With each passing day, the carceral system continues to expand as justice-impacted communities face escalating criminalization, attacks on democratic participation, and barriers to organizing and civic engagement. At this pivotal moment, protecting our communities requires both responding to immediate threats and investing in the long-term power of formerly incarcerated and directly impacted communities to organize before, during, and beyond election cycles.
To address this reality, CJI gathered grantee partners and fellow funders in New Orleans last month, under the banner Beyond the Ballot: Organized People, Organized Resources, Organized Power! Given the blatant power-grabs shown in Louisiana’s, Texas, Tennessee, Georgia and other Southern states, and the simultaneous people-power being organized by formally and currently incarcerated and directly impacted communities, we knew that there was much to learn from the South, and much work to do as we build our movement. And, together, we learned and strategized.
Now, as part of our Beyond the Ballot initiative, CJI is offering a special invitation-only grantmaking program. Through Beyond the Ballot, CJI will make grants on a revolving basis between now and October 5, 2026, supporting groups led by systems-impacted people, working on re-enfranchisement and civic engagement in their states, cities and districts as they continue to build long-term durable power.
Beyond the Ballot will make grants to FIP-led groups that:
- Engage the election cycle to organize and base-build to build power beyond this moment to end criminalization, incarceration and detention & deportation
- Expand the re-enfranchisement and civic engagement of formerly incarcerated and justice systems directly impacted people and their communities.
- Build collective power to fight against barriers, policies and laws that limit civic participation, including re-enfranchisement local, district and/or statewide restrictions
- Strengthen nonpartisan civic engagement that connects communities to the decisions, policies, and systems that shape their lives.
As a part of our CJI family, can you help us by referring organizations that are doing this critical work? If your referral meets the criteria, we will send them an RFP. Please only refer groups that fit this Beyond the Ballot Initiative! We’ll be back soon with more grantmaking opportunities!