Michigan Center for Youth Justice Receives $1M Grant to Lead Statewide Coalition

Ann Arbor, Mich. – Michigan Center for Youth Justice (MCYJ) has just received a $1 million grant from the Public Welfare Foundation (PWF) to lead a statewide coalition focused on building upon the historic reforms passed in 2023 through the Justice for Kids and Communities Act. 

The grant is part of PWF’s IGNITING FUTURES: A Youth Justice Grant opportunity, which aims to fund local youth justice coalition work. Two coalitions were awarded funds – one in Michigan and one in Tennessee.

The Michigan coalition will be co-led by MCYJ, Wayne State University Center for Behavioral Health and Justice and The Delta Project.

“At a pivotal moment for youth justice in Michigan, this grant allows us to move from policy promise to meaningful practice,” said MCYJ Executive Director Jason Smith. “We are building a coalition that centers youth and families, strengthens cross-system collaboration, and helps communities invest in supports that prevent system involvement in the first place. Together, this work lays the foundation for a more equitable, responsive, and community-driven approach to youth justice.”

By leveraging the recently enacted reforms, Michigan is poised to more effectively invest in community-based alternatives to incarceration, identify gaps in local continuums of care, and expand upstream interventions to better serve children and families. 

The Michigan Center for Youth Justice is grateful to the Public Welfare Foundation for its unwavering commitment to improving the lives of youth.

Contact: Natasha Blakely, communications manager, nblakely@miyouthjustice.org