Life Enrichment Committee
December 10, 2024
AGENDA REPORT
TO: Jestin D. Johnson FROM: LaTonda Simmons
City Administrator Assistant City Administrator
SUBJECT: OFCY 2025 – 2028 Strategic
Investment Plan
DATE: November 15, 2024
City Administrator Approval Date:
RECOMMENDATION
Staff Recommends That The City Council Adopt A Resolution To Adopt The 2025-2028 Strategic Investment Plan Of The Oakland Fund For Children And Youth As Unanimously Approved By The Planning And Oversight Committee.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Oakland Fund for Children and Youth (OFCY) Planning and Oversight Committee (POC) is forwarding the 2025-2028 Strategic Investment Plan addressing the four goals of OFCY outlined in the City Charter Section 1303.1:
1) Support the healthy development of young children
2) Help children and youth succeed in school
3) Prevent and reduce violence
4) Help youth transition to productive adulthood
The full OFCY 2025-2028 Strategic Investment Plan (SIP) is provided as Attachment A to the report. The completed Community Needs Assessment (CNA) is provided as Attachment B. A request for proposals is tentatively scheduled to be released in the 2025 calendar year, informed by the OFCY Strategic Investment Plan and independent evaluations.
Adoption of the OFCY SIP will expand support for a variety of essential services and programs for Oakland’s children, youth, and their families, with a particular focus on reaching communities that experience disparate outcomes in Oakland. OFCY’s partnership with city a gencies and departments, Oakland Unified School District (OUSD), and community-based organizations has led to the creation of new initiatives, filled gaps in services, subsidized program direct service costs, and expanded programming.
OFCY is a critical funder filling gaps in the eco-system of child and youth services in Oakland.
While other city and county agencies and funders focus on one age group, OFCY is unique in its breadth as it supports community-based organizations that serve children and youth ages 0 – 21.
Jestin Johnson (Nov 25, 2024 09:43 PST)
Nov 25, 2024
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: OFCY 2025 – 2028 Strategic Investment Plan
Date: November 15, 2024 Page 2
Life Enrichment Committee
December 10, 2024
Every three years, OFCY , through its POC, is required to develop a SIP to inform it s funding priorities. OFCY’s CNA illustrates the state of children, youth, and their families in Oaklan d through a review of publicly available data sources, an analysis of community input from youth, families, and stakeholders, which informed the development of the SIP pursuant to the Charter requirements.
OFCY partnered with Bright Research Group (BRG) to facilitate a collaborative process with the POC and community stakeholders to develop the 2025-2028 Strategic Plan. In collaboration with the participation of OFCY staff and the POC, BRG developed a plan for community and stakeholder engagement that pr ioritized hearing from existing grantees, community -based providers, system partners, and young people. Data collection and community engagement were conducted during the spring through summer of 2024.
In support of the City of Oakland’s racial equity goa ls, the CNA gathers disaggregated data to understand current conditions and to ensure OFCY program design is sufficiently informed by and calibrated to the needs of underserved populations , including those experiencing the most disparities.
The OFCY SIP summarizes OFCY’s funding strategies for FY 2025 – 2028 and the intended outcomes associated with each strategy, pursuant to the Charter requirements for the SIP.
Eight OFCY SIP strategies , —Family Resource Centers and Parent Engagement, Elementary and Middle School -Based Expanded Learning, Youth Development and Leadership, Career Access and Employment, Youth Summer Jobs, Independent Living , and Placed Based Innovations for Safety —have been developed t o pursue and advance the four goals in the enabling ordinance.
The (POC) reviewed the results of the CNA, provided guidance throughout the development of the strategies outlined in this plan , unanimously approved the proposed strategies and funding allocation, and unanimously approved the SIP for Council approval.
BACKGROUND / LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
The Oakland Fund for Children and Youth was established to address the well-being of children and youth by voter approval of the Kids First! Oakland Children’s Fund Amendment in 1996.
The Kids First! Amendment (Article XIII – Amended in 2020) of the City of Oakland Charter requires that three percent (3%) of the General-Purpose Fund be set aside as annual revenues, along with interest accrued and any unspent funds from prior years and appropriated to the Oakland Kids First! Children’s Fund. Ninety percent (90%) of the annual revenue is made available for grants to non - profit and public agencies to address the well -being of Oakland children and youth from birth through age 21. Ten percent (10%) is available for administration and evaluation. The City Council adopted Ordinance No. 13588 C.M.S. on March 3, 2020, which extended OFCY for twelve (12) years, beginning July 1, 2021, and continuing thro ugh June 30, 2033.
