and readiness for deeper engagement. Selected organizations will be invited to submit additional materials or receive follow-up support.
Grant Amount & Timeline
- Grant Range & Term: Awards will range from $10,000 to $25,000 for a one-year grant period, with the exact amount determined based on the size of the organization, the scope of the program, and the program’s specific needs.
- Letter Of Connection Release: October 3, 2025
- Informational Webinar for Grantseekers: October 7, 2025 – Watch the recording
- Letter Of Connection Deadline: November 10, 2025
- Proposals Invited: December 9, 2025
- Full Proposal Deadline: January 15, 2026
- Notifications: January 30, 2026
- Grant Disbursements: February 2026
OVERVIEW
The Justice Fund of Georgia (JFG) is pleased to announce a Fall 2025 open call for proposals through a Letter of Connection (“LOC”) process for adult and youth justice reform and transformation organizations in Georgia. This grantmaking cycle introduces two tracks of funding focused on deepening justice work across Georgia:
- Track 1: Grassroots, Community, and Justice-Impacted-Led Organizations
- Track 2: Youth Justice Organizations and Initiatives
Grassroots, Community, and Justice-Impacted-Led Organizations
This LOC opportunity is dedicated to supporting organizations led by and serving individuals and communities directly impacted by the adult and youth justice systems.
Our aim is to foster equitable, transparent, and streamlined grantmaking that expands access to resources for organizations, while continuing to learn from the field. We welcome applications from organizations advancing transformative justice in Georgia and emphasizing the leadership of impacted communities and youth.
Purpose & Goals
Our goal is to resource and elevate grassroots efforts focused on decarceration, community healing, and systems change. Through this LOC process, we seek to:
- Identify and support community-rooted organizations that are often overlooked by traditional philanthropy.
- Reduce barriers to access through a simplified application.
- Foster partnerships grounded in trust and accountability.
Funding Focus Areas
We invite applications from organizations working in one or more of the following areas in adult reform:
- Decarceration and alternatives to incarceration
- Community-led safety and restorative justice
- Reentry and support services for justice-impacted individuals
- Advocacy to end criminalization of poverty and marginalization
- Leadership development within impacted communities
- Narrative and cultural strategies shifting public understanding of justice
And in youth justice and reform:
- Ending youth incarceration and detention
- Youth-led advocacy and organizing
- Restorative and transformative justice in schools and communities
- Community-led safety and restorative justice
- Creative, cultural, or civic engagement strategies
- Systems-change work that centers youth voice
ELIGIBILITY
Applicants must:
- Be based in Georgia
- Be nonprofit, fiscally sponsored, or a grassroots formation
- Engage in systems-change work at the local or state level
IMPORTANT RESOURCES
- Informational Webinar for Grantseekers: October 7, 2025, 3:00 pm. Watch the recording.
- View the FAQs
- Youth Justice Questions PDF
- Grassroots Questions PDF
- Questions: Email JusticeFund@unitedwayatlanta.org