The Michigan Justice Fund (MJF) announced Thursday $1.7 million in grant funding to support its continued commitment to driving equity and justice across Michigan. Funds were awarded through MJF’s Innovation in Re-Entry and Workforce Development Grant Program, which focuses on scalable strategies across industries to enhance economic mobility and opportunities for those impacted by the criminal legal system. 

Included in this year’s awards is $100,000 for Michigan Works! West Central to implement its Reclaiming Futures program, which will serve juvenile-lifers and individuals with maxed-out cases with reentry support. Statewide, a total of seven organizations are receiving grant funds through this year’s award.

“We are incredibly honored to receive this grant, which will have a transformative impact on the lives of max-out and juvenile-lifers reentering society,” said Amanda Floyd, OS Reentry Program Manager for Michigan Works! West Central. “The individuals who benefit from these funds often lack access to critical resources, because they don’t qualify for our OS Reentry Services program. This funding allows us to bridge that gap. With this support, we can provide the tools, guidance and opportunities they need to build a brighter future and successfully reintegrate into their communities. We are grateful for this opportunity to expand our mission and make a lasting difference.”

The OS Reentry Services program is a comprehensive statewide initiative led by the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC), designed to support the successful reintegration of recently-paroled individuals into society. Michigan Works! West Central administers the program for all of Prosperity Region 4, which encompasses the 13 counties of Allegan, Barry, Ionia, Kent, Lake, Mason, Mecosta, Montcalm, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oceana, Osceola and Ottawa.

Michigan Works! West Central’s OS Reentry Services program has a dedicated team providing essential resources, economic stability, mentoring, housing, health and behavioral-health services across all 13 counties. The program also offers opportunities tailored for higher education and skilled trades, as well as a range of resources aimed at breaking barriers and facilitating successful reentry into society.

Traditional reentry programs rarely focus on max-out cases and juvenile-lifers, so this initiative fills a critical gap. By offering tailored employment services, mentorship and access to supportive resources, it addresses each individuals’ unique needs and barriers, such as limited social support networks, outdated job skills and difficulty accessing housing. Michigan Works! West Central will continue to work with the Michigan State Appellate Defender Office (SADO) to identify juvenile lifers exiting incarceration who can benefit from the program.

“We had several members of our team come together to write this grant application. I am proud of the work they have done so far, and look forward to the positive benefits this initiative will have for those re-entering society,” said Shelly Keene, Michigan Works! West Central Executive Director. “This project addresses key gaps and challenges for a group that is too often overlooked. By providing this specialized support with our partners at MDOC and SADO, we are helping individuals rebuild their lives, and ultimately reducing recidivism among this high-risk population throughout our region.”

The full list of this year’s grant winners includes: 

• 70 x 7 Life Recovery: $220,000 for internal capacity building that will enhance its ability to provide reentry services through trauma-informed intake processes, updated IT systems, and improved leadership cohesion. 

• Mackinac Center: $206,000 for the efforts to address license and credential restrictions for system-involved individuals. 

• SER Metro-Detroit Jobs for Progress, Inc.: $330,000 for the expansion of a program that provides holistic services for women recently released from the Wayne County Criminal Justice Center and Women’s Huron Valley Correctional Facility. 

• Southeast Michigan Community Alliance: $400,000 for the Fresh Start Workforce Initiative that strengthens partnerships in Monroe County to address reentry needs of system-involved individuals. 

• Trinity Health-Michigan Southeast: $389,138 for the Fair Chance Hiring Program that will create pathways for system-involved individuals into transitional jobs and direct-hire, as well as transform the Trinity Health hiring protocols for system-involved individuals. 

• We the People Opportunity Farm: $100,000 for the planning of a social enterprise café, fully operated and staffed by formerly incarcerated individuals. 

• West Central Michigan Employment & Training Consortium, Inc.: $100,000 for a Reclaiming Futures program with Michigan Works! West Central to serve juvenile lifers and individuals with maxed-out cases with reentry support. 

Since its inception in 2020, MJF has deployed more than $20 million dollars across Michigan to stimulate the work of grantees, strengthening the advocacy ecosystem and fostering partnerships across sectors, including private, public, philanthropic, government and grassroots advocates. Through its dynamic investment strategy, MJF has established itself as a national leader and a model for philanthropic efforts in criminal legal reform. 

“We are thrilled about this latest round of grants and the opportunities they create to explore bold, imaginative approaches to justice reform in Michigan,” said Ashley Carter, Director of the Michigan Justice Fund. “These investments will create new pathways to opportunities across industries, among them healthcare, social enterprise and access to housing. Together, we are cultivating meaningful systemic change that will inspire progress throughout the state and beyond.” 

For more information about the Michigan Justice Fund, visit cfsem.org. For more information about Michigan Works! West Central’s OS Reentry Services program, visit MWWC.org/OS.