Chapter 10.101.050 RCW: Indigent Defense Services establishes a state-funded grant program to improve public defense services in cities and counties. Grant funds are to be used to make appreciable, demonstrable improvements in the delivery of public defense services. Each year, OPD distributes more than one million dollars to cities for making and/or sustaining improvements to public defense. Cities may apply for these grant funds under a competitive program described in Chapter 10.101 RCW. Each county that applies for Chapter 10.101 RCW funds receives a pro-rata share of available state funding, based on the formula and other criteria in RCW 10.101.070.
Apply for Grant Funds
Applications
OPD is now accepting RCW 10.101 funds applications for counties and cities at this time.
- County Application for 2026 Funding [PDF] Last revised: 06/26/2025
- City Application for 2026-2027 Award [PDF] Last revised: 06/25/2025
Submit
Applications are due July 25, 2025.
Please click the links below to access the application and submission instructions.
- MFT Submission Instructions [PDF]
- County Funding Disbursement Estimate for 2026 [PDF]
- Increase in RCW 10.101 Funds Statement [PDF]
- 10.101 Application Video Guide [Zoom clip]
Policies and Standards
- Supreme Court Order: Public Defense Caseload Standards [PDF]Last revised: 06/09/2025
- Permitted Uses of State Funds [PDF]
- City Application Evaluation Factors [PDF]
- Attorney Time Reporting Policy [PDF]
- Attorney Training Policy [PDF]
Recipients
City Grant Awards
The participating cities use grant funds to support services such as: providing counsel at first appearance, adding attorneys to reduce caseloads, increasing attorney compensation, paying for professional investigator and expert services, providing interpreters for attorney-client meetings, and integrating social services to public defense representation.
- City Funds Distribution for Calendar Years 2024 and 2025 [PDF]
- City Funds Distribution for Calendar Years 2022 and 2023 [PDF]
County Funding
The amounts for each county may differ from prior year funding amounts primarily due to a county's increase or decrease in felony filings. Felony filings are a significant factor in the funding distribution formula established in RCW 10.101.070.