Youth Gang Diversion: Statewide Grant Program

The Youth Gang Diversion: Statewide Program is administered by the Wisconsin Department of Justice through its Bureau of Justice Programs, which serves as the state administering agency for juvenile and criminal justice funding. The agency is responsible for setting priorities, distributing funds, and monitoring outcomes for programs that improve public safety and youth outcomes. This grant opportunity is designed to support initiatives that address youth involvement in gangs by funding targeted diversion strategies. The purpose of the program is to fund the development and implementation of a comprehensive youth diversion initiative aimed at redirecting individuals under the age of 18 away from gang involvement and toward constructive activities. Funded programs must serve youth aged 0–17 who are at risk of joining gangs or are currently involved in gang activity. The initiative emphasizes connecting youth with educational opportunities, recreational programming, employment pathways, and substance abuse education and treatment services. Funding is provided to support a wide range of allowable costs, including personnel, employee benefits, travel and training, supplies, operating expenses, and contractual services. All expenditures must represent new costs and cannot replace existing funding sources. The program explicitly prohibits supplanting, meaning that grant funds must supplement rather than substitute existing local or state funding. There is no matching requirement associated with this opportunity, which reduces barriers to participation for eligible agencies. Eligibility is limited to federally recognized Wisconsin tribes, county government agencies including human or social services departments, and local government entities such as school districts and law enforcement agencies. Applicants must also meet federal requirements, including maintaining active registration in the System for Award Management and obtaining a Unique Entity Identifier. Compliance with federal and state regulations is required throughout the grant lifecycle, including adherence to reporting, procurement, and audit standards. Applications must be submitted through the Wisconsin DOJ Egrants system, which requires prior registration for project directors and financial officers. The application process includes multiple required components such as a main summary, budget detail and narrative, goals and objectives, and a comprehensive project narrative. Applicants must describe the scope of the gang problem in their community, define a targeted population of at-risk youth, outline program design and implementation steps, and explain how outcomes will be measured. Evaluation criteria are based on a 32-point scoring system across these sections. The application deadline is May 1, 2026, with projects expected to begin on July 1, 2026 and conclude on June 30, 2027. Awards are anticipated to be announced approximately 30 days after approval. Only one award will be issued with total available funding of 63,400 dollars. Recipients are required to submit quarterly programmatic and financial reports to receive reimbursement. The grant operates on a reimbursement basis, meaning funds are disbursed after documented expenses are submitted and approved. Program contacts include Kiley Komro for programmatic questions and La Trisha Quade for budget inquiries, along with a dedicated Egrants help desk for technical assistance. The program is competitive and subject to final approval by the Attorney General, with additional consideration given to factors such as geographic distribution, underserved populations, and past performance. This opportunity represents a focused investment in evidence-based strategies to prevent youth gang involvement and improve community safety outcomes.

Ensure strong data-driven problem statement; align budget with program goals; use SMART objectives; clearly define target youth population and measurable outcomes