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: OFCY 2025 – 2028 Strategic Investment Plan
Date: November 15, 2024 Page 3
Life Enrichment Committee
December 10, 2024
Charter Section 1305 requires that OFCY conduct a Community Needs Assessment (CAN)the Planning and Oversight Committee (“POC”) submit to the City Council for its adoption three-year Strategic Investment Plans The SIP must include the following:
a) Target Population
b) Performance and impact objectives
c) Intervention strategy
d) Evaluation plan
e) Funding allocations
The SIP must also describe how each three -year program initiative is aligned and coordinated with other public and private resources to achieve maximum service performance and youth impacts. OFCY is required to conduct an annual independent evaluation of the SIP to capture the performance of funding grantees. The SIP, and independent evaluation(s) are presented to the Planning and Oversight Committee and City Council for review and approval.
OFCY is overseen by a 17 -member public commission composed of one youth and one adult appointee per Council member and one appointee by the Mayor. The POC is responsible for the completion of the three-year SIP, the solicitation of proposals for funding to implement the Plan through an open and fair application process, and the selection of the recommended grant awards for the Council’s approval.
The City Council approved the 2022-2025 OFCY Strategic Investment Plan in December 2021.
Based on the subsequent release of the OFCY Request for Proposals (RFP) that was released on January 10, 2022, and the recommendation of grant awards by the POC in April 2022, the City Council approved 135 grant awards totaling $17,817,382 for FY 22 -23, with an option to approve one year grant renewals for fiscal year 23-24 and 24-25, for the three-year OFCY grant cycle (Resolution No. 89245, C.M.S) on June 7, 2022.
A Supplemental Report was presented to the Council on May 26, 2022, to request grant award funding approval for an additional 14 grantees for $1,225,000, as revised estimates to the City’s General-Purpose Fund increased the overall funding to the Kids First! Children’s Fund. The POC, on June 1, 2022 , approved the additional grantees (selected from the Priority List) for a total allocation of $19,142,382 for 149 OFCY programs for FY 2022-2023.
In FY 2023-2024, OFCY allocated $18,837,382 for summer program grants that began on June 1, 2023, and year-round programming that began on July 1, 2023, to complete the year two funding cycle under the 2023 -2024 OFCY Strategic Investment Plan. (Resolution No. 89772C.M.S.)
In FY 24-25, OFCY maintained the baseline funding in the amount of $18,837 ,382, for summer and year-round programming for 147 programs. OFCY summer program grants begin on June 1, 2024, and year -round programming begins on July 1, 2024, to complete year three funding cycle under the FY 2022-2025 OFCY SIP.
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: OFCY 2025 – 2028 Strategic Investment Plan
Date: November 15, 2024 Page 4
Life Enrichment Committee
December 10, 2024
ANALYSIS AND POLICY ALTERNATIVES
OFCY advances the Citywide priorities of Clean, Healthy, Sustainable Neighborhoods and Holistic Community Safety through grant funding to 147 community -based organizations and public agencies within each of the seven council districts to address the root causes of poverty by the provision of prev ention and early intervention -oriented programs and equitable service delivery.
The City Charter stipulates that ninety- percent (90%) of OFCY’s funds must support the provision of eligible direct services for children, youth, and families in Oakland. Ten percent (10%) is available for administration and evaluation. The amount of actual unrestricted General Purpose Fund (Fund 1010) is three-percent (3%) of annual revenues shall be estimated by the City Administrator and verified by the City Auditor. Revenues from the General Purpose Fund and any amounts unspe nt or uncommitted with any interest earned are appropriated and adjusted annually.
Eligible funded OFCY services must support the following four goal areas:
1. Healthy Development of Young Children: “Support the healthy development of young children through preschool education, school-readiness programs, physical and behavioral health services, parent education, and case management.”
2. Student Success in School: “Help children and youth succeed in school and graduate high school through after-school academic support and college readiness programs, arts, music, sports, outdoor education, internships, work experience, parent education, and leadership development, including civic engagement, service learning, and arts expression.”
3. Youth Development and Violence Prevention: “Prevent and reduce violence, crime, and gang involvement among children and youth through case management, physical and behavioral health services, internships, work experience, outdoor education, and leadership development, including civic engagement, service learning, and arts expression.”
