Policy Change Proposal for Foster Care Grants Under Review

Under current policies, any current or former foster care child is eligible to be served in Portland Children's Levy (PCL)-funded programs supporting youth in foster care. Based on feedback from foster care grantee partners and staff from the Oregon Department of Human Services-Child Welfare (ODHS), the proposed change would allow programs to also serve children and families with ODHS involvement where children are not in substitute care.

Allocation Committee members asked for more information and will revisit the proposal at the next meeting on April 18.

Large grant renewal process, timeline

Current 3-year, large grants end June 30, 2023. Current grantee partners who wish to continue providing the same or similar services are eligible for a 2-year grant renewal.

Based on an updated revenue forecast in late January, PCL expects sufficient revenues for 2-year grant renewals at a similar level of funding as well as cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) for grantee partners. 

In most cases, staff will recommend a 2-year renewal grant amount using the following formula: 40% of 2020-2023 (3-year) grant plus 4% compounded COLA. In some cases, staff may recommend less funding due to significant and persistent underspending and/or significant performance issues. 

Staff are in the process of reviewing and analyzing mid-year data, mid-year reports and meeting with grantee partners. Staff will share renewal recommendations with grantee partners by March 31. Grantee partners will have time to respond in writing to staff recommendations. PCL staff will provide recommendations and grantee responses to the Allocation Committee in advance of their decisions on renewal grants at their April 18, 2023 meeting.

Funding for the second year of the 2-year grant renewals depends on voter renewal of the levy before the current levy ends June 30, 2024.

For more information visit portlandchildrenslevy.org.

The Portland Children's Levy was created by city voters in 2002 and renewed for the third time in May 2018. Funding for the new five-year Levy is July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2024.