R3 2021 Annual Report
Letter from Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton
When we embarked on the Restore, Reinvest, and Renew (R3) program, we set out to create something that had never previously existed in the state of Illinois: infrastructure to address the decades of disinvestment, over-incarceration, and trauma caused by the war on drugs in communities throughout the state. As Chair of the R3 Program Board, I am proud that we are filling that need while centering the voices of the communities most impacted by these issues.
In the R3 program’s inaugural year, we made history allocating $35 million in grants to 80 organizations and their collaborative partners that are providing programs in the areas of economic development, violence prevention, youth development, reentry, and civil legal aid. Applications for grants were thoroughly reviewed by community members who represent the R3 eligible areas that have long gone unheard in policymaking, including justice-impacted individuals, to ensure equity and restorative justice were at the core of our decisions.
We have been intentional in listening to the wisdom these communities hold to guide us, which is why we made a series of improvements to the second round of R3 funding to further embed accessible, sustainable, and equitable practices that uplift Illinois’ regions with the most need. For this current round, we have prioritized smaller organizations that work directly with community, and we have expanded educational and technical assistance opportunities so change-makers have the tools to submit a successful application. These major strides were only possible due to the unwavering commitment and hard work of our collaborators. I would like to thank my fellow R3 Program Board members, Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority Director Delrice Adams and her team, and the staff of the Justice, Equity, and Opportunity Initiative in my office for their continued dedication to repairing the harm in our state.
Finally, thank you to the current R3 grantees who are the spirit of this work. They are touching the lives of countless people each day with the services they provide, and I am honored to lead the effort to support their mission in creating a safer, healed Illinois.
Respectfully,
Juliana Stratton
Lieutenant Governor of Illinois
Chair of the Restore, Reinvest, and Renew Program Board