Advancing Pretrial Policy and Research (APPR) is issuing a nationwide call for county, municipal, or tribal governments (or relevant agencies) to apply for a valuable technical assistance opportunity. Chosen sites will collaborate with experienced pretrial experts for 12 months to evaluate their current systems and develop clear, actionable plans that aim to promote progress and improve outcomes.
Download the RFA and application by clicking the buttons to the right.
As part of a formal strategic planning process, localities will:
- Identify critical decision points and assess policies and practices based on data, evidence, and best practices.
- Select practical changes that enhance fairness, public safety, and effectiveness.
- Develop an implementation plan that outlines roles, timelines, stakeholder engagement, and success metrics.
- Assess readiness for potential rigorous research by learning evaluation concepts and exploring the feasibility of research, with support from the Wilson Sheehan Lab for Economic Opportunities (LEO).
This opportunity helps localities bring stakeholders together, prioritize the most promising improvements, and promote effective pretrial policies and practices. APPR will provide professional facilitation, expert coaching, immersive learning experiences, and peer support.
Informational Webinar December 2
We’re hosting an informational webinar on December 2 to answer questions and walk through what sites will do during the 12-month planning process. We’ll explain how sites will learn evaluation concepts, discuss process and participation requirements, and respond to application questions. Learn more and register.
Key Dates
Informational Webinar & Office Hour: Tuesday, December 2, 2025
Application Deadline: December 19, 2025
Selection Announcement: January 20, 2026
Project Duration: February 2026 – January 2027
Contact
For more information about Pathways to Pretrial Advancement, including the application process or key dates, please contact Dr. Kelvin L. Banks at KBanks@cepp.com and Orleny Rojas at ORojas@cepp.com.
About APPR
Advancing Pretrial Policy and Research (APPR) is a collaborative, multi-year project that promotes and facilitates advancements in pretrial justice. By supporting and engaging pretrial professionals and community members in the meaningful delivery of data-informed pretrial justice, APPR seeks to achieve fair, safe, and equitable pretrial practices that positively impact people, systems, and communities. APPR is supported by Arnold Ventures (AV) and managed by the Center for Effective Public Policy (CEPP).
About LEO
The Wilson Sheehan Lab for Economic Opportunities (LEO) at the University of Notre Dame is a research center that partners with governments and nonprofits to rigorously evaluate programs that help people move out of poverty. LEO co-designs causal studies with service providers, uses administrative data to measure real-world outcomes, and helps scale approaches that prove effective. Causal research designs can reliably and validly isolate the treatment effect of a policy, practice, or intervention. Examples of such research designs include difference-in-differences, regression discontinuity, instrumental variable, and randomization.