Just when you think you’ve seen it all in the nonprofit space, Jobs for the Future’s (JFF) Center for Justice & Economic Advancement goes off and does something incredible.
With the launch of Fair Chance to Advance (FC2A), JFF is completely reimagining how systems can serve justice-impacted individuals by aligning corrections, higher education, and workforce sectors to create real pathways to opportunity.
This intentional, holistic approach has the power to tackle the problem from all sides, stopping the cycle of half-measures that keep people trapped in broken systems.
A Look into Fair Chance to Advance
Launched in June 2024, the initiative kicked off with a year of planning designed to do more than shuffle papers; it’s about setting the stage for real, long-term change. The focus is on pushing leading states further, sparking collaboration across regions, and building the kind of national momentum that can’t be ignored.
Its goals are simple but ambitious:
- Increase access to high-quality education and training programs for students who are incarcerated
- Partner with employers to adopt and implement fair chance hiring practices
- Empower policymakers to “Normalize Opportunity” and remove barriers to employment and advancement for people with records
- Create learn-to-work ecosystems that enable long-term economic advancement for individuals with records of arrest, conviction, or incarceration
- Ensure that every person has a fair chance to advance
A much needed initiative at the exactly right time.
Now Accepting RFPs
In August 2025, JFF received a major $19.5 million grant from Ascendium Education Group to scale this initiative nationwide. Over the next four years, four grantee states will each receive up to $2.1 million in funding, paired with more than $1.8 million in technical assistance from JFF and the Coleridge Initiative, plus access to a national peer-learning network.
Together, these resources will help states build systems that connect correctional facilities to postsecondary programs, fair-chance employers, and robust data infrastructure to support sustained change.
These projects will not transform systems, but entire lives.
And if you act quickly, your organization can be at the ground floor.
Attend Info Sessions
Before applying, be sure to attend one of JFF’s info sessions, where they’ll walk you through the RFP, eligibility criteria, timeline, and proposal tips. They’ll also answer any questions you might have live.
- Dates and times:
- August 19, 2:30–4:00 p.m. ET
- September 11, 1:30–3:00 p.m. ET
- October 6, 11:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m. ET
Register now through the FC2A webpage to secure your spot and begin building your coalition.
Why This Matters — and What You Can Do
Though the RFP opened August 5, 2025, there is still some time to act. Letters of Intent are due August 26, 2025, and full proposals by October 14, 2025. Four states will be selected for this inaugural cohort, launching with a planning phase in early 2026.
This opportunity isn’t just about funding; it’s about fundamentally changing how systems work together to support justice-impacted people with tangible tools like postsecondary credentials, employer networks, and strong data support. If you’ve ever wanted to turn ideas into real, structural equity for individuals with criminal records, this is your moment.
Ready to get started? Check out the Fair Chance 2 Advance information hub for more details.
