Reading for Redemption: Comparative Research of the Brazilian Reading for Remission Model
MoJ is seeking to fund a comparative research project examining the Brazilian Reading for Remission model and its potential applicability within England and Wales. The project will review international evidence, explore how reading-based educational approaches can support engagement, progression and rehabilitation outcomes., and assess how elements of the model could inform future Reading for Redemption development. The research will not consider sentence reduction but will focus on applicability to progression frameworks, rehabilitation pathways and future policy development.
- Opening date: (Midnight)
- Closing date: (Midnight)
Contents
Summary
Summary
This grant will fund a comparative research project examining the Brazilian Reading for Remission model and exploring whether elements could inform future Reading for Redemption policy development in England and Wales.
Expected Structure of Activities
Successful applicants will conduct:
Scoping exercise of international and domestic evidence relating to reading-based interventions, prison education and rehabilitation approaches.
Comparative review of the Brazilian Reading for Remission model, prison education approaches in England and Wales, and other relevant international education and rehabilitation programmes.
Stakeholder engagement and expert consultation.
Please note if applicants decide to gather data from HMPPS, this will require National Research Committee (NRC) approval.
Comparative assessment against Reading for Redemption.
Analysis of applicability within HMPPS.
Recommendations for future implementation.
Requirements for Service Providers
Applicants must demonstrate:
Experience of delivering comparable educational, rehabilitation or research programmes.
Appropriate governance and safeguarding arrangements.
Capacity to deliver high-quality research, evidence synthesis and policy analysis.
Ability to deliver monitoring and evaluation requirements.
Intended Outcomes
Reading for Redemption is a reading-based educational intervention which uses literature, reflective discussion and guided critical analysis to support engagement, critical thinking and personal development. The ultimate aim of this research is to strengthen the evidence base regarding the contribution that reading and education can make to rehabilitation and desistance from crime. The successful applicant will be expected to produce an evidence-based policy paper identifying lessons from international and domestic practice and setting out recommendations for future policy development within HMPPS.
The research piece will expect grant recipients to demonstrate:
Improved understanding of international best practice, including the Brazilian Reading for Remission model.
Improved understanding of the role of prison education and reading-based interventions in supporting rehabilitation and desistance from crime.
Improved evidence base for future investment and policy decisions.
Assessment of the applicability of international models within England and Wales.
Consideration of learning from Reading for Redemption pilot activity and wider prison education initiatives.
Evidence to support future rollout decisions.
Practical recommendations for future Reading for Redemption policy development within HMPPS.
An evidence-based policy paper setting out how reading and education can contribute to rehabilitation outcomes and future service design.
Benefits for HMPPS and MoJ
Improved evidence base.
Better informed policy decisions.
Reduced risk in future programme development.
Understanding of opportunities for scaling Reading for Redemption
Research Expectations
Applicants should demonstrate how they will:
Assess the evidence base underpinning the Brazilian Reading for Remission model.
Review current prison education practice in England and Wales.
Examine relevant international education and rehabilitation programmes that support desistance from crime.
Consider emerging learning from Reading for Redemption activity across Durham and up to three additional pilot sites.
Identify effective education strategies for engaging people in prison who are less likely to engage with existing provision.
Assess the transferability of international approaches to England and Wales.
Produce practical policy recommendations and identify options for future development and scale-up.
Deliver an evidence-based policy paper setting out findings and recommendations for HMPPS.
Delivery Window
The grant scheme will support delivery during FY 2026/27, with activity continuing through to January 2028 and an end of year report due by April 2028. This is a time-limited grant programme funded through the MoJ Spend to Save Innovation Fund and is intended to support activity during the specified delivery period only.
Funding Available
The total grant fund available is £15,000, comprising one grant award. The grant amount will be paid in advance, subject to satisfactory completion of due diligence requirements and execution of a Grant Funding Agreement.
This is a time-limited grant programme funded through the MoJ Spend to Save Innovation Fund and is intended to support activity during the specified delivery period only.
Eligibility
The award is open to:
UK Higher Education Institutions
Recognised research organisations
Academic partnerships led by an eligible institution.
Any organisation applying for funding must demonstrate that it meets HMPPS due diligence requirements before any award is made.
Grant funding cannot be used to deliver core services which HMPPS should be delivering.
Objectives
· To improve understanding of the role of reading and education in supporting rehabilitation and desistance from crime.
· To assess evidence from the Brazilian Reading for Remission model and other relevant international approaches.
· To identify effective education strategies for engaging harder-to-reach prison populations.
