Blog: grantmaking

Are you eligible for a Second Chance Act grant? And more -- news roundup

By Lori Howell, December 16 2011

Juvenile Justice Reform

Mississippi officials say more youth rehab facilities are needed
Government officials in Mississippi say that a growing number of youth arrested for crimes are becoming repeat offenders because rehabilitation is not available.
Iowa Governor visits state’s largest child welfare, juvenile justice and behavioral health agencies
Governor Terry Branstad is interested in the concept of providing children and families with treatment, utilizing a long-term, comprehensive approach, rather than the standard short-term solution.
Detroit tackles dropout crisis by engaging students and parents
Over the next 18 months, PBS NewsHour is examining the consequences of, and solutions for, one of this country's most pressing education issues.
Wyoming’s Natrona County earns recognition for juvenile justice progress
The State Advisory Council on Juvenile Justice and Gov. Matt Mead's office honored Natrona county officials for developing a system that offers alternatives to detention for low-risk offenders, cutting its use of secure detention for status offenses like underage drinking by 99%.
Feds: Florida’s youth prisons are “dangerous”
Florida’s youth-corrections system is so poorly administered and conditions are so severe that the U.S. Department of Justice said that they violate the Constitution.

Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment

Massachusetts theatre company receives federal grant to work with youth
The Salem Theatre Company was recently awarded a grant from the Healthy People 2020 Community Innovations Project, a program of the US Department of Health and Human Services, to work with local youth. They plan to create three short plays focused on healthy choices with regards to nutrition, substance abuse and youth violence.

Topics: Adolescent Mental Health, Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment, Funding, grantmaking, Juvenile Justice Reform, No bio box

Call for Ideas for the health and success of young men of color

By Maisha Simmons, October 31 2011

Many barriers make the path to adulthood especially difficult for young men of color. They are more likely to grow up in poverty, live in unsafe neighborhoods and go to under-resourced schools. Moreover, actions that for other young men would be treated as youthful mistakes are judged more severely and are more likely to have lasting consequences. What is at stake for America is the possibility of losing an entire generation of productive men, who will fall short of their potential, live less healthy and successful lives, and fail to build and strengthen their communities.
Forward Promise -- an initiative of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation -- seeks to find the best ideas to help young men of color succeed in life, school and work. Through this Call for Ideas, we are actively seeking ideas from a broad group of individuals and organizations -- ideas that will help shape our future grantmaking strategy. Ultimately, Forward Promise will identify promising and innovative programs, policies and approaches to evaluate what works, and spread successful models to communities that need them.
Please submit your innovative, collaborative approaches to improve the trajectory for middle- and high-school-aged young men of color in two or more of the following three areas: health, education and employment.
If you have questions, please join the Forward Promise Forum.

Topics: grantmaking, No bio box, Positive Youth Development, young men of color