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Criminal Justice Grants

Criminal Justice Grants

baer-grants-criminalAccording to a study cited by the Council of State Governments Justice Center, an estimated 2 million individuals suffering from serious mental illness are jailed each year. Despite the fact that most of these individuals are arrested for nonviolent crimes like trespassing, disturbing the peace, or drug use; research shows that mentally ill inmates tend to be incarcerated for longer, return to prison more frequently, and cost more to incarcerate than those without mental illness. Sidney R. Baer, Jr. himself is a part of this statistic.

From pre-arrest treatment options to training for law enforcement officials and discounted specialized legal services, it is the goal of The Sidney R. Baer, Jr. Foundation to provide grants to the organizations and individuals who are striving to make a difference in this area of the mental health field.

Apply for Criminal Justice Grants

Sidney R. Baer, Jr. Foundation Grant Process


The Trustees of the Sidney R. Baer, Jr. Foundation are extremely grateful for all the courageous work that has been done by the Foundation’s grantees to support those in need during these difficult times.

Step One

  • Determine Eligibility
    Determine your eligibility to apply. Review the Impact Gallery & Grant Guidelines pages to identify if your grant request would be a good fit for The Sidney R. Baer, Jr. Foundation.

Step Two

  • Complete Letter of Intent – NEW LETTER OF INTENT PROCESS!!
    Please register your charitable organization through the Sidney R. Baer, Jr. Foundation, U.S. Bank, NA Trustee Online Portal using the link below. Please be sure to CREATE NEW ACCOUNT to create your login credentials. Once registered, you will have access to the Letter of Intent Online Document.

REGISTER NOW
Letters of Intent will be accepted November 1st through March 1st. The LOI process will close at 10 pm (CST) on March 1st.

Step Three

  • Letter of Intent Review
    The Grantmaking Committee will review your Letter of Intent form within two months of the grant cycle’s respective LOI deadline. In the event the Committee is interested in pursuing your request, you will receive an invitation to apply for the upcoming grant cycle. The invitation will include detailed instructions about how and where to apply.

Step Four

  • Complete Grant Application
    If invited, you will be provided a private link to the complete Grant Application. If you are approved to submit a Grant Application, the application must be submitted no later than May 31st.

Step Five

  • Award Notification
    Decisions on grants are made by the Grantmaking Committee of The Sidney R. Baer, Jr. Foundation. You will be notified whether or not you were awarded a grant from The Sidney R. Baer, Jr. Foundation and in what amount.

Step Six

  • Submit Progress Report
    NEW PROCESS required for The Sidney R. Baer, Jr. Foundation progress reports.
    Please access your organization’s account if you were notified to complete a full or interim progress report to meet the deadlines. Only awarded agencies will receive notification from the Grant Interface/Foundant website for this form.
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Recipient Gallery


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Frequently Asked Questions

Who is qualified to apply for a grant?

Qualifying organizations must have tax-exempt status under IRS sections 501(c)(3) and 509(a)(1) or 509(a)(2). They must agree to expend no more than seven percent of the received fund on the organization’s administrative expenses and the primary focus of the application should be programs concentrating on schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

Do I need to submit a letter of intent?

Yes. Only after submitting a letter of intent will an applicant be invited to officially apply for a grant via our Foundant online portal. LOIs will be accepted November 1st through March 1st. Please visit our GRANTS page for more information on our LOI and grant submission process.

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