Catalyst Grant Program

Racism and racial biases are deeply embedded in the criminal legal system, leading to disproportionate harm to communities of color. Even brief incarceration carries significant costs to individuals, families, and communities.  By improving access to relevant data and technology, communities can have additional tools to inform and improve policy and practices to make the criminal legal system more equitable.   

The Urban Institute and the Microsoft Justice Reform Initiative are collaborating on the Catalyst Grant Program to help nonprofit organizations use data and technology to advance racial equity and reform at the front end of the criminal legal system.

To sign up to receive announcements about future rounds of the Catalyst Grant Program and to be notified of the next RFP release anticipated in October 2023, please sign up through this form . The Request For Proposals and Frequently Asked Questions from the Fall 2022 are also available for reference. For more information about the past and current grantees, see Urban Institute program website.