Victim Offender Dialogue

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), through its Office of Victim and Survivor Rights and Services (OVSRS), is offering grant funding to eligible nonprofit organizations under the Victim-Offender Dialogue (VOD) Program. The grant supports organizations delivering restorative justice services in California correctional facilities during the fiscal years 2026–2028. The VOD Program enables face-to-face dialogues between victims or surviving family members and the incarcerated individuals who committed crimes against them. These facilitated conversations aim to promote personal justice, victim healing, and offender accountability. The CDCR will award up to $1 million annually over two years, totaling $2 million, from the Inmate Welfare Fund. Individual grants may not exceed $500,000. Grant funds are intended to expand the availability of trained facilitators to meet the growing demand for restorative dialogue across state facilities. Eligible uses include salaries, travel, training, office supplies, and overhead (capped at 15%). However, funds cannot be used for bonuses, lobbying, fundraising, property purchases, or research. Programs already funded for similar VOD services by other CDCR divisions are ineligible. Organizations applying must demonstrate a history of restorative justice work, including experience with helping responsible parties understand and accept the impact of harm caused. Applications must identify at least five correctional facilities the program will serve and describe plans to offer both in-person and virtual dialogues. The submission must include a proposal narrative, a detailed budget, organizational documentation, and several state-mandated forms including civil rights and AI usage disclosures. Applications are due by 11:59 PM PST on January 9, 2026, via the online submission portal. An optional applicants’ conference call will be held on December 10, 2025. The review process includes both technical and merit evaluations, with final decisions made by the Secretary of CDCR. The grant period runs from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2028. Required reporting includes monthly status reports, biannual progress reports, post-dialogue evaluations, and participation in quarterly meetings and biannual roundtables. Compliance reviews and performance assessments may be conducted on-site. This is a recurring grant program. Based on the established funding cadence and specified application due date, the next anticipated cycle would begin in late 2027. All questions or technical issues regarding submissions should be directed to OVSRS_VOD@cdcr.ca.gov.

Only one application per org. Emphasize restorative justice experience. Carefully follow application checklist to avoid disqualification.