California continues to demonstrate how we can take collective action to better support individuals impacted by the justice system. Recently, Governor Gavin Newsom signed the Firefighting to Freedom Bill Package, a collection of seven bills that honor the work of 1,800 incarcerated firefighters and help pave the way for a second chance. 

The 2025 Smart Justice Spark Grants Funding Cycle

With a similar focus on incarcerated fighters, coupled with recognizing the importance of higher education in prison programs (HEP), Michelson 20MM launched the 2025 Smart Justice Spark Grant funding cycle, which closed on September 16, 2025. The cycle’s focus areas included:

• Efforts that scale and increase higher education and workforce development pathways for incarcerated individuals pursuing firefighting careers
• Initiatives with innovative approaches to higher education in prison (HEP) programming
• Projects that help ensure the quality of education being provided in HEP programs
• Efforts that analyze the landscape of HEP programming in California to support the  launching of a California HEP consortium, a group that will advance recommendations on best approaches in HEP/reentry programming and policy statewide

In response to the call for applications, dozens of organizations submitted initiatives that will positively impact our communities. Based on the recommendations of our Spark Community Advisors, we are pleased to announce the 2025 cohort.

Welcoming the 2025 Smart Justice Spark Grantees

Designing Justice + Designing Spaces (DJDS)

DJDS is redefining how housing and higher education intersect for justice-impacted students. Their pilot at Sacramento State introduces a “bridge ownership” model that converts unspent public funds into trauma-informed, community-based housing near campuses. In partnership with Project Rebound, DJDS connects housing, education, and reentry support to help students persist in college and rebuild their lives. Designed for statewide replication across the California State University (CSU) and California Community College (CCC) systems, the model demonstrates how care-based infrastructure can advance equity, stability, and opportunity for young people transitioning from incarceration to higher education.

Initiate Justice

Initiate Justice is ensuring that AB 812, the law allowing incarcerated firefighters to be recommended for resentencing and release, is implemented fairly and transparently. Partnering with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), the organization will apply its inside-outside organizing model to center the leadership of incarcerated people, their families, and advocates. By involving directly impacted communities from the start, the project redesigns implementation from a closed process into one rooted in collaboration and accountability. Through this work, Initiate Justice is demonstrating how community-driven policymaking can turn legal victories into real change and establish a replicable model for transparent, equitable reform across California’s justice system.

Jobs for the Future (JFF)

JFF is laying the groundwork for a coordinated, statewide approach to higher education in prison (HEP) across California. Through a six-month landscape analysis, the Center for Justice & Economic Advancement at JFF will map programs, partnerships, and gaps, producing a comprehensive view of the state’s HEP ecosystem. By centering system-impacted leaders and practitioners, the project will identify pathways to expand access, improve program quality, and strengthen connections from education to employment. Insights will guide the creation of a California HEP consortium, aligning colleges, reentry programs, and fair-chance employers. This model will help California build scalable, data-driven systems that ensure incarcerated learners can complete credentials leading to meaningful careers and long-term success.

We are energized by the work of these organizations and look forward to sharing the impact of their work in the coming months.

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About the Michelson 20MM Foundation

Michelson 20MM is a private, nonprofit foundation working toward equity for underserved and historically underrepresented communities by expanding access to educational and employment opportunities, increasing affordability of educational programs, and ensuring the necessary supports are in place for individuals to thrive. To do so, we work in the following verticals: Digital Equity, Intellectual Property, Smart Justice, Student Basic Needs, and Open Educational Resources (OER). Co-chaired and funded by Alya and Gary Michelson, Michelson 20MM is part of the Michelson Philanthropies network of foundations.

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