The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), through its Division of Rehabilitative Programs, is offering Victim Impact Grants to support nonprofit organizations in delivering restorative justice programming within CDCR institutions. These grants, funded through the Inmate Welfare Fund, aim to promote understanding and accountability among incarcerated individuals by fostering empathy and victim awareness. The initiative underscores a victim-centered approach by integrating survivor perspectives and prioritizing the emotional, psychological, and social impact of crime.
Victim Impact Programs funded by this grant must focus on three core principles: a victim-centered curriculum developed with input from victims, empathy development to help participants understand the trauma they caused, and accountability to encourage acknowledgment of harm done. Programs must include direct interaction with victims or surrogate victims in at least half of all programming sessions. These engagements must be coordinated in partnership with CDCR’s Office of Victim and Survivor Rights and Services and may occur through in-person meetings, multimedia sessions, or written narratives, contingent on institutional discretion.
Eligible applicants include nonprofit organizations with experience providing successful victim impact programming in correctional settings. Organizations without 501(c)(3) status may apply with a fiscal sponsor. Multi-state organizations must maintain a physical presence in California. Dual funding restrictions prohibit concurrent state or federal funding for the same program. Each organization may submit a single application per program and receive up to $400,000 in total grant funds across two years. Individual grant awards are capped at $200,000.
The grant period spans from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2028, with applications due by December 13, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. PST. Submissions are accepted exclusively online. Required application components include a proposal narrative, site selection forms, budget worksheets, proof of nonprofit status, and various state compliance documents such as the STD 204 form and Generative AI reporting.
Programs must provide quarterly progress reports with participant data and evaluations, and annual fiscal reconciliations. Site visits may be conducted by CDCR to ensure compliance and performance. A Certificate of Insurance with a minimum $1 million coverage per insurance type is required upon award. The grants will be awarded based on a merit review process conducted by representatives from DRP, DAI, and OVSRS, with final approval from the DRP Director. Grant awards are expected to be announced by February 20, 2026, and program implementation must begin no later than September 1, 2026.
Emphasize empathy, accountability, and victim-centered design; ensure 50% of sessions include direct victim/survivor contact; adhere strictly to budget structure.
