Public Defense Pilot Program
The State Budget Act of 2021 (Senate Bill 129, Chapter 129, Statutes of 2021) established the Public Defense Pilot Program. PDPP funds must be utilized for indigent defense providers, including public defenders, alternate defenders, and other qualifying entities that provide indigent defense in criminal matters for the purposes of workload associated with Sections 1172.1, 1172.6, 1473.7, and 3051 of, the Penal Code.
The State Budget Act of 2021 appropriated $50 million for thePDPP of which $49.5 million was available for indigent services and $500,000 was available for administrative costs and to conduct an independent evaluation. The State Budget Act of 2022 (Senate Bill 154, Chapter 43, Statutes of 2022) appropriated $50 million of which $49.4 million was available for indigent services and $600,000 available for administrative costs and to conduct an independent evaluation. In the final appropriation of PDPP funds, the State Budget Act of 2023 (Senate Bill 104, Chapter 189, Statutes of 2023) made available $39.4 million for indigent services and $600,000 for BSCC administrative costs.
PDPP Cohort III Grants - March 2, 2024 to March 1, 2025
The PDPP was designed as a three-year program funded with annual appropriations from the State Budget Act. Eligible applicants that did not apply for funding in year one or two were still able to apply for year three funding.
In November 2023 the BSCC released the PDPP Cohort III Request for Applicaitons (RFA). The application period closed January 5, 2023.
- Existing Grantees: For grantees receiving funding in all three rounds the grant period covers March 1, 2022 to March 1, 2025. Within this grant period, the service period ends on January 1, 2025. The last two months (January 2, 2025 - March 1, 2025) are for the sole purpose of submitting final progress reports and any data required for the statewide evaluation.
For existing grantees who received funding in year two, the grant period covers March 1, 2023 to March 1, 2025. Within this grant period, the service period ends on January 1, 2025. The last two months (January 2, 2025 - March 1, 2025) are for the sole purpose of submitting final progress reports and any data required for the statewide evaluation. - New Applicants: The one-year PDPP grant period covers March 2, 2024 – March 1, 2025. Within this grant period, the first ten months is the service period and the last two months (January 2, 2025 - March 1, 2025) is for the sole purpose of submitting final progress reports and any data required for the statewide evaluation.
PDPP Cohort III Application Instructions
Mandatory One-Day Virtual Grantee Orientation
Following the start of the grant period, BSCC staff will conduct a one-day virtual grantee orientation on March 11, 2024. All grantees, new and previously funded, are required to attend. The purpose of this mandatory session is to review the program requirements, invoicing and budget modification processes, data collection and reporting requirements, as well as other grant management and monitoring activities. Typically, the Project Director, Financial Officer, Day-to-Day Contact, and service providers attend. Additional details will be provided at a later date.
Data and Evaluation Orientation
New grantees will be required to attend a one-day, virtual orientation on data collection and evaluation requirements. Once the date for this training has been determined, grantees will be notified and the date will be posted.
Grantee Resources
Following the sessions listed above, training resources will be posted here.
PDPP Cohort II Grants - March 1, 2023 to March 1, 2025
The PDPP was designed as a three-year program funded with annual appropriations from the State Budget Act. Applicants that did not apply for funding in year one, may apply in year two and/or three.
The two-year PDPP service period covers March 1, 2023 - January 1, 2025. However, an additional two months (January 2, 2025 - March 1, 2025) is included in the term of the agreement for the sole purpose of submitting final progress reports and any data required for the statewide evaluation.
In October 2022, the BSCC released the Request for Applications for the Cohort II Public Defense Pilot Program. California counties were invited to apply for funding. For reference, review the Application Instruction Packet and Application Packet.
