Sacramento, California - The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) will be awarding a second round of grants meant to boost innovative programs and increase volunteerism in prisons.

Earlier this year, a first round of grants totally $2.5 million was provided to volunteers and non-profit organizations already operating a rehabilitation program in a California prison and expanded those programs to prisons that do not have the same levels of volunteer service in the area.

“Programs that focus on the rehabilitation of inmates have proven to reduce recidivism substantially,” CDCR Secretary Jeff Beard said. “We hope to continue to expand the positive influence of these programs to prisons that have fewer volunteer resources.”

The second round of grants will provide $3 million to eligible volunteers and non-profit organizations currently offering programs in California prisons that focus on offender responsibility and restorative justice principles, and which have demonstrated success.

The grant funding is intended to provide applicants who currently provide programs in California prisons with the resources necessary to replicate the program(s) at one or more other prisons.

Up to 50 percent of the grant will be awarded after March 1, 2016, and the remainder will be disbursed on or after November 1, 2016, upon request of the grantee and upon confirmation by CDCR that satisfactory progress is being made as demonstrated by mandatory progress reports.

At the end of the grant period it is expected that the programs will have been implemented, additional volunteer resources developed, and the programs will be able to be sustained in the future through the normal prison budget.

The following California prisons are included in this project: Avenal State Prison, California City Correctional Center, California Correctional Institution, California Health Care Facility, California State Prison- Los Angeles County, Chuckawalla Valley State Prison, Deuel Vocational Institution, Folsom Women’s Facility, High Desert State Prison, Kern Valley State Prison, North Kern State Prison, Pelican Bay State Prison, Pleasant Valley State Prison and Wasco State Prison.

Programs previously funded through Innovative Programming Grants are not eligible to apply at the same location(s) for which the prior grant funding was received. However, applications to extend a program to additional facilities at the same institution for which previous grant funding was received will be accepted.

The following California prisons are included in this project: Avenal State Prison, California City Correctional Center, California Correctional Institution, California Health Care Facility, California State Prison- Los Angeles County, Chuckawalla Valley State Prison, Deuel Vocational Institution, Folsom Women’s Facility, High Desert State Prison, Kern Valley State Prison, North Kern State Prison, Pelican Bay State Prison, Pleasant Valley State Prison and Wasco State Prison.

Programs previously funded through Innovative Programming Grants are not eligible to apply at the same location(s) for which the prior grant funding was received. However, applications to extend a program to additional facilities at the same institution for which previous grant funding was received will be accepted.

All applicants are required to submit a Notice of Intent to Apply by 5 p.m. on Thursday, October 6, 2015.

For more information about the application process, please visit http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/rehabilitation/docs/Innovative-Programs-Grant-AppInfo-Rnd2.pdf.