Forty-one organizations will fund housing, job preparation, case management and prerelease support; recipients include programs serving Paterson, Bergen, Essex and Union County communities.
TRENTON, NJ – The New Jersey Department of Corrections has awarded nearly $7 million to 41 organizations for programs intended to help people prepare for release from prison and stabilize their lives after returning to the community.
The department announced the 2026 awards Monday, July 6, through the New Jersey Locally Empowered, Accountable and Determined initiative, known as NJLEAD. Funded services include housing assistance, employment preparation, case management, behavioral and mental-health support, and programs that begin before release.
The awards extend across the state and include several recipients with clear North Jersey connections. The department’s award list includes $152,000 for the City of Paterson, $250,000 for Greater Bergen Community Action, $145,000 for the Urban League of Essex County, $80,000 for YWCA Northern New Jersey and $400,000 for the Urban League of Union County.
Other listed awards include $100,000 for NJPAC, $100,000 for NAN Newark Tech World, and $50,000 for the Union County Economic Development Corp., among dozens of grants statewide.
“Successful reentry strengthens public safety and creates stronger communities,” said Commissioner Victoria L. Kuhn, Esq. “These investments support local organizations that help individuals secure housing, find employment, access treatment and build stable lives after release. Their work is an important part of New Jersey’s continued progress in reducing recidivism.”
The state divided funding among several types of work. One category supports municipal coordination of local reentry services. Another funds direct services such as case management, housing assistance and mental-health support. Additional categories focus on employment and entrepreneurship, along with prerelease preparation and vocational training.
According to NJDOC, participating partners recorded 7,335 prerelease contacts during calendar year 2025 and 13,882 community contacts with people already navigating reintegration. The department also said more than 300 recently released individuals received emergency housing through the initiative. Those numbers are department-reported program outputs and do not, by themselves, establish the long-term effectiveness of each funded organization.
The department also cited its most recent recidivism report, saying 6% of people released from NJDOC custody in 2021 were reincarcerated for a new conviction within three years. That figure should be read precisely: it is the department’s measure of reincarceration for a new conviction within the specified period, not a measure of every rearrest, technical violation or return to custody.
For North Jersey communities, the award list directs public money into a mix of municipal programs and nonprofit providers rather than one centralized statewide service. The next practical question is how the 41 recipients use the grants and what outcomes the state reports for the 2026 funding cycle.