· To improve understanding of how structured reading interventions may support engagement, reflection and positive pro-social behaviours.
· To build the evidence base for future Reading for Redemption policy development.
To provide an evidence-informed basis for future policy decisions relating to reading, education and rehabilitation within HMPPS.
Dates
The grant is open for applications until 11:59pm on the 22 November 2026.
Successful applicants will be notified following completion of assessment and due diligence checks.
The grant scheme will support delivery during FY26/27 with activity starting in Autumn 2026 and concluding with a final report due by April 2028.
The project will be expected to align findings with emerging learning from the Reading for Redemption Phase 2 prototype.
How to apply
In order to submit a compliant application, applicants must complete all questions in the Apply for a Grant application form. Please note and do not exceed the word counts for each answer. Any information that is included once the word count is exceeded will not be evaluated and will not count towards the evaluated score. Responses must not include diagrams, tables, images or similar.
Applicants are permitted to submit clarification questions via email to prison_education@Justice.gov.uk . For transparency, this advert will be updated throughout the competition to include any responses to questions asked by applicants.
Further information from clarification questions:
No further information.
To be eligible for funding under this grant applicants must achieve the minimum threshold score of 3 averaged across all technical questions otherwise they will be removed from the competition process. The scoring criteria is outlined below:
Score Interpretation
5 Exceeds the requirement. Exceptional demonstration shown for the proposal, how the project will be delivered, and extensive past experience detailed.
4 Satisfies the requirements and has minor additional benefits. Above average demonstration across all questions.
3 Satisfies the requirements. Demonstrates understanding and ability to a satisfactory standard.
2 Satisfies most of the requirements with some minor reservations relating to the experience, understanding and/or ability. Whilst mostly the question has been answered in a satisfactory way, one element has been omitted/offers insufficient evidence.
1 Major reservations about the experience, understanding or ability demonstrated, with little to no evidence to support the questions. More than one element has been omitted.
0 Does not meet the requirement. Does not comply or offer sufficient information to demonstrated experience, ability of understanding. Significant elements of the question has been omitted or not addressed to a satisfactory standard.
The Authority reserves the right to ask clarification questions about any elements of an application. These questions will not give applicants the opportunity to expand on the response and may only be used where applications contain minor errors or to clarify where the information presented is unclear.
The grant, if awarded, shall be awarded to the Applicant(s) who:
has submitted an application in compliance with these instructions
meets the eligibility criteria
meets the minimum quality threshold of 3 questions
achieves the highest technical score
Proportionate due diligence and fraud risk assessments will be undertaken for all successful applicants prior to award.
Supporting information
Conflicts of Interest
The Authority is required to prevent conflicts of interest occurring in this competition and may disqualify applicants if an actual or potential conflict of interest occurs in connection with the competition which cannot be satisfactorily avoided or mitigated. The Authority may disqualify any applicant which attempts (or whose advisers attempt) to influence the competition in any way.
MoJ Disclaimer
The Authority shall not be committed to any course of action as a result of:
• issuing the competition documents
• communicating with an applicant or an applicant’s representatives or agents in respect of this competition exercise; or
• any other communication between the Authority (whether directly or by its agents or representatives) and any other party.
All applicants accept and acknowledge that by issuing the competition documents the Authority is not bound to accept any bid and reserves the right not to award or conclude a grant for all or any of the costs for which bids are invited.
The Authority reserves the right to apply its discretion on the amount of funding that is to be awarded to the successful applicant(s). If only part of the application is acceptable, in terms of the stated deliverables, then the Authority may only award funding on that basis.
The Authority reserves the right to amend, suspend or terminate all or any part of the competition or its documentation at any time during the ITT.
The instructions in this advert, together with any other tender documentation are designed to ensure that all applicants are given equal and fair consideration. Applicants should read the instructions carefully to ensure they understand them and the conditions of participation before submitting their applications.
Failure to comply with these instructions regarding submission of the application response may result in its rejection. The Authority may reject Tenders which are substantially and materially incomplete, non-compliant, inconsistent, or vague.
Applicants should answer all questions as accurately and concisely as possible. Applicants are solely responsible for ensuring that their applications are free from error and accept that these cannot be modified after the submission deadline.
Costs incurred in submitting applications will be borne by applicants and will be defined as ineligible expenditure under the terms of the grant.
All information supplied by the Authority to applicants must be treated in confidence (unless already in the public domain) and must not be disclosed to third parties other than as is necessary for the purposes of preparing a Tender.