The State Justice Institute (SJI) is a nonprofit corporation that awards grants with the intent of improving the quality of justice in state courts, helping create better coordination between state and federal courts, and discovering fresh solutions to problems experienced by all courts. Authorized to assist appellate, civil, criminal, family, and juvenile state courts, SJI is responsible for then passing along its findings on what’s proven to work well in one state to other state and federal courts across the country.

The State Justice Institute (SJI) was established as a private nonprofit corporation by the State Justice Institute Act of 1984 (pdf), which authorized the Institute to award grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts to state and local courts, nonprofit organizations, and others, for the purpose of improving the quality of justice in America’s State Courts. The Act also states the Institute shall not be considered a department, agency, or instrumentality of the federal government, and that it shall be governed by an 11-member Board of Directors appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate, with the President mandated to appoint six state court judges, one state court administrator, and four members of the public, no more than two from the same political party. On September 14, 1986, SJI was incorporated in the state of Virginia. In 2006, Partner Grants were added to the SJI program, to allow federal, state, or local agencies, or foundations, trusts, or other private organizations to combine financial resources with SJI in pursuit of related interests, and, beginning in 2008, Strategic Initiative Grants became part of SJI as a tool to address and develop solutions for issues in national courts, as they occur.

The only source of federal or private funding focused exclusively on improving the quality of justice in the state courts, the State Justice Institute (SJI) awards several specifically targeted grants to qualified applicants.

Grant categories include:

• Project Grants - These are the mainstay of the SJI Grant Program. Among the Project Grant programs SJI is especially interested in funding are:
  • Those that have national significance because they’re developing products, services, and techniques that may be used in other states.
  • Programs that tackle the issues state and local courts face in light of the demands of recent increased immigration growth, and address potential solutions to those issues.
  • Those that prepare judges and other court officials to serve as spokesmen in short notice, high-profile situations, and promote ways to improve relations between the judiciary and the media.
  • Programs that develop and evaluate judicial branch education strategies addressing elder law and related issues.  

No Project Grant may be higher than $300,000, and grant periods ordinarily may not exceed 36 months. In addition, Project Grant applicants are required to contribute a cash match of at least 50% of the total cost of the proposed project, and may do so directly, or in cooperation with third parties.

• Technical Assistance Grants - Only state or local courts may apply for Technical Assistance grants, which may not exceed $50,000, and cover only the cost of obtaining the services of expert consultants, and/or travel by a team of officials from one court to examine a practice, program, or facility in another jurisdiction that the applicant court is interested in replicating. For Technical Assistance Grants, a cash and in-kind match must be provided equal to at least 50% of the grant amount, 20% of the match must be in cash, and technical assistance has to be completed within 12 months.
• Curriculum, Adaptation and Training Grants (CAT) - These are intended to enable courts and regional or national court associations to modify and adapt model curricula or course modules to meet state or local jurisdictions’ educational needs. CAT Grants can also be used to train instructors of the curricula, and pilot-test them to determine their appropriateness, quality and effectiveness. In addition, the grants can enable courts to conduct judicial branch education and training programs designed to familiarize judges and court personnel with the innovations, reforms, and/or new technologies recently adopted by grantee courts. CAT Grants may not exceed $30,000, or 12 months, and applicants for CAT Grants are required to contribute a match of at least 50% of the amount requested, 20% of which must be paid in cash.
• Partner Grants - These facilitate SJI and federal, state, or local agencies or foundations, trusts, or other private entities combining financial resources in pursuit of common court improvement interests. There are no limits to the size of Partner Grants.
• Strategic Initiative Grants - These allow SJI and the grantee to address and develop solutions for national court issues, as they occur. This program is handled at the discretion of the SJI Board of Directors and staff, outside the normal grant application process, and there is no cash match requirement.
• Educational Support Program (ESP) – This program provides scholarships intended to enhance the skills, knowledge, and abilities of judges and court managers by supporting attendance at judicial and court-related educational programs sponsored by national and state providers they could not otherwise attend because of limited budgets. SJI scholarship covers the cost of tuition up to $1,000. Other costs of attending the program, including transportation, meals, and lodging must be obtained through other sources or be paid by the award recipient.

The SJI also maintains information clearinghouses, so effective new judicial approaches in one state can be quickly and economically shared with other courts nationwide. In addition, the institute helps establish national resource centers where judges and court staffs can obtain guidance and receive new technologies to test, and then learn from each other by trading what they discover.

The SJI also works to foster effective coordination between the state and federal judiciaries, and convenes national, regional, and in-state educational programs to speed the transfer of solutions to issues among courts across the nation.

From the Web Site of the State Justice Institute

Contact Information

Forms and Documents

Grant and ESP Deadlines

Grant Funding Opportunities (pdf)

Grant Guidelines (pdf)

Grant Report Archives

Grants Available

News Archive

Newsletter (pdf)

News Releases

The State Justice Institute (SJI) SJI FY 2013 Budget Request (pdf) provides the following outline of proposed expenditures for that year:

Strategic Initiative Grants                                                                               $1,500,000

Project Grants                                                                                                    $909,000

Technical Assistance Grants                                                                             $908,000

Partner Grants                                                                                                               $900,000

General Administration                                                                                     $845,000

Curriculum Adaptation and Training Grants                                                     $284,000

Educational Support Program                                                                            $175,000

Total FY 2013 Budget Request                                                                        $5,121,000

Grant Awards FY 2005-FY 2011 (pdf)

FY 2013 Budget Request (pdf)

Saving the State Justice Institute (pdf)

Janice Munsterman

Kevin Linskey

David I. Tevelin