Arnold Ventures (AV) is a nonpartisan philanthropy whose mission is to invest in evidence-based solutions that maximize opportunity and minimize injustice. Their focus is on fostering societal improvements by supporting the development and application of research-backed strategies.
The Request for Proposals from Arnold Ventures aims to fund randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of criminal justice programs and practices in the U.S. that demonstrate potential for significant impact on criminal justice outcomes, such as violence prevention, recidivism reduction, and the betterment of health/employment for those formerly involved in the justice system. It targets interventions with varying levels of prior evidence, from promising but not rigorously tested, to those widely adopted without rigorous evaluation, or emerging interventions likely to gain wider use. While prioritizing RCTs, it remains open to rigorous quasi-experimental designs where RCTs are not feasible. The grant encourages applications across all criminal justice areas, with special interest in policing, pretrial justice, community supervision, prisons, and reintegration. It underscores a commitment to identifying effective interventions to enhance criminal justice policies and practices for societal benefit.