Public Defense Pilot Program Orientation – Year 2
Section 1: Welcome and Grant Overviews – PowerPoint Slides
Section 2: Administrative Overviews – PowerPoint Slides
File 1 Grant Admin Guide
File 2 Grant Application Instructions & Agreement Sample
Section 3: Fiscal Responsibilities – PowerPoint Slides
File 1 Invoice Workbook
File 2 Salaries and Benefits Worksheet
File 3 Supporting Document Checklist
File 4 Desk Review Instructions
Section 4: Data Collection & Evaluation Requirements – Introduction by Rand
Section 5: Program Responsibilities – PowerPoint slides
File 1 UPDATED July 2024 SAMPLE CMV Tool with Instructions
File 1 CMV PDF
PDPP Cohort I Grants - March 1, 2022 to March 1, 2025
The Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) made $49.5 million available to California’s 58 Counties to provide services in alignment with the State Budget Act of 2021 (Senate Bill 129). A list of the funded proposals and brief project summaries are provided below:
In October 2021, the BSCC released the PDPP Request for Applications. From October 4, 2021 to January 14, 2022, California counties were invited to apply for funding. For reference, review the Application Instruction Packet and Application Packet.
| # | Grantee | Project | Year-1 Funding |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alameda County | Post-Conviction Relief Unit | $2,107,280 |
| 2 | Butte County | Project Upstream | $287,130 |
| 3 | Contra Costa County | Post-Conviction Relief Pilot Project | $1,468,664 |
| 4 | El Dorado County | Legal Assistance & Advocacy | $250,991 |
| 5 | Fresno County | Post Conviction Team | $1,204,165 |
| 6 | Glenn County | Project Partner | $35,544 |
| 7 | Imperial County | Public Defense Pilot Project | $224,536 |
| 8 | Kern County | Public Defense Pilot Project | $1,074,824 |
| 9 | Lake County | Indigent Defense | $81,404 |
| 10 | Los Angeles County | Public Defense Pilot Project | $12,700,000 |
| 11 | Marin County | Public Defense Pilot Project | $339,812 |
| 12 | Mendocino County | Public Defense Pilot Project | $110,882 |
| 13 | Monterey County | Indigent Defense Services | $525,758 |
| 14 | Nevada County | Public Defense Pilot Project | $132,270 |
| 15 | Orange County | Public Defender Pilot Project | $4,004,655 |
| 16 | Placer County | Project Innocent | $512,523 |
| 17 | Riverside County | Public Defender Pilot Project | $3,042,889 |
| 18 | Sacramento County | Public Defender Pilot Project | $1,911,525 |
| 19 | San Bernardino | Indigent Defense | $2,633,006 |
| 20 | San Diego County | Indigent Defense | $4,088,759 |
| 21 | San Joaquin County | Public Defender Pilot Project | $932,789 |
| 22 | San Mateo County | Bar Association Private Defender Project | $975,173 |
| 23 | Santa Clara | Public Defense Pilot Project | $2,445,538 |
| 24 | Santa Cruz County | Post-Conviction Relief Team | $354,416 |
| 25 | Shasta County | Public Defense Pilot Project | $223,555 |
| 26 | Siskiyou County | Public Defense Pilot Project | $57,037 |
| 27 | Solano County | Public Defense Pilot Project | $556,698 |
| 28 | Sonoma County | Law Office of the Public Defender | $653,327 |
| 29 | Stanislaus County | Public Defense Pilot Project | $674,632 |
| 30 | Tehama County | Program for Supplemental Indigent Defense Services | $79,510 |
| 31 | Tulare County | Post-Conviction Project | $553,647 |
| 32 | Ventura County | Public Defender’s Post-Conviction Project | $1,057,618 |
| 33 | Yolo County | Youth Offender Parole Reports | $289,129 |
| 34 | Yuba County | Project Second Chance | $92,107 |
Public Defense Pilot Program Orientation – Year 1
Agenda: PDPP Grantee Orientation March 10-11, 2022 Section 1: Welcome and Grant Overviews – PowerPoint Slides Section 2: Administrative Overviews – PowerPoint Slides- File 1: Grant Admin Guide
- File 2: Grant Application Instructions & Agreement Sample
- File 1: Invoice Workbook
- File 2: Salaries and Benefits Worksheet
- File 3: Supporting Document Checklist
- File 4: Desk Review Instructions
Cohort I Date and Evaluation Orientation
Agenda
Contact the BSCC regarding the Public Defense Pilot Program
If you have questions about this program email:
- Field Representative, Dameion Renault at Dameion.Renault@bscc.ca.gov
- Program Analyst, Joseph Mendosa at Joseph.Mendosa@bscc.ca.gov
This website will be updated as new information becomes available. You may also subscribe to the BSCC email list for updates about BSCC’s grant projects and funding opportunities. Sign up for BSCC email updates.