The Public Engagement Pilot Initiative is a joint collaboration of the National Center for State Courts (NCSC) and the University of Nebraska Public Policy Center, with grant support from the State Justice Institute (SJI).

After a nationwide call for proposals, six public engagement pilot projects have been selected from an exciting and diverse group of proposals.  Over approximately 18 months, the pilot projects will receive resources and support from the NCSC in partnership with the University of Nebraska Public Policy Center.  The sites will work both individually and collaboratively to engage their communities, with the goal of building trust.

Included in this effort are the following sites:

• Administrative Office of the Massachusetts Trial Court;
• Franklin County, Ohio Municipal Court;
• Kansas City, Missouri Municipal Court;
• Nebraska Supreme Court Office of the State Court Administrator;
• Puerto Rico Judicial Branch; and,
• Texas Office of Court Administration

To benefit all state courts, the Initiative will be developing a toolkit for courts to use in their own public engagement efforts.  Already developed as working documents are: 1) Visioning Public Engagement; and, 2) Appendices A and B, that detail issues identified and examples of public engagement.  More resources are expected to be added as the pilots move forward in their work.