Children and Youth Fund – Updates FOR the purpose of updating the process and procedures by which the Fund may disperse grants; altering the composition of the Board of Directors; requiring a certain report; defining certain terms; and generally relating to the administration of the Children and Youth Fund.

Council Bill 25-0100, introduced by Councilmembers Parker and Bullock, implements comprehensive reforms to the administration, oversight, and grant-making processes of the Baltimore Children and Youth Fund (BCYF). The legislation responds to recent Inspector General findings regarding gaps in financial reporting and oversight.

Key Provisions:

• Grant-Making Process: Codifies a standardized, transparent grant application and review framework. The fiscal agent must publish a grants manual, use a uniform application, and convene either a community review panel or a staff panel based on grant complexity.
• Board Composition: Expands the Board of Directors from 9–20 members to 13–21 members. It adds ex-officio seats for the Mayor (or designee), the City Council President (or designee), and a representative from the Baltimore City Youth Commission. It mandates that at least 1/3 of the Board consist of youth members (ages 14–25), with strict notification and remediation requirements if youth membership falls below two members.
• Accountability & Audits: Mandates a performance audit by the Office of the Comptroller every three years, beginning in FY 2027. Grantees must submit quarterly fiscal reports, with monthly reporting required for those with compliance failures or unresolved audit weaknesses.
• Financial Planning: Requires the Board to adopt an annual financial plan by September 1 of each year, detailing budgets, fund balances, and progress reports on multi-year disbursements. It sets specific spending caps: 15% for administration, 20% for technical assistance, and 3% for public engagement.
• Ethics: Subjects Board members and non-clerical staff to city financial disclosure requirements and mandates recusal from votes involving organizations where they or their family members have employment or board affiliations.

Financial Details:

• The Fund receives an annual appropriation equal to at least $0.03 per $100 of assessed property value.
• The Comptroller’s Office estimates a $321,255 fiscal impact for additional staffing required to conduct the mandated performance audits.

Procedural Arc:
Introduced in September 2025, the bill underwent multiple hearings and revisions. The Department of Finance opposes the bill, citing concerns that rigid statutory constraints may limit the City's flexibility to address changing fiscal needs. The BCYF leadership expressed concerns that codifying operational procedures in statute could reduce equity and create administrative burdens, though they have collaborated on amendments to align the bill with existing Memoranda of Understanding (MOU).