The Community First Act would create Justice Department grants for partnerships seeking to reduce the number of people held in local jails and the time they spend there. Eligible partnerships must include at least two of these groups: a local government, a territory, an Indian tribe, or a nonprofit organization. Grants could support data analysis and public planning, or put plans into action through services such as pretrial support, diversion programs, faster case processing, and early access to defense counsel. Implementation grants would require consultation with communities, ongoing evaluation, and set reductions in jail incarceration.
Local governments, tribes, territories, and nonprofits could apply together for grants. Grant plans would include community input and be made public. The bill does not promise a grant or a direct benefit to any individual.
The bill would authorize $20 million per year for planning grants and $100 million per year for implementation grants for fiscal years 2026 through 2030. Ten percent of implementation grant funding would be set aside for evaluation. Planning grants could be up to $100,000 for one year. Implementation grants would last six years, with first-year awards from $500,000 to $3 million; sixth-year funds would be limited to evaluation and a final report. These amounts are authorizations, not a statement that funds have been appropriated.
No publicly available information.
No publicly available information.