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Circle for Justice Innovations (CJI)

Website:

cjifund.org/
Location:

Brooklyn, NY
Type:

Criminal Justice Policy Advocacy Group
Formation:

2001
Manager of finance and operation:

Fanny Bueso

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The Circle for Justice Innovations (CJI) is a center-left criminal justice advocacy group. CJI was started as a project of the The Funding Exchange, 1 but has been under the fiscal sponsorship of the Solidago Foundation since October 1, 2022. 2 The group was called the Criminal Justice Initiative until at least 2007. 3

Since its founding in 2001, CJI has made over $10 million in grants to 275 organizations in 39 states and Washington, D.C. 4

Background

In March 2001, The Funding Exchange, a left-of-center grantmaking organization, hosted the Critical Resistance East Coast Regional conference to bring together left-of-center criminal justice policy advocates. After the conference, ten organization leaders and donors came together under the Exchange to form the Criminal Justice Initiative, which would later be known as the Circle for Justice Innovations. Each founding member of CJI contributed at least $5,000 to the fund. 5

CJI was given $417,000 for three grantmaking cycles across the next six years. 77 percent of recipients were local to New York City while the rest were multi-state or national. Though initially dedicated only to criminal justice policy, CJI expanded its scope to liberal immigration advocacy within its first six years of operations. 6

Grantmaking

As of December 2023, the Circle for Justice Innovations divides its grantmaking between three active funds. The founding fund, the “Leadership Circle,” focuses on criminal justice policy and support for currently and formerly incarcerated individuals. 7 “Until She’s Free” was launched in 2020 to support incarcerated women and to oppose policies that encourage the incarceration of women. 8 The Strategic Opportunities Support Rapid Response Circle gives “microgrants” of up to $5,000 to criminal justice advocacy organizations in urgent need of funding. 9

CJI’s grantmaking prioritizes organizations that focus on “marginalized populations,” including racial and ethnic minorities, women, Native Americans, young people, immigrants, LGBT people, and low-income individuals. 10

In 2021, CJI made $2 million in grants. 11 Grants were made to 112 organizations in 34 states and Washington, D.C. The average grant size was $16,000. CJI made $500,000 in grants through the “Until She’s Free” fund and $125,000 in grants through the Strategic Opportunities Support Rapid Response Circle. 12

On October 8, 2021, CJI made its 600th grant. 13

Also in 2021, CJI partnered with Unfunded List, a group that reviews grant proposals. 14

In 2020, CJI made over $3 million in grants to over 90 organizations. 15

In 2020, CJI added a criterion for all grantees that their advocacy area must be directly connected to some organizational leaders. For instance, a criminal justice advocacy group must have formerly incarcerated individuals in its leadership. 16

From 2016 to 2020, CJI’s grant funding increased nine-fold. 17

In 2001, CJI’s first grant-making year, CJI gave $180,000 in grants. 18

Criminal Justice Reform

In 2022, CJI gave grants of $50,000 or more to the Justice Committee, the Ordinary People Society, the Texas Jail Project, the California Coalition of Women Prisoners, Free Hearts, Justice For Families, Life After Release, Daughters Beyond Incarceration, the Love Not Blood Campaign, the Release Aging People in Prison Campaign, and Women Against Mass Incarceration. 19 20 21

Immigration

CJI has contributed to organizations that support liberal immigration policies, including Mano Amiga, La Resistencia, and Migrant Justice / Justicia Migrante. 22 23

Transgender Advocacy

CJI also supports numerous transgender advocacy groups, including the TGI Justice Project, TRANScending Barriers, Trans Queer Pueblo, the Outlaw Project, and the Brave Space Alliance. 24 25

Starving the Beast

Up until at least 2021, 26 CJI ran “Starving the Beast,” a fund that supported organizations dedicated to promoting policies that “limit police interactions around mental health, homelessness, and consenting adult behavior.” 27

