CCP debates paths to sustain successful innovation-funded programs

Members of the Community Corrections Partnership discussed how to handle innovation-funded programs that show promise and might need longer-term funding.

Chief Probation Officer Jeff Goldman told the group that one option would be to “type up some sort of proposal to essentially vote on at the next meeting, to fold into” existing bylaws and budget processes, meaning an explicit mechanism could be created for transitioning successful pilots into routine county funding.

Participants offered two broad paths: have the county department that benefits most “champion” the program and request funding during the normal budget allocation, or treat county support as bridge funding while programs pursue external grants. Several members warned that automatically folding every innovation program into the base budget would increase long-term expenditures and could be unsustainable.

Speakers emphasized the need for robust outcome data before converting a pilot into recurring funding. One attendee urged that programs demonstrate they “serve the clients [the program] is designed for” and that metrics be shown to justify continued support. Members also suggested looking for grants that require pass-through to community-based organizations as a bridge option.

Next steps discussed included drafting proposal language to present at the next CCP meeting and ensuring any transition mechanism is integrated into the county’s budgetary process so that allocations are transparent and not conflated with department base funding.