named programs · 3 · from sources
What they call their work
Collaborative Defense Program
Embeds client advocates within public defender offices to provide holistic support—such as housing, benefits, and healthcare access—to individuals facing criminal charges, reducing incarceration and improving client outcomes.
Collaborative Defense Toolkit
A resource guide designed to help public defender offices implement the Collaborative Defense model, integrating non-legal advocacy into legal representation.
PFJ Tribal Defense Initiative
Supports tribal public defense systems by adapting the Collaborative Defense model to serve Indigenous communities and address jurisdictional and cultural needs.
activities · 3 groups
What they do
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Criminal Justice Policy Advocacy 4 activities
- Advocate for criminal legal system reform and funding for wraparound servicesAdvances systemic reform by securing government funding to establish wraparound service hubs within public defender offices—$8.6 million since 2021—and promoting policy change across jurisdictions. Recognizes innovation in public defense through annual Legacy and Champion Awards.
- Conduct research on criminal legal system impacts and reformProduces and publishes research on the social determinants of public safety, including the effects of incarceration on mortality, life expectancy, child support enforcement, cash bail policies, and the benefits of early legal representation. Published data showing mitigation efforts eliminated incarceration 87% of the time.
- Develop and share tools to strengthen public defender organizationsDesigns and disseminates operational tools and resources to improve service delivery within public defender offices, including intake questionnaires, referral systems, job descriptions, recruitment strategies, data dashboards, and case management systems. Conducts community resource mapping and supports funding applications. Offers a free, publicly accessible toolkit to support implementation of Collaborative Defense.
- Produce public education content on the criminal legal systemCreates and publishes educational materials including articles, short videos, and public reports to inform communities about the criminal legal system, collaborative defense, and related social justice issues.
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Pro Bono Legal Representation and Support 2 activities
- Place and support non-attorney Advocates within public defender officesRecruits, trains, and places non-attorney Advocates in two-year roles within public defender offices to provide case navigation and wraparound support to clients, strengthening client services capacity and improving access to community resources.
- Provide legal and supportive services to reduce incarceration and support public defender clientsDelivers direct legal and wraparound support services to low-income individuals to maintain housing, employment, family connections, and access to public benefits; collaborates with public defenders to reduce jail time and improve case outcomes. Since 2018, prevented nearly 9,000 years of potential incarceration and connected over 29,000 individuals with stabilizing services. Achieves service goals such as housing and benefits access approximately 70% of the time, providing an average of 3 or more services per client.
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Child Welfare Professional Training & Capacity Building 1 activity
- Train legal and support staff in collaborative defense practicesProvides capacity-building training programs for attorneys, social workers, and client services staff through webinars, multi-day intensives, custom curricula, and an annual three-day Collaborative Defense Conference. Offers a six-month Foundations of Client Advocacy curriculum for new staff and specialized training on topics including parental rights, collateral consequences of legal involvement, and interdisciplinary service delivery.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$8.80M
Contributions & grants$8.76M100%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$37K
expenses
Total expenses$6.92M
Program expenses89%
Admin / overhead4%
Fundraising7%
Salaries & benefits$5.71M
Grants paid out$8K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$7.30M
Cash$2.96M
Investments$457K
Liabilities$221K
Net assets$7.08M
Liquid reserves5.9 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +44.9%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 2
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| EMILY GALVIN ALMANZA | CO-FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $146K |
| REBECCA SOLOW | CO-FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $137K |
board members · 9
- AMY NELSON — BOARD CHAIR
- BEN W HEINEMAN JR — DIRECTOR
- BRENDON WOODS — DIRECTOR
- CHRISFINO KENYATTA LEAL — DIRECTOR
- ERIC BUDIN — DIRECTOR
- MEL OCHOA — DIRECTOR
- MICHELLE DE LA ISLA — DIRECTOR
- STACEY WALKER — DIRECTOR
- STEPHEN GRAHAM — DIRECTOR
relationships · 10
Who they work with
- Delaware Department of Justice Partner — Co-organized a community resource fair with PFJ Client Advocates.
- Delco Public Defender’s Office Partner — Partnered with PFJ for expansion into Delaware County.
- Food Bank of Delaware Partner — Co-organized a community resource fair with PFJ Client Advocates.
- Harris County Public Defender's Office Partner — Recognized with the 2024 PFJ Legacy Award for commitment and innovation in Collaborative Defense.
- Los Angeles County Public Defender's Office Partner — Recipient of the 2025 PFJ Legacy Award.
- New Jersey Office of the Public Defender Partner — Partnered with PFJ to advance the Collaborative, Holistic Defense Model in New Jersey.
- Public Defender offices Partner — Collaborates with public defender offices to provide holistic support to clients and expand access to services.
- Public Defender’s office Partner — Hosts Advocates as employees and provides local training, supervision, and support.
- public defender offices Partner — Collaborates with public defender offices to provide wraparound services and expand access to justice
- public defenders Partner — Collaborates with public defender offices on funding requests.
strategies · 5
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Collaborative Defense Modelmethodology: collaborative_defenseBy equipping public defenders with tools and tactics for collaborative, client-centered representation — including shared decision-making and interdisciplinary coordination — legal teams achieve more effective outcomes because defense becomes a collective, community-anchored practice rather than an isolated legal function.
- Lived-Experience Leadership in System Reformmethodology: lived_experience_leadershipBy centering people with lived experience of the criminal legal system in organizational decision-making and service design, interventions become more relevant and effective because those most impacted co-create solutions that reflect real-world conditions and dignity.
- Non-Attorney Advocate Modelmethodology: non-attorney_advocate_modelBy deploying trained non-attorney advocates to provide wraparound support and case navigation, public defenders can focus on legal defense while clients receive holistic assistance, reducing incarceration because systemic barriers are addressed alongside legal representation.
- Root-Cause Intervention Frameworkmethodology: root_cause_interventionBy addressing root socioeconomic conditions — such as housing, income, and healthcare — rather than relying on punitive responses, the organization reduces criminal legal system involvement because stability in basic needs decreases system contact and prevents family disruption.
- Transformative Justice Approachmethodology: transformative_justiceBy reducing immediate harm within the current criminal legal system while simultaneously advancing abolitionist futures through humanizing practices, change is achieved because short-term safety and long-term structural transformation are pursued together.