Other Activity

In July 2019, the Circle for Justice Innovations launched a petition to call upon New York City to declare a building on Duffield Street in Brooklyn with ties to the abolitionist movement to be made into a historical landmark. The building had previously been subject to eminent domain and was nearly demolished; in 2019, it was again scheduled for demolition by its owners. 28

The building and the area around it, now called Abolitionist Place, were later bought by the city. As of May 2022, CJI and other racial activist groups were pushing to create a “cultural destination” in honor of local abolitionists. 29

In 2021, CJI supported a petition to turn over control of an African burial ground in Brooklyn from New York City to “African-American, Caribbean and other Flatbush residents of African Descent.” 30

Funding

In 2023, Circle for Justice Innovations received funding from Yield Giving, the grantmaking vehicle for MacKenzie Scott. 31 Also in 2023, CJI received $175,000 from the Trinity Church Wall Street to promote restorative justice policies in New York City. 32

In 2022, CJI received $25,000 from the Prospect Hill Foundation. 33

In 2021, CJI received $50,000 from Galaxy Gives. 34

In 2020, CJI received funding from the Open Society Foundations. 35

References

  1. “Criminal Justice Initiative.” Myftpupload. Accessed December 13, 2023. https://vn4.ec1.myftpupload.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/CJIFIRST5YEARREPORT.pdf.
  2. “Donate.” Donor Perfect. Accessed December 13, 2023. https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/weblink.aspx?name=E346589&id=1.
  3. “Our grantees.” Circle for Justice Innovations. Accessed December 13, 2023. https://cjifund.org/our-grantees/.
  4. “About.” Circle for Justice Innovations. Accessed December 13, 2023. https://cjifund.org/who-we-are/.
  5. “Criminal Justice Initiative.” Myftpupload. Accessed December 13, 2023. https://vn4.ec1.myftpupload.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/CJIFIRST5YEARREPORT.pdf.
  6. “Criminal Justice Initiative.” Myftpupload. Accessed December 13, 2023. https://vn4.ec1.myftpupload.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/CJIFIRST5YEARREPORT.pdf.
  7. “Leadership Circle.” Circle for Justice Innovations. Accessed December 13, 2023. https://cjifund.org/leadership-circle/.
  8. “Until She’s Free.” Circle for Justice Innovations. Accessed December 13, 2023. https://cjifund.org/until-shes-free/.
  9. “Strategic Opportunities Support (SOS) Rapid Response Circle.” Apply for Grants. Accessed December 13, 2023. https://cjifund.org/strategic-opportunities-support-sos-rapid-response-circle/.
  10. “CJI Funding Model.” Circle for Justice Innovations. Accessed December 13, 2023. https://cjifund.org/cji-funding-model/.
  11. “News.” Circle for Justice Innovations. Accessed December 13, 2023. https://cjifund.org/news/.
  12. “2022 Grant Cycles Launching, After Breaking Records in 2021.” Circle for Justice Innovations. March 27, 2023. Accessed December 13, 2023. https://cjifund.org/hello-world/.
  13. “News.” Circle for Justice Innovations. Accessed December 13, 2023. https://cjifund.org/news/.
  14. “Legacy Programs.” Circle for Justice Innovations. Accessed December 13, 2023. https://cjifund.org/legacy-programs/.
  15. “About.” Circle for Justice Innovations. Accessed December 13, 2023. https://cjifund.org/who-we-are/.
  16. “Fighting for Transgender Rights: Circle for Justice Innovations.” Neo Philanthropy. January 20, 2020. Accessed December 13, 2023. https://neophilanthropy.org/fighting-for-transgender-rights-circle-for-justice-innovations/.
  17. “About.” Circle for Justice Innovations. Accessed December 13, 2023. https://cjifund.org/who-we-are/.
  18. “About.” Circle for Justice Innovations. Accessed December 13, 2023. https://cjifund.org/who-we-are/.
