The Next Chance
Collaborative

A national coalition of churches, nonprofits, and people working together to help returning citizens stay out — and reduce incarceration in America.

The problem

Recidivism is a handoff problem.

No single organization solves all of it. Returning citizens fall through the gaps in between. The Next Chance Collaborative exists to close those gaps.

600K
Leave U.S. prisons
Every year
44%
Return within 3 years
Bureau of Justice Statistics
5
Drivers of recidivism
Housing · Jobs · Recovery · Family · Isolation
12
Months — the danger zone
First year out is the hardest
Theory of change

Stitch the handoffs. Fill the year.

The first 12 months out are the hardest. We coordinate the chain so no returning citizen walks it alone. Each stage is owned by Coalition members in dedicated working groups.

Pre-release
In-Prison Engagement
ID, plan, contact
Day 0
First-Day Logistics
Housing, transit, phone
Month 1
Reentry Coaching
Coach, recovery
Month 3
Employment
Job, income
Month 6
Community
Family, belonging
Year 1
Stability
A new beginning
How members plug in

Nine Action Tracks. One coordinated chain.

Each member commits to one or more tracks based on the work they already do. National working groups share best practices; regional chapters coordinate the actual day-of handoffs.

TRACK 01

In-Prison Engagement

Chaplaincy, classes, Bible studies, GED, Kairos weekends.

TRACK 02

Pre-Release Preparation

Connecting inside contacts to outside resources before release.

TRACK 03

First-Day Logistics

Housing, ID, transportation, clothing, phones on Day 0.

TRACK 04

Reentry Coaching

Trained 1:1 coaches who walk alongside someone for the first year.

TRACK 05

Employment Pipelines

Fair-chance employers, vocational training, soft-skills coaching.

TRACK 06

Family & Inmate Comms

Visitation, video calls, kids of incarcerated parents, family reunification.

TRACK 07

Mental Health & Recovery

Peer support, addiction recovery, trauma-informed care.

TRACK 08

Housing

Transitional and permanent housing pathways.

TRACK 09

Community Mobilization

Churches, civic groups, volunteer days, advocacy events.

Membership

Lightweight structure. Real commitment.

No fee. No fiscal-agent relationships. Members keep their independence. The coalition's job is making sure the handoffs work.

What members give

  • Active participation in 1+ working group (quarterly)
  • Designated point of contact for the directory
  • Willingness to refer and accept referrals
  • Annual reporting of basic outcomes
  • Attendance at the annual gathering

What members get

  • Direct lines into peer organizations across the country
  • Shared training, curricula, trauma-informed materials
  • Co-branding under the Next Chance Collaborative name
  • Annual gathering and member directory
  • Collective voice and advocacy weight
Founding members

The first ten organizations to sign on.

Coalition launching October 2026. Names announced as anchor organizations confirm.

Founding-member logos and names will appear here as anchors confirm. Check back soon — or join us before the announcement.

Who's behind this

Two organizations who already do this work daily.

The Next Chance Collaborative is hosted by Crossroads Prison Ministries and Four-Seven Ministries — bringing 40+ years of relational and operational depth to a national coalition.

Crossroads Prison Ministries

Grand Rapids, MI · 40+ years
  • 40-year volunteer mentor pipeline with churches nationwide
  • Operational expertise pairing volunteers with incarcerated students
  • National network of partner congregations
  • Pando app and digital ministry infrastructure

Four-Seven Ministries

Butler & Warren Counties, OH
  • Pairs returning citizens with Reentry Coordinators 180 days pre-release
  • Direct evidence the pre-release-prep model works
  • Operational design grounded in real reentry experience
  • Local proof point ready to scale nationally
Resources

Documents for partners and prospective members.

Read before you join. Share with your team or board.

Walk this with us.

If your organization does any of this work, or you're a person whose voice can move others toward this work, we'd love to talk.