Program Guidelines

The Public Welfare Foundation supports efforts to advance justice and opportunity for people in need. The Foundation looks for strategic points where its funds can make a significant difference and improve lives through policy and system reform that results in transformative change. We focus on two program areas: Criminal Justice and Youth Justice. We are currently transitioning out of Workers’ Rights and are no longer awarding grants in this area.

Start Your Application

Photo Placeholder

Criminal Justice Program Guidelines

The Foundation’s Criminal Justice Program supports groups that are working to end the over incarceration of adults in the United States while also aiming to reduce racial disparities. In particular, the Program makes grants primarily to state-based groups that are working to:

Reduce state incarceration levels and racial disparities through reforms in sentencing, charging, and supervision policies and procedures.
Advance the redirection and prioritization of state and local resources toward targeted investments that support system-involved individuals in their communities, through research and strategic thought leadership.

Start Your Application

Youth Justice Program Guidelines

The Foundation’s Youth Justice Program supports groups working to advance a fair and effective community-based vision of youth justice, with a focus on ending the criminalization and incarceration of youth of color. In particular, the Program makes grants to groups working to:

Advance state policy reforms that dramatically restrict youth incarceration, abandon the prison model, and adopt community-based approaches for youth in the juvenile justice system;
End the practice of trying, sentencing, and incarcerating youth in the adult criminal justice system; and
Support innovative strategies to counter structural racism in the juvenile justice system, with a particular focus on front-end reforms.

Special Opportunities Program Guidelines

The Special Opportunities Program supports projects reflecting the Foundation’s mission and underlying values, including its longstanding commitment to racial equity and justice. These are one-time only grants that are especially timely and compelling. At times, these grants serve as a laboratory for new ideas connected to our criminal and youth justice programs, but not limited to a particular strategy. To apply for a grant under the Special Opportunities Program, please submit a Letter of Inquiry.