ICJIA Awards $35 Million in Restore, Reinvest, and Renew (R3) Program Grants

CHICAGO— Using revenue from adult-use, recreational cannabis sales, the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (ICJIA) today announced $35 million in grants to support 88 programs run by local organizations across the state

“Illinois created the most equity-centric cannabis program in the nation and the R3 program is a fundamental component of our state’s legalization framework,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “By funding smaller community organizations in areas harmed by years of disinvestment and excessive incarceration, we are taking enormous strides toward justice and expanding opportunities for all."

The grants are part of the Restore, Reinvest, Renew (R3) Program, a key equity element of the 2019 Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act. The law requires 25% of adult-use cannabis tax revenue to support communities harmed by decades of economic disinvestment, violence, and the severe and disproportionate damage caused by the war on drugs. These issues largely impact low-income Illinoisans and communities of color. To date, ICJIA has awarded more than $244 million in R3 program grants.

“For too long, communities have suffered from systemic injustice and a criminal legal system that unfairly targets marginalized groups," said Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton. "Illinois’ equity-focused cannabis reform is a key step in addressing these issues. The R3 program not only provides funding but also empowers local organizations to create safer, stronger communities, giving every Illinoisan the chance to truly thrive.”

Grants were awarded to organizations that serve residents of designated eligible R3 zones. The R3 program empowers nonprofits, small businesses, and faith-based organizations to repair harm and build safer communities.

ICJIA received 574 completed applications, which were reviewed by community residents and other stakeholders. Before receiving applications, all reviewers underwent implicit bias training and application review training.

Funded programs will offer evidence-based, promising, or innovative service strategies within the R3 Program Priority Areas of civil legal aid, economic development, community re-entry from the criminal justice system, violence prevention, and youth development.

ICJIA’s Institute to Innovate (i2i) builds capacity within smaller organizations to manage grant funding.

“Capacity building is the key to equity,” said ICJIA Executive Director Delrice Adams. “i2i is a game-changer for grassroots organizations with little to no grant management experience. For many of these organizations, the limited capacity for grant management and a lack of organizational infrastructure become barriers to providing innovative services that address the needs of their communities.”

ICJIA also offers several training webinars on the application process, creating a budget, using the grant application system, and other topics. Upon processing the awards, ICJIA offers immediate administrative support to help new grantees successfully manage their grants and realize their visions of addressing community needs with their programs.

Grassroots organizations with operating budgets of less than $2 million also were prioritized to ensure equity. This priority helped level the playing field with heavily resourced, larger organizations to apply for and obtain funding.

The eligibility map was reassessed and updated in January 2024, as required every four years. Researchers identified areas eligible for R3 funding using community-level data on gun injury, child poverty, unemployment, and state prison commitments and returns, combined with disproportionately impacted areas previously identified by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.