4. Transitions to Adulthood: “Help youth transition to productive adulthood through case management, physical and behavioral health services, hard-skills training and job placement in high-demand industries, internships, work experience, and leadership development, including civic engagement, service learning, and arts expression.”1
OFCY is a critical funder and gap filler in the ecosystem of child and youth services in Oakland.
While other city and county agencies and funders focus on one age group, such as early childhood (e.g., First 5 Alameda County, Head Start), school age youth (e.g. Oakland Unified School District), or older youth (e.g., Office of Economic and Workforce Development), OFCY is unique in its flexibility breadth, as it supports community -based organizations that serve young people from birth to 21 years of age.
1 Oakland City Charter Article XIII: Kids First! Oakland Children’s Fund
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: OFCY 2025 – 2028 Strategic Investment Plan
Date: November 15, 2024 Page 5
Life Enrichment Committee
December 10, 2024
OFCY Vision, Mission, Values, and Racial Equity Statement
Table # 1
Vision All children and youth in Oakland will thrive and have the support of the entire community to lead safe, healthy, and productive lives.
Mission
OFCY provides strategic funding to support Oakland's children and youth from birth to 21 years of age so they can become healthy, happy, educated, engaged, powerful and loved
community members.
Core Values
Social and Economic Equity—All children and youth have a fundamental right to a safe and healthy life and a quality education.
We value the concerted application of our resources toward those youth who are in greatest need.
Child and Youth Development—We support efforts to promote the social, emotional, physical, cognitive, and spiritual development of children to instill individual and community pride and leadership.
Community and Collaboration—We embrace the idea that by pooling our resources and working together, we can accomplish great things.
Racial Equity
Statement
OFCY is committed to partnering with the City of Oakland’s Department of Race & Equity to achieve racial equity in Oakland.
For this Strategic Plan, OFCY has adopted the following racial equity statement to ensure that OFCY’s program design is sufficiently informed by and calibrated to the needs of those who have been most impacted by racial disparities or historically have not been served, and that no one is left behind.
For the four OFCY goal areas, all children and youth
participating in OFCY funded programs will have opportunities to thrive, including those experiencing the most disparities.
Overview of the OFCY Strategic Planning Process, Community Needs Assessment and Strategic Investment Plan
OFCY contracted Bright Research Group (BRG) to update the existing OFCY CNA and SIP for the 2025–2028 period.
OFCY’s CNA illustrates the state of children, youth, and families in Oakland through a review of publicly available data sources and an analysis of community i nput from youth, families, and stakeholders.
The first phase of strategic planning is to update the CNA. The goals of this process were to:
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: OFCY 2025 – 2028 Strategic Investment Plan
Date: November 15, 2024 Page 6
Life Enrichment Committee
December 10, 2024
• Identify changes in indicators of health, well-being, and quality of life for children and youth within each of OFCY’s goal areas.
• Identify disparities on the basis of race/ethnicity for each of these key indicators. • Generate stakeholder and community input from community-based organizations, youth- serving system partners, and community members regarding the needs of youth in Oakland, OFCY’s grantmaking approach, and OFCY’s role in supporting equitable outcomes for children and youth.
The CNA was designed to answer the following questions:
• How have the demographics of children and youth changed in the last three years? • At a population level, what has changed for Oakland’s children and youth since the last strategic plan was developed in 2021? How are children and youth faring on indicators of protective factors, education, and well-being within each of the goal areas OFCY aims to address?
• How, if at all, have racial disparities on key indicators of health, well-being, and quality of life changed since the last analysis of racial equity indicators in 2021? • What are the needs of children and youth within each of the goal areas, and how can OFCY address those needs given its role and partnerships with other youth -serving anchor institutions in Oakland? How does grantmaking support those needs?
The methodologies consisted of meetings and interviews with core system partners in Oakland and Alameda County, community and youth input forums, and a review of publicly available quantitative data sources.
