­

Improving the Quality of Justice in our State Courts

Learn About SJI

State Justice Institute

The State Justice Institute (SJI) was established by federal law in 1984 to award grants to improve the quality of justice in state courts, and foster innovative, efficient solutions to common issues faced by all courts.

APPLYING FOR AND MANAGING GRANTS

Grant applications are accepted and reviewed on a quarterly basis. All new grant application submissions must be made via the online Grant Management System (GMS). Additionally, all active awards must be managed in the GMS.

GRANT APPLICATION DEADLINE

The next deadline to submit a grant application to SJI is Aug 1, 2025.

SEARCH SJI GRANTS

SJI continues to make all grant reports and most grant products available online through the National Center for State Courts (NCSC) Digital Archive.

FUNDING TOOLKIT

Visit SJI’s Funding Toolkit for State Courts and Justice System Partners to learn about additional grant opportunities, access grant resources, and to request grant writing technical assistance.

SJI Grantee Spotlights






View All Spotlights

SJI News & Announcements

  • Announcement
    Join in for the introduction of Right Services, Right Time - an initiative that offers family courts practical tools and targeted support to handle even the most complex cases. Date: Friday, July 18th, 2025 Time: 12:00PM EST Register Here: Family-Centered Fridays: Right Services, Right Time - Promising practices for family…
  • News
    Last year, the Conference of Chief Justices and the Conference of State Court Administrators adopted a resolution urging NCSC to showcase effective, scalable models for civil diversion programs that create alternate pathways for litigants to resolve disputes. These programs would be grounded in a set of guiding principles, which encourage…
  • News
    A new resource is now available to support courts in upholding state and federal law and applying Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which applies to all state and local government entities, including courts. Serving People with Disabilities and Title II of the ADA: A Toolkit for…
  • News
    Navigating AI in court translation is opening new doors for access to justice. To meet the needs of Limited English Proficient (LEP) users, the Superior Court in Orange County, Calif., is leveraging an AI-powered Court Application for Translation (CAT) tool. Blanca Escobedo, deputy chief operations officer for Orange County Superior…
  • Announcement
    Exploring the Effects of AI & Generational Shifts in the Workforce: June 18th, 2025, at 1:00PM EST.As state courts confront the dual challenges of AI integration and generational workforce shifts, this webinar from the TRI/NCSC AI Policy Consortium will provide insights into the use of AI by courts and how AI can…
  • News
    SJI received ten (10) grant applications requesting a total of $1,020,979 for the 3rd quarter of FY 2025. The Board awarded two (2) Strategic Initiative Grants to: the Mississippi Center for Justice to focus on rule implementation and modifications in justice courts across the state; and the Children’s Law Center, in…
  • News
    The FY 2025 3rd Quarter SJI Board Meeting was held on Monday, June 2nd, 2025, at the Maryland Judicial Center in Annapolis, MD. SJI Executive Director, Jonathan Mattiello, Senior Program Advisor, Michelle White, and members of the SJI Board were joined by Chief Justice Matthew Fader, Chief Judge Joseph Getty…
  • News
    The State Justice Institute, in partnership with Praxis Consulting and Rulo Strategies, is excited to launch Collaboration in Action: A Toolkit for Courts and Counties, a comprehensive and user-friendly resource designed to support courts, county officials, and justice stakeholders in creating safer and more effective local justice systems. This free…
  • Announcement
    Virtually via Zoom from June 2nd - June 6th, 2025, the NCJFCJ’s training for dependency court judges, the Child Abuse and Neglect Institute (CANI) provides instruction for new or experienced judges on the knowledge and skills necessary to preside over an effective child abuse and neglect court process. Participants will…
  • Announcement
    The SJI Board of Directors will be meeting on Monday, June 2, 2025, at 1:00 PM ET.  The purpose of this meeting is to consider grant applications for the 3rd quarter of FY 2025, and other business. ADDRESS:  Maryland Judicial Center, 187 Harry S. Truman Parkway, Annapolis, MD.
  • Announcement
    Join in for the introduction of Right Services, Right Time - an initiative that offers family courts practical tools and targeted support to handle even the most complex cases. Date: Friday, July 18th, 2025 Time: 12:00PM EST Register Here: Family-Centered Fridays: Right Services, Right Time - Promising practices for family…
  • News
    Last year, the Conference of Chief Justices and the Conference of State Court Administrators adopted a resolution urging NCSC to showcase effective, scalable models for civil diversion programs that create alternate pathways for litigants to resolve disputes. These programs would be grounded in a set of guiding principles, which encourage…
  • News
    A new resource is now available to support courts in upholding state and federal law and applying Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which applies to all state and local government entities, including courts. Serving People with Disabilities and Title II of the ADA: A Toolkit for…
  • News
    Navigating AI in court translation is opening new doors for access to justice. To meet the needs of Limited English Proficient (LEP) users, the Superior Court in Orange County, Calif., is leveraging an AI-powered Court Application for Translation (CAT) tool. Blanca Escobedo, deputy chief operations officer for Orange County Superior…
  • Announcement
    Exploring the Effects of AI & Generational Shifts in the Workforce: June 18th, 2025, at 1:00PM EST.As state courts confront the dual challenges of AI integration and generational workforce shifts, this webinar from the TRI/NCSC AI Policy Consortium will provide insights into the use of AI by courts and how AI can…
  • News
    SJI received ten (10) grant applications requesting a total of $1,020,979 for the 3rd quarter of FY 2025. The Board awarded two (2) Strategic Initiative Grants to: the Mississippi Center for Justice to focus on rule implementation and modifications in justice courts across the state; and the Children’s Law Center, in…
  • News
    The FY 2025 3rd Quarter SJI Board Meeting was held on Monday, June 2nd, 2025, at the Maryland Judicial Center in Annapolis, MD. SJI Executive Director, Jonathan Mattiello, Senior Program Advisor, Michelle White, and members of the SJI Board were joined by Chief Justice Matthew Fader, Chief Judge Joseph Getty…
  • News
    The State Justice Institute, in partnership with Praxis Consulting and Rulo Strategies, is excited to launch Collaboration in Action: A Toolkit for Courts and Counties, a comprehensive and user-friendly resource designed to support courts, county officials, and justice stakeholders in creating safer and more effective local justice systems. This free…
  • Announcement
    Virtually via Zoom from June 2nd - June 6th, 2025, the NCJFCJ’s training for dependency court judges, the Child Abuse and Neglect Institute (CANI) provides instruction for new or experienced judges on the knowledge and skills necessary to preside over an effective child abuse and neglect court process. Participants will…
  • Announcement
    The SJI Board of Directors will be meeting on Monday, June 2, 2025, at 1:00 PM ET.  The purpose of this meeting is to consider grant applications for the 3rd quarter of FY 2025, and other business. ADDRESS:  Maryland Judicial Center, 187 Harry S. Truman Parkway, Annapolis, MD.

VIEW ALL NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS