ABOUT PRUNO FUND

Before Pruno was an organization, it was a collection of stories.

What does Pruno Mean?

Our name comes from Pruno, Ramen, and a Side of Hope—the book of exoneree stories that inspired the creation of Pruno Fund. Pruno is a homemade prison wine, created from whatever ingredients are available—a small expression of resourcefulness and survival. Through her work with the Northern California Innocence Project, co-founder Nikki Pope heard exonerees talk about the

resourcefulness it took to survive incarceration—including the food and drinks they created from whatever was available.

Those stories became Pruno, Ramen, and a Side of Hope. But the relationships behind the book revealed something bigger.

book cover for Pruno, Ramen, and a Side of Hope

Freedom didn't mean the struggle was over. Many exonerees were leaving prison without the resources they needed to rebuild. So in 2017, Nikki Pope and Courtney Lance founded The Pruno Fund, with guidance from exoneree Rick Walker.

The book told the stories. Pruno became a way to show up afterward.

OUR MISSION

Pruno helps people rebuild after wrongful incarceration by providing practical financial support, resources and community during the difficult years after release.

OUR HISTORY

2015

Pruno, Ramen, and a Side of Hope released.

Over many years on the board of the Northern California

Innocence Project—and during her tenure as interim

Executive Director—Nikki Pope connected deeply with

exonerees, often hearing stories of resilience and survival.

Pruno, Ramen, and a Side of Hope was born from that

experience.

2017

The Pruno Fund is incorporated as a nonprofit.

After sharing book profits with the courageous exonerees whose stories filled its pages, Nikki and Courtney were struck by the harsh truth: most exonerees are released into freedom with almost no support. Guided by exoneree Rick Walker, they founded The Pruno Fund to change that and help exonerees rebuild their lives with dignity and hope.

2018

Financial Assistance program begins.

Pruno Fund distributed its first financial assistance, connecting with exonerees through the Northern California Innocence Project. In its first year, the financial assistance program helped exonerees with medical care, housing, and transportation.

2022

Pruno Fund hires its first employees and begins a strategic assessment.

Pruno Fund hired a Development & Strategy Director and a Program Manager in a effort to expand and streamline its programs. After a thorough strategic assessment, Pruno Fund began to expand the financial assistance program through connections with more Innocence Projects across the country and refocus on communications training that had been suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

2024

Communications Training launched

As interim Executive Director at NCIP, Nikki pioneered the first exoneree communication skills training in partnership with the Santa Clara University Theatre department. Pruno Fund launched our own version of the communications retreat-still rooted in our partnership with Santa Clara. These immersive workshops are designed specifically for exonerees to learn to tell their story for advocacy, media, and healing.

2025

Exoneree Advisory Council established

Consisting of inspiring exoneree leaders, the Exoneree Advisory Council held its first meetings. This dynamic group will keep exoneree voices front and center while exploring meaningful ways to implement our mission to support the wrongfully convicted community.