“By awarding this first round of R3 grants, we are taking another important step toward undoing those harms of the past, and Lt. Governor Stratton and I will continue to focus on equity.”-Governor JB Pritzker
The Restore, Reinvest, and Renew, (R3) Grant Program, was created as a key equity element of the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act (CRTA). It was signed by Governor Pritzker in 2019. The law now requires that 25 percent of the tax revenue from adult-use cannabis sales be used to support communities impacted by economic disinvestment, violence, and the severe and disproportionate damage caused by the war on drugs, which largely impacts low-income Illinoisans and communities of color.
“The R3 program will tackle chronic problems that have gone unaddressed for far too long in our underserved neighborhoods,” said Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton.
Grant winners were recently announced. Awardees include nonprofit organizations, local units of government, tax-exempt faith-based organizations, businesses, and other community organizations that serve residents of—or who are based in—designated eligible R3 zones located around the state. These R3 zones have high documented rates of child poverty, unemployment, drug use, and incarceration. Maps and other information can be found on both the R3 and the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (ICJIA) websites.
“When I worked with the General Assembly to legalize adult-use cannabis, we took a three-pronged approach to address the hurt caused by decades of harmful policies: It created the Restore, Reinvest, and Renew reparations grant program for communities most impacted by the war on drugs, said Governor JB Pritzker. “It also allows for the expungement of hundreds of thousands of cannabis-related convictions and arrests, and it attempts to diversify ownership in a new industry.”
Lieutenant Governor Stratton added, “The collaboration between the Justice, Equity, and Opportunity Initiative (JEO) housed in my office, and ICJIA, is innovative and reinvents the grant process with community inclusion and promotes a standard for equity and success that other states will hopefully take note of and emulate.”
ICJIA received nearly 400 applications, which were reviewed by criminal justice practitioners, community stakeholders, and formerly justice-involved individuals.
All reviewers received implicit bias training along with training on application review. In addition, JEO played a pivotal role in ensuring equity and restorative justice frameworks were centered in every decision throughout the review process.
“We wanted to make sure everyone had a seat at the table as it relates to how do we repair the harm done to communities by the failed war on drugs,” Lt. Governor Stratton said. “By using reviewers and board members from those same communities we received insight about the best ways to help—who knows better what should be done, than the people who have experienced the need firsthand.”
Awardees will offer evidence-based, promising, or innovative practices focusing on civil legal aid, economic development, community re-entry from the criminal justice system, violence prevention, and youth development.
Some winning grant examples include programs that will assist incarcerated individuals by recording them reading books to their children—or teaching children to play the violin as a way to heal after experiencing trauma. A list of grant winners can be found on the ICJIA website. Visit www.icjia.state.il.us
The funds will be administered in the 2021 calendar year and include $28.3 million to support service delivery and $3.1 million for assessment and planning initiatives.
“Never before in the history of Illinois, perhaps the country, has there been community participation so inclusive and transformative in grantmaking,” said Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton. “This not a one and done program. R3 will provide grantmaking opportunities EVERY YEAR for years to come.”
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