Restore, Reinvest, Renew Grant Program

On June 25, 2019, Illinois joined the growing list of states that legalized adult recreational cannabis use. The legislation included the creation of a new grant program called Restore, Reinvest, and Renew (R3). The R3 program reinvests a portion of cannabis tax revenue into communities via the distribution of grant funds to five program areas (economic development, violence prevention services, reentry services, youth development, and civil legal aid) in an effort to address issues within communities experiencing high rates of gun injury, unemployment, child poverty, and incarceration.

During its first year, the R3 program awarded $31.5 million to communities in need. The Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority’s (ICJIA) Center for Violence Prevention and Intervention Research, in collaboration with Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIUC), the University of Illinois at Chicago Great Cities Institute (GCI), and the University of Illinois at Springfield (UIS), conducted site specific process evaluations to learn about the implementation and operations of select R3 grantees.

Process Evaluation

The purpose of a process evaluation is to learn about the implementation and operations of a program. In the current evaluation, researchers sought to gain a better understanding about the work of select grantees of the R3 grant program during its initial implementation. Across the whole state, 16 service delivery grantees and 6 planning grantees were selected as full evaluation sites.

Community-Based Participatory Research Approach

Employing a community-based participatory research approach (CBPR) was a priority for the evaluation teams and was a novel approach for ICJIA evaluation. CBPR differs from traditional research in that it emphasizes collaboration and power sharing between evaluators, programs, community members, and stakeholders. In the current evaluation, this approach focused heavily on relationship building and researchers worked in partnership with program staff to determine the goals, research questions, and methods of the process evaluation.

Research Questions

To allow for continuity across the multi-site R3 program, each evaluation team adopted the same set of research questions developed by the ICJIA evaluation team. The research questions encompassed general topics related to program implementation. Additionally, staff from individual R3-funded sites were provided the opportunity to add any additional research questions specific to their program. Research questions are listed below.

  1. What was involved in the implementation of the program?
  2. How were the program’s clients recruited, engaged, and retained?
  3. How many people received services and/or completed the program?
  4. What capacity does the program have to undergo a rigorous outcome evaluation?
  5. What community engagement strategies were utilized by the program during implementation and were they effective?
  6. How can researchers best engage with staff and clients of funded programs?
  7. How can a future outcome evaluation incorporate the needs and values of program staff, clients, and potential clients and best encompass a community-based research approach?

Regional Progam Process Evaluations

Cook County

The Center for Violence Prevention and Intervention Research at ICJIA conducted four process evaluations of R3 service delivery programs in Cook County. Researchers convened multiple virtual meetings with staff at each site to develop research questions, create logic models, understand available data sources, and gain staff perspectives through unstructured interviews.

Service Delivery

Alternatives, Inc. received a grant to expand restorative justice and behavioral health programming provided to youth ages 10 to 24 and their families in Chicago. In addition to providing direct services, program staff conduct professional development training to improve partner schools’ culture and climate.

Cornerstone Community Development Corporation received a grant to provide workforce development services to clients in South Suburban Cook County. Cornerstone’s program offers training and certification in a wide variety of employment sectors with the aim of stabilizing, sustaining, and empowering participants.

Emerald South Economic Development Collaboration received a grant for its Terra Firma program, which develops vacant lots throughout Chicago’s mid-south side. Terra Firma’s partners provide workforce training, support, entrepreneurship education, and business coaching, all specifically aligned with the environmental jobs sector.

Metropolitan Family Services received a grant to increase its service provision to clients in southwest suburban Cook County. Its services link justice-involved and housing-insecure clients to needed resources. Services also train participants through workforce development programs and build community capacity through collaboration.

Northern Illinois

The Great Cities Institute at the University of Illinois Chicago conducted six process evaluations of R3 programs in Northern Illinois. GCI carried out two rounds of interviews with program staff, organizations’ board members, and community members. Researchers also analyzed administrative data and observed program activities, such as planning meetings and service provision.

Assessment Planning

Garfield Park Community Council received a grant to conduct a planning initiative to improve a section of the local neighborhood, employing results from a community survey and an economic development assessment. Findings sought to provide new and actionable information to develop future proposals for improving the area.

Will County received a grant to develop a plan to address community concerns, identify existing community resources, measure service gaps, and evaluate strategies for targeting R3 priority areas. The planning initiative aimed to produce a comprehensive plan document and build collaborative relationships.

Service Delivery

Kankakee School District 111 received a grant for its Youth Empowerment Program, providing sixth through twelfth graders with specific interventions, diversion, and prevention programming. Participants receive programming aligned with their needs and interests, such as mentoring, community service, college visits, job training, and youth employment.

Northern Illinois Recovery Community Organization received a grant to provide self-directed recovery services to justice-involved individuals in the northeast Lake County area. The program aims to build recovery capital for participants through services and referrals. It addresses needs such as clinical treatment, employment, housing, and transportation.

Perfectly Flawed Foundation received a grant to provide a peer-supported, harm reduction-informed recovery program to individuals in LaSalle, Bureau, and Putnam counties. Staff provide participants with case planning, referrals for clinical needs, and direct supportive services (e.g. transportation) to further clients’ self-directed recovery plans.