  19. “2022 Leadership Circle Grantees – $25,000 each.” Circle for Leadership Justice. Accessed December 13, 2023. https://vn4.ec1.myftpupload.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/2022-Leadership-Circle-Grantees.pdf.
  20. “Until She’s Free Circle.” Circle for Justice Innovations. Accessed December 13, 2023. https://vn4.ec1.myftpupload.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Until-Shes-Free-Circle-Grantee-Profiles-2022.pdf.
  21. “The Circle for Justice Innovations Leadership Circle Grantees – 2021.” Circle for Justice Innovations. Accessed December 13, 2023. https://vn4.ec1.myftpupload.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Leadership-Circle-Grantees-2021.pdf.
  22. [1] “2022 Leadership Circle Grantees – $25,000 each.” Circle for Leadership Justice. Accessed December 13, 2023. https://vn4.ec1.myftpupload.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/2022-Leadership-Circle-Grantees.pdf.
  23. “The Circle for Justice Innovations Leadership Circle Grantees – 2021.” Circle for Justice Innovations. Accessed December 13, 2023. https://vn4.ec1.myftpupload.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Leadership-Circle-Grantees-2021.pdf.
  24. [1] “Fighting for Transgender Rights: Circle for Justice Innovations.” Neo Philanthropy. January 20, 2020. Accessed December 13, 2023. https://neophilanthropy.org/fighting-for-transgender-rights-circle-for-justice-innovations/.
  25. “2022 Leadership Circle Grantees – $25,000 each.” Circle for Leadership Justice. Accessed December 13, 2023. https://vn4.ec1.myftpupload.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/2022-Leadership-Circle-Grantees.pdf.
  26. “2022 Grant Cycles Launching, After Breaking Records in 2021.” Circle for Justice Innovations. March 27, 2023. Accessed December 13, 2023. https://cjifund.org/hello-world/.
  27.  “Ubuntu Receives Grant from the Ciricle for Justice Innovations’ ‘Starving the Beast Fund’.” Ubuntu Village Genoa. July 2, 2021. Accessed December 13, 2023. https://ubuntuvillagenola.org/2021/07/02/ubuntu-receives-grant-from-the-circle-for-justice-innovations-starving-the-beast-fund/.
  28. Hubert, Craig. “Demo Permits Filed for Historic Abolitionist House on Duffield Street in Downtown Brooklyn.” Brownstoner. July 10, 2019. Accessed December 13, 2023. https://www.brownstoner.com/development/underground-railroad-downtown-brooklyn-227-duffield-street-demolition-abolitionist-landmark-levin/
  29. Bradley-Smith, Anna. “After Abolitionist Landmark Win, Activists Fight to Create Brooklyn Civil Rights Destination.” Brownstoner. May 3, 2022. Accessed December 13, 2023. https://www.brownstoner.com/brooklyn-life/downtown-brooklyn-abolitionist-heritage-center-227-duffield-place-sisters-in-freedom-statue/.
  30. “Save the Flatbush African Burial Ground.” Change.org. July 12, 2021. Accessed December 13, 2023. https://www.change.org/p/mayor-bill-de-blasio-save-the-flatbush-african-burial-ground.
  31. “Gifts search: Circle for Justice Innovations.” Yield Giving. Accessed December 13, 2023. https://yieldgiving.com/gifts/?q=circle+for+justice+innovations.
  32. “2023 Grants.” Trinity Wall Street. Accessed December 13, 2023. https://trinitywallstreet.org/grants-partners/what-we-fund/recent-grants.
  33. “CJI (Circle for Justice Innovations Fund).” The Prospect Hill Foundation. Accessed December 13, 2023. https://www.prospect-hill.org/grants/2022/cji-fund.
  34. “Circle for Justice Innovations.” Galaxy Gives. Accessed December 13, 2023. https://www.galaxygives.com/grantees/circle-for-justice-innovations.
  35. “Open Society Foundations announce $220 million to support organizations and leaders building power in Black communities across the U.S.” Yahoo! Finance. July 13, 2020. Accessed December 13, 2023. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/open-society-foundations-announce-220-091247621.html.
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Circle for Justice Innovations (CJI)


Brooklyn, NY