Creative indigent defense programs can find supplemental funding from state or local sources other than their primary funding agency. Many states supplement indigent defense budgets with fees or surcharges on various government services. Many have dedicated funding programs for special purposes such as criminal justice technology improvement. A California public defender received a $750,000 grant from the local Air Quality Management Fund for videoconferencing equipment (to reduce public defender automobile trips to interview clients in jail).

Foundations - private foundations with an interest in criminal justice reform or improvement, or clearinghouses for foundations

• Open Society Institute
• Public Welfare Foundation
• Annie E. Casey Foundation (program on Juvenile Detention Alternatives)
• The Foundation Center
• Regional foundations - finding one in your region

Fellowships - Partial financial support for staff in indigent defense programs to work on special projects

• National Association for Public Interest Law