Reentry Grant Program

In 2021, in ESSB 5092- sec. 129(123), p. 73, the Washington State Legislature created the Reentry Grant Program, appropriating $5 million to the Department of Commerce “to administer a competitive grant program for grants to community-based programs to provide reentry services for formerly incarcerated persons and supports to facilitate successful transitions to the community.” For the two-year period from July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2023, the Program supported 25 organizations across the state.
The Legislature reauthorized the Reentry Grant Program for two years beginning July 1, 2023. That appropriation will be supplemented by additional funding from the Community Reinvestment Account.
At least 30 percent of the funding for the Reentry Grant Program is designated for programs delivering services in Washington’s rural counties. The collective service area for the projects funded under the first round of grants included 24 out of the 39 Washington counties.
The current contracts under the Reentry Grant Program will expire on June 30, 2023. New funding opportunities for the Reentry Grant Program are available. Commerce has issued a Request for Proposals to fund reentry services in the next two fiscal years (August 8, 2023 – June 30, 2024 and July 1, 2024—June 30, 2025). These new grants will support reentry services for currently or formally incarcerated people who have exited juvenile or adult correctional facilities in Washington.
New Funding Announcement
The Washington State Department of Commerce, Office of Firearm Safety and Violence Prevention/Community Safety Unit (Commerce) has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) soliciting applications from tribal partners or nonprofit community-based organizations. This program will support reentry services to currently or formally incarcerated people who are incarcerated or have exited juvenile or adult correctional facilities in Washington.
Commerce is soliciting proposals from those qualified and interested in participating in projects to provide housing, employment services, family reunification, transportation, communication, education and other basic needs services. Total funding for this RFP is $12.7 million for the state fiscal biennium (July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2025) and is a combination of the Community Reinvestment Account and ongoing state funding. The solicitation is now closed and is currently in the evaluation period. Please contact the RFP coordinator if there are any questions.
Contact: Kurt Myers, RFP Coordinator, Kurt.Myers@commerce.wa.gov
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Kurt Myers
Reentry Grant Program Coordinator
Office of Firearms Safety and Violence Prevention | Community Safety Unit
Email: Kurt.myers@commerce.wa.gov