2026 Juvenile Justice Incentive Grant Program

The Juvenile Justice Incentive Grant Program (JJIG) is a competitive funding opportunity managed by the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC) for qualified counties in Georgia. This program is designed to support local juvenile courts in implementing evidence-based, community-focused alternatives to out-of-home placements for juvenile offenders. The goal is to reduce juvenile recidivism while improving community-based services for at-risk youth.

The JJIG is a response to Georgia’s Special Council on Criminal Justice Reform (2011), which found that the state’s juvenile justice system needed significant improvements to enhance outcomes for youth offenders. Since its launch in 2012, the grant program has reduced out-of-home placements by over 50% and served nearly 10,000 youth. The funding aims to support evidence-based programs that keep juveniles within their communities while providing structured interventions to prevent reoffending.

The eligibility for this grant is limited to county commissions/boards of commissioners that apply on behalf of juvenile courts within Georgia. Priority will be given to the 18 counties with the highest numbers of juvenile commitments to the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ). Additionally, applicants must comply with the Georgia Service Delivery Strategy Act and adhere to regulations such as federal criminal background checks for personnel working with youth.

The award period runs from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026. New applicants can request up to $350,000, while returning grantees may receive up to $750,000. There is no required matching contribution for this grant. Applications must be submitted by April 25, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. ET. Funding decisions are based on factors such as program effectiveness, financial compliance, and the reasonableness of budget proposals. Award notifications will be issued after the Georgia Juvenile Justice State Advisory Group reviews recommendations from the grant selection panel.

All awarded projects must implement evidence-based interventions from a pre-approved list, which includes Functional Family Therapy (FFT), Aggression Replacement Training (ART), and Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), among others. Programs must serve youth with delinquent adjudications and medium-to-high-risk scores as determined by the Pre-Disposition Risk Assessment (PDRA).

Grantees are required to submit financial and programmatic reports on a monthly or quarterly basis. They must also participate in evaluation studies, site visits, and grant management training sessions. The budget allocation must direct at least 70% of funds toward evidence-based program costs, with administrative costs limited to 30%.

For additional information, applicants can contact:

Program/Finance: Stephanie Mikkelsen, Program Director – Smikkelsen@cjcc.ga.gov
System Technical Assistance: Jonathan Peart, Director of Operations – Jonathan.Peart@cjcc.ga.gov
Applications must be submitted through the CJCC Grants Management System at https://grantsportal.cjcc.ga.gov/.