(a) Upon appropriation by the Legislature in the annual Budget Act, the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation shall award funding for an innovative grant program to not-for-profit organizations to replicate their programs at institutions that the Director of the Division of Rehabilitative Programs has determined are underserved by volunteer and not-for-profit organizations. The director shall develop a formula for identifying target institutions based upon factors including, but not limited to, number of volunteers, number of inmates, number of volunteer-based programs, and the size of waiting lists for inmates wanting to participate in programs.

(b) Grant funding shall be provided to not-for-profit organizations wishing to expand programs that they are currently providing in other California state prisons that have demonstrated success and focus on offender responsibility and restorative justice principles. The grants shall be awarded for a three-year period and are designed to be one time in nature. The grants shall go to programs that demonstrate that they will become self-sufficient or will be funded in the long term by donations or another source of ongoing funding. All funding shall go directly to the not-for-profit organizations and shall not be used for custody staff or administration of the grant. Any unspent funds shall revert to the fund source authorized for this purpose at the end of three years.

(c) On or before January 1 of each year, the department shall report to the budget committees and public safety committees in both houses of the Legislature on the following information from the previous fiscal year’s grants:

(1) The number of grants provided.

(2) The institutions receiving grants.

(3) A description of each program and level of funding provided, organized by institution.

(4) The start date of each program.

(5) Any feedback from inmates participating in the programs on the value of the programs.

(6) Any feedback from the program providers on their experience with each institution.

(7) The number of participants participating in each program.

(8) The number of participants completing each program.

(9) Waiting lists, if any, for each program.

(Added by Stats. 2016, Ch. 33, Sec. 22. (SB 843) Effective June 27, 2016.)