Youth Development and Professional Opportunities

The New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS), in partnership with the New York State Juvenile Justice Advisory Group (JJAG), is offering the Youth Development and Professional Opportunities grant to support the creation of youth-driven programming and community support initiatives across New York State. DCJS, a multi-functional criminal justice agency, is responsible for improving public safety, administering criminal justice funds, and providing services such as training, research, and data collection. This grant is designed to further the goals of the JJAG’s 2024–2026 Strategic Action Plan by investing in initiatives that promote youth engagement, enhance educational and vocational access for justice-involved youth, and expand direct services through local partnerships. The funding is split into two distinct categories. Category 1 supports the creation of a Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) and Youth Scholarship Program through one award of up to $250,000. The YAC will serve as a youth-led advisory subcommittee to the JJAG, with an emphasis on compensating youth members, fostering mentorship and professional development, and facilitating participation in meetings and conferences. Up to $200,000 is designated for the committee itself, and $50,000 is allocated for youth scholarships, internships, and vocational support for justice-involved or reentering youth. The grantee will be expected to administer these funds in collaboration with the Office of Youth Justice (OYJ) and may utilize the YAC in the design of the scholarship process. Category 2 focuses on local assistance mini-grants of up to $75,000 each, with approximately $1,000,000 available to fund around 15 awards. These grants aim to support grassroots, nonprofit, community-based organizations delivering evidence-informed programming to engage youth and families, improve trauma and behavioral health access, and implement prevention services across both rural and urban areas. The programming must align with JJAG’s core goals and demonstrate clear outcomes through data collection and inclusive community input. Allowable costs include personnel, administrative overhead, and programmatic services, while capital projects and law enforcement equipment are ineligible. Eligible applicants must be nonprofit community-based organizations that are prequalified through the New York Statewide Financial System. Additionally, due to the use of federal Title II Formula Grant Program funds, applicants must have internal protocols in place to assess the suitability of individuals interacting with minors. All applicants must comply with special federal conditions and state requirements, including sexual harassment prevention certification, vendor responsibility filings, and compliance with minority and women-owned business enterprise (M/WBE) participation goals. Applications must be submitted via the DCJS Grants Management System (GMS) no later than noon on April 22, 2026. Questions regarding the solicitation must be emailed to [email protected] by March 11, 2026, with responses posted online around March 25, 2026. Notification of awards is expected by July 15, 2026. Contracts for Category 1 will be for 24 months (with a possible two-year extension), and contracts for Category 2 will last 12 months (with a possible one-year extension). The anticipated contract start date for both categories is October 1, 2026. Evaluation of applications will occur in three tiers. The first is a threshold pass/fail review ensuring submission completeness and eligibility. The second involves a scored review of narrative responses, budget, and alignment with program goals. The third tier includes final consideration by DCJS executive staff to determine awards based on score, strategic alignment, and overall value to the state. The program underscores the state's commitment to equity, inclusion, and authentic youth partnership in shaping the future of justice and community support systems.

Include data-backed responses and clear plans for equity, youth engagement, and scholarship distribution. Ensure SFS prequalification is complete.