Prairie State Legal Services received a grant to provide civil legal assistance, legal education, and complementary restorative justice activities in the Rockford area. Staff attorneys offer legal advice, representation, and pro se assistance determined by the complexity of the client issue.

Central Illinois

Researchers at the University of Illinois Springfield conducted process evaluations of six R3 grantees in Central Illinois. The evaluation team interviewed program leaders, made site visits to each grantee, and collaboratively developed logic models for the four service delivery programs. The availability and utility of existing data varied widely between grantees.

Assessment Planning

The City of Springfield received a grant for an assessment and planning project that addresses economic disinvestment. A consultant collected data from residents and other stakeholders. This information and administrative data were utilized to develop a strategic plan with actionable goals and objectives regarding the community’s priorities.

The East Springfield Community Center Commission received a grant to conduct a planning initiative to assess the Springfield area’s needs related to reentry. The planning group coordinated meetings to gather information on the reentry process and on potential needs of returning citizens, including employment, housing, education, and treatment.

Service Delivery

The East Springfield Community Center Commission received a grant to provide reentry services to individuals in the Springfield area through Returning American Citizens Empowered. The project emphasizes employment-related services for high-need clients returning from incarceration, with the goal of reducing recidivism and improving public safety.

Land of Lincoln Legal Aid received a grant in the Northeast Central funding region to provide more civil legal services to reduce or eliminate legal barriers to health, safety, and economic well-being. This agency also received a grant in the Central funding region to provide similar services, including direct legal assistance and referrals.

The City of Peoria Board of Education received a grant to expand wraparound services provided to students through their Hope, Health, and Healing program. These services include legal and reentry resources, counseling and other services to address trauma, career coaching, mentoring, and a middle to high school transition program.

Springfield Urban League received a grant funding its Community Empowerment Program. Youth and young adult participants receive assistance obtaining a high school diploma, job-readiness training, work-based learning, and career planning. Industry partners offer occupational and job training as well as customized training to address specific workforce needs.

Southern Illinois

Researchers at Southern Illinois University Carbondale conducted five process evaluations of R3 grantees in Southern Illinois. Evaluators conducted semi-structured interviews and focus groups with program staff members at the four service delivery grantees. Qualitative and supplementary administrative data were analyzed. Logic models were created and reviewed with all service delivery sites.

Assessment Planning

The Centralia Juvenile Justice Council received a grant to conduct a collaborative assessment of the juvenile justice system and community needs through meetings and a survey of residents. Based on the findings, a strategic plan was created to outline a community-specific program for future development.

Service Delivery

Academic Development Institute received a grant funding its Youth Engagement Program in the East St. Louis area. The Institute and its partners provide services to young people and their families related to early childhood development, educational achievement, and job training. They provide trauma-informed professional development for school staff, as well.

Arrowleaf received a grant to provide youth development and violence prevention services in Alexander and Pulaski counties, such as social and behavioral development groups and service-learning projects. Arrowleaf supports families through parenting skills training, family engagement events, and referrals to additional services.

Lutheran Social Services of Illinois received a grant to expand reentry services and employment opportunities for returning citizens in Southern Illinois. The program offers virtual and in-person job skills training, certifications, and employment placements. Funds also targeted increasing community awareness and bolstering the program’s employer network.

United Way of Greater St. Louis received a grant to provide out of school time programming for youth in the East St. Louis area. United Way and partners offer a variety of academic and extracurricular activities to improve youths’ educational, social, and emotional development.

Findings

The programs evaluated in this report intentionally represent a diverse group of grantees with respect to, among other characteristics, location, service type, funding amount, and collaborative processes. However, some themes emerged across all the evaluation sites.

Programs placed a strong emphasis on addressing specific needs of the communities they serve; and, by incorporating client/community feedback into their program processes, many demonstrated an ability to adapt programming into responsive service delivery. There were challenges in the initial implementation and administration of funding. However, nearly all programs experienced increases in capacity as the grant program period progressed. The amount and types of available data varied widely among funded programs, which resulted in limitations to present work that would be good to address in preparing for future evaluations.

The assessment and planning initiatives examined here succeeded in bringing together relevant stakeholders and incorporating perspectives of various groups, often including community residents. For many of these grantees, the question remains how the results of the planning projects will be used.

Despite initial delays, service delivery programs have largely been successfully implemented and are providing services to clients as designed. The majority of programs examined in this process evaluation are meeting or exceeding their goals for a number of clients served. For sites that are not yet meeting these objectives, barriers have been identified, and strategic adaptations have been planned or carried out.

Limitations

Evaluation teams in the various regions faced limitations while carrying out the process evaluations. First, the current evaluation was ICJIA’s inaugural attempt at implementing a CBPR approach for a statewide grant program. As indicated previously, CBPR methods require considerable buy in and time from all partners. For smaller grassroots organizations (like those R3 funds), this kind of commitment can be particularly challenging. Further, data systems and data availability varied widely across sites, due in part to capacity differences. In the current work, evaluators recognized that many of the programs did not have the capacity for, or interest in, certain evaluation methodologies. As such, evaluators prioritized the capacity and research interests of the programs themselves when developing process evaluation methodologies. Second, programs experienced delays in implementation and early outreach/engagement due in part to administrative processes and the impacts of COVID-19. This had direct implications on planning processes and service delivery as well as the evaluation work.