UCEDC Awarded $60,000 NJDOC/NJLEAD Grant to Support Reentry Entrepreneurship

UCEDC is proud to share that we’ve been awarded a $60,000 grant from the New Jersey Department of Corrections (NJDOC) and the New Jersey Locally Empowered, Accountable, and Determined (NJLEAD) program in the category of Innovative Reentry Career and Entrepreneurial Initiatives. This second-year award for the 2025–2026 cycle allows us to continue providing entrepreneurial training and support for individuals returning to their communities after court involvement.

At the NJDOC/NJLEAD Grantee Awards Ceremony on September 12, we joined fellow grantees, state leaders, and community partners in celebrating programs that break down barriers and open doors to opportunity. 

NJDOC Commissioner Victoria L. Kuhn, Esq. emphasized the importance of reentry support: 

“When individuals leave custody without housing, employment, or a support system, the chances of returning to prison rise dramatically. These grants are our way of breaking that cycle.” 

For UCEDC, this grant affirms the critical role entrepreneurship can play in reentry. By combining training, counseling, and access to resources, we help returning citizens build sustainable businesses and careers — creating stigma free pathways to financial independence and stronger communities. 

We are especially grateful to Director Selma Morris, head of the NJDOC Office of Community Engagement and Reintegration Initiatives, for her leadership and continued partnership, and to the NJLEAD team for driving this important work forward. 

This award strengthens UCEDC’s ongoing commitment: to ensure that every aspiring entrepreneur — regardless of background or circumstance — has a chance to succeed.