State Justice Institute Grants Project Grants Technical Assistance Grants Curriculum Adaptation & Training Grant Strategic Initiatives Grants Education Support Program Funding Toolkit News Grantee Spotlights Priority Investment Areas Grant Management About SJI Board of Directors Executive Director Past Members SJI Budget SJI 40th Anniversary Report 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 May 1, 2026. 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 NEWSLETTER April 2026 Vol.36 No.7 View All Newsletters > SJI Grantee Spotlights National Document Assembly Hosting and E-filing Initiative: The Document Assembly Line FEATURED April 1, 2026 The Document Assembly Line, created by the Legal Innovation and Technology Lab (LIT Lab) at Suffolk University Law School, helps individuals build open-source access-to-justice tools and resources for court forms, online guided interviews, and e-filing. It provides affordable Docassemble hosting and e-filing tools for courts and legal aid organizations. The LIT Lab has also created … Read More > New Mexico Supreme Court Assessment of Bar Licensure and Rural Access March 1, 2026 The Supreme Court of New Mexico, with generous assistance from SJI, has convened a committee dedicated to the development of an alternative, supervised-practice means of licensure that focuses on a skills-based assessment of a bar applicant’s legal abilities. The National Center for State Courts, as contractor on the project, assisted the committee by gathering information … Read More > Implementing National Open Court Data Standards in Pilot Courts February 1, 2026 The National Open Court Data Standards (NODS) consists of business and technical court data standards designed to facilitate the sharing of court data, ensure consistency in how data are understood and used, and reduce the costs and efforts required for courts to respond to data requests. In addition, several states are using NODS as a … Read More > Arizona Lawyer Apprentice Program (ALAP) January 1, 2026 The Arizona Supreme Court implemented the Arizona Lawyer Apprentice Program (ALAP) on September 1, 2024, with generous grant support from the State Justice Institute, creating an alternative pathway to law licensure. ALAP is designed for candidates who narrowly miss Arizona’s Uniform Bar Exam (UBE) passing score of 270, recognizing that a single cut score does … Read More > Court Cybersecurity and Technical Disaster Recovery Summit December 1, 2025 The National Center for State Courts (NCSC), with funding from the State Justice Institute (SJI), launched a national initiative to strengthen state courts readiness for cyberattacks and technical disruptions through Cybersecurity and Disaster Recovery Workshops. These regional sessions (first virtual and then in-person) bring together judges, administrators, IT leaders, and communications staff to enhance preparedness, … Read More > Page 1 of 13 ... 10 ... Last » View All Spotlights SJI News & Announcements News Data Literacy for Courts Course: Now Available for Court Professionals Nationwide The National Center for State Courts has launched a new Data Literacy for Courts course—made possible through funding from the State Justice Institute. As courts generate more data than ever, this new course is designed to help court professionals understand, interpret, and use data with confidence to drive better decision-making… Read More > News NCSC’s National Leadership on AI in the Courts Draws Major Media Attention As artificial intelligence rapidly reshapes industries, its implications for the administration of justice have moved from niche legal discussions into the national spotlight. Courts, policymakers, and the public are among those regularly turning to the National Center for State Courts (NCSC) as the leading authority on how to responsibly evaluate,… Read More > News The Fairness Challenge Pilot National Report The Judicial and Litigant Experiences: The Fairness Challenge Pilot National Report has officially been released. Developed by LaGratta Consulting, and funded by the State Justice Institute, this report highlights key insights from The Fairness Challenge Pilot Project, which launched through a national solicitation of pilot sites and judicial officers. During… Read More > Announcements Upcoming Webinar! Building Stronger Traffic Data: From CSP, NODS & State Implementation Perspectives 🚦 Building Stronger Traffic Data: From CSP, NODS & State Implementation Perspectives 📅 April 16, 2026, at 1:00PM EST High-quality traffic case data is essential for understanding court operations, identifying trends, and supporting data-informed decision-making — particularly for complex case types such as Commercial Driver's License (CDL) matters, where data… Read More > Announcements Current Funding Opportunities 💰 The FY 2026 Federal Grant Season has numerous open solicitations still available. Make sure to visit SJI’s Funding Toolkit for the latest grant information.  The Toolkit includes current grant solicitations, along with templates that can be used to prepare a grant application. If you identify an opportunity of interest, please click… Read More > News FY 2026 2nd Quarter Board Meeting The SJI Board of Directors will be meeting on Monday, April 20, 2026, at 1:00 PM ET.  The purpose of this meeting is to consider grant applications for the 1st quarter of FY 2026, and other business. ADDRESS:  Supreme Court of Delaware, Renaissance Center, 405 North King Street, Suite 500,… Read More > News Rising Threats Prompt Nationwide Push to Strengthen Court Security A major national initiative is now underway to help state courts respond to escalating risks. Through NCSC’s Safer Courts project, courts will gain access to strengthened security practices, expert guidance, and training designed to help judges, staff, and the public stay safe. Supported by a State Justice Institute grant, Safer Courts… Read More > News How to Talk to Your Court Users About AI Court users are increasingly using artificial intelligence (AI) tools to seek information and advice to navigate their legal issues. This guidance provides a framework to discuss AI use with court users while emphasizing accuracy, responsibility, and compliance with court rules. Court staff should familiarize themselves with their policy on providing… Read More > News NODS Evaluation Highlights Progress, Promise of Standardized Court Data As courts face increasing demands for data, the National Open Court Data Standards (NODS) are improving data quality and governance nationwide. Over the past five years, NCSC has worked to implement the National Open Court Data Standards (NODS) to establish business and technical standards to facilitate the sharing of standardized… Read More > Announcements Upcoming Peer Exchange Opportunity! The Institute for Intergovernmental Research (IIR), on behalf of the State Justice Institute, is hosting a Peer Exchange in Adams County, Ohio on May 5–6, 2026. Up to five communities will be selected to receive travel scholarships, allowing each selected site to send a team of 3–4 practitioners to participate… Read More > VIEW ALL NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS © 2024 State Justice Institute. All Rights Reserved. Website design by Segue Technologies, Inc.