FRANKFORT, Ky. (Dec. 14, 2023) – Today, Gov. Andy Beshear said applicants can apply for more than $640,000 from the Kentucky State Corrections Commission beginning January 1, 2024. Funding will be awarded to projects and programs throughout the commonwealth that are providing second chance opportunities to the justice-involved population.
“Second chances are an investment in our workforce, education and public safety,” Gov. Beshear said. “My faith teaches me the importance of forgiveness, and that every person is a child of God who deserves an opportunity to succeed. I commend these agencies for supporting those who have paid their debt to society so that our children can live in a safer Kentucky now and into the future.”
Eligible applicants include local government agencies, private nonprofits and/or charitable organizations providing sentencing alternatives for the judicial system with treatment, rehabilitation and restitution opportunities. Additionally, the commission may award grants for community corrections programs that offer additional resources and opportunities focused on increasing the potential for successful completion of sentences. Grant funding will support projects in operation from July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025.
“We must keep inmates secure while in custody and our communities safe once they are released, and this is accomplished by offering treatment, employment and access to basic needs,” said Justice and Public Safety Cabinet Secretary Kerry Harvey, who by statute chairs the state corrections commission. “Through grant funding like this, law enforcement, the court system, corrections, local and state government can collaborate to reduce crime, address addiction and protect victims.”
The state corrections commission was created to administer grant money, along with developing and implementing a statewide strategic plan for state and community corrections programs. Community corrections programs can reduce expenditures of state funds by allowing individuals to remain in their local communities while they participate in home incarceration, work release, treatment and employment training.
All applications must be submitted online via Intelligrants 10 (IGX), the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet's electronic Grants Management System no later than February 28, 2024.
New user accounts require 48 to 72 hours. Assistance with the application process may be obtained by contacting Grants Management staff at JUSGMB@ky.gov.
For information about the SCC, click here or contact Abigail Adams at abigail.adams@ky.gov.
By working together, the commonwealth is building a better Kentucky full of opportunity for all Kentuckians, and the state’s commitment to offering second chances remains a priority.
On his third day in office, Gov. Beshear restored voting rights to Kentuckians who had completed their sentences for nonviolent, nonsexual offenses. Now more than 192,073 Kentuckians’ rights have been restored.
In September, the Governor and the Kentucky State Building and Constructions Trades Council launched the Jobs on Day One initiative, aimed at helping released inmates find a job when they leave incarceration through the development of jobs skills and attainment of certifications.
The Kentucky Transformational Employment Program has trained more than 4,000 business leaders across the commonwealth as second-chance employers, representing 35,000 jobs for individuals recently released from prison or in recovery from addiction.
The Prison-to-Work Pipeline, a collaboration between the Department of Corrections and the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, has helped 1,195 individuals be referred to an employment specialist in their community through the pipeline to support a successful transition from incarceration to society since the program’s launch in November 2022. Employers interested in participating in the program should contact the Kentucky Chamber.
###