The Justice Initiative and Collaborative Fund

The Justice Initiative and Collaborative Fund

Funder: New York Women's Foundation Inc

Overview:
A pioneering philanthropic mobilization effort to end mass incarceration with a lens of gender and racial equality. The Fund invests in community solutions that reduce incarceration, move toward decriminalization, and promote economic opportunity, health, and safety for system-impacted women and families.

Key Priorities

• Closing Rikers Island and investing in alternatives that promote safety and overall well-being
• Bail reform and decriminalization efforts
• Reducing jail population and supporting alternatives to incarceration
• Economic opportunity, health, and safety for system-impacted communities

Approach

• Centers individuals with histories of justice system involvement
• Engages community leaders and community-based organizations
• Includes leaders from academia and research
• Leverages local voices and visions
• Collaborative effort with other philanthropic organizations and donors

Impact to Date

• Supported community partners that secured statewide Bail Reform
• Advocated for and won reduction of bed capacity in borough-based facilities
• Aimed to promote 50% jail population decrease
• Contributed to movement toward closing Rikers Island

Community Partners (Examples)

• Survivors Justice Project at Brooklyn Law School
• Exodus Transitional Community
• Equality for Flatbush
• Street Vendor Project (SVP)

Funding Partners

• Art for Justice Fund
• Farbman Family Foundation
• Open Society Foundations

Geographic Scope

• Focus on New York City and surrounding areas
• National implications for decriminalization work

Contact Information

• Address: 39 Broadway, 33rd Floor, New York, NY 10006
• Phone: 212-514-6993
• Email: hello@nywf.org
• Tax ID: 13-3457287