Table 2 below lists the methods for updating the CNA. Data gathered from each of these methods were analyzed to identify key themes and implications for OFCY’s 2025-2028 strategic plan
Table # 2
Quantitative
Data Analysis
System Partner
Interviews
Community and Youth Input Grantee Input
• Assessment
of available
and
updated
data since
2021
• Quantitative
analysis of
publicly
available
data within
each goal
area
• Interviews with
anchor institutions,
OFCY partners,
decision-makers,
and key
institutions vested
in Oakland
children and youth
• Review of recent
research
• Two community webinars
• POC input meetings in
high-priority districts to
reach children, youth, and
families
• Collaboration with Oakland
Youth Commission and
integration of YPAR results
• Community survey
• Grantee input
meeting
• Grantee
surveys
• POC input
meetings in
high-priority
districts
BRG analyzed publicly available quantitative data from national, state, county, and city-level sources. Data was analyzed by racial and ethnic identity whenever possible to identify which groups are experiencing the greatest need within each goal area and to synthesize key trends when it comes to advancing racial equity for Oakland’s children and youth Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: OFCY 2025 – 2028 Strategic Investment Plan
Date: November 15, 2024 Page 7
Life Enrichment Committee
December 10, 2024
Additional demographic factors —such as indicators for income level, like qualification for free/reduced lunch or newcomer status—were also used to further understand the complexities of need among Oakland’s diverse communities.
The CNA also highlights changes to the data on youth and families since the last CNA was conducted three years ago, identifying op portunities for OFCY to align with other initiatives and investments that share OFCY goals and soliciting community input on the needs of children, youth, and families.
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Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: OFCY 2025 – 2028 Strategic Investment Plan
Date: November 15, 2024 Page 8
Life Enrichment Committee
December 10, 2024
Facts and Figures: Youth in Oakland, by the Numbers2
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: OFCY 2025 – 2028 Strategic Investment Plan
Date: November 15, 2024 Page 9
Life Enrichment Committee
December 10, 2024
As a part of th e Community Needs Assessment process, OFCY also hosted a number of opportunities to gather input from youth, families, and community members about their experiences, perspectives, and priorities for OFCY . Specifically, opportunities included the following:
• Community and Youth Input
• Virtual Community Webinars
• POC Hosted Input Sessions
• Oakland Youth Commission Facilitate Discussion
• Community Input Survey
• OFCY Grantee Input (Facilitated 1/2-day grantee meeting, Grantee survey) • Landscape Scan and Key Informant Interviews with System Partners • Interviews and Meetings with System Partners and Funders
Community and Youth Input
BRG developed a flyer for community and youth outreach opportunities and translated it into Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Mam (audio translation). OFCY distributed the translated flyers widely through multiple channels. Grantees were encouraged to invite community residents and/or current program participants to provide their input. The POC distributed the flyers to their own personal networks and to a targeted list of organizations in Oakland that serve youth.
Virtual Community Webinars
BRG hosted two virtual community webinars to gain insight directly from Oakland residents on the strengths and needs of Oakland’s children and youth. The community webinars were focused on hearing from residents, community leaders, youth, and staff from nonprofit agencies. The webinars included breakout groups in which participants provided their feedback on the strengths and needs of Oa kland’s children and youth, particularly those youth living in high -stress neighborhoods and those most impacted by social and economic inequities.
POC-Hosted Input Sessions
In May and June, the Public Oversight Commission (POC) hosted three of their mee tings in community-based locations in Deep East Oakland, Fruitvale, and West Oakland. By hosting these POC input sessions in the community, OFCY aimed to ensure that communities from these neighborhoods were able to participate in the strategic planning pr ocess. The meetings were structured as input forums where youth and community members were invited to answer the guiding questions for the CNA process.
Oakland Youth Commission
BRG attended a meeting of the Oakland Youth Commission on May 20, where a facilitated discussion was held with the Youth Commissioners on each of OFCY’s goal areas. Youth Commissioners provided input on the strengths, opportunities, aspirations, and results of each of OFCY’s goal areas.
In addition, the Oakland Youth Commission has engaged the Youth Leadership Institute (YLI) to facilitate a youth participatory action research project on youth employment and career exposure.
A subcommittee of OYC members are conducting the YPAR, which involves a survey to 150
2 Summary of key data points from the OFCY Community Needs Assessment Report, 2024.
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: OFCY 2025 – 2028 Strategic Investment Plan
Date: November 15, 2024 Page 10
Life Enrichment Committee
December 10, 2024
Oakland youth. Data analysis will be completed later this summer. BRG reviewed preliminary findings from this YPAR project and used these to inform the strategic plan.
Community Input Survey
To increase community participation in the strategic planning process, BRG developed a community survey. The survey was distributed at community events, online, and was posted in newspapers. The survey was open from June – October 2024. The results were analyzed and are available as an appendix to the Strategic Plan.
Grantee Input
Grantees have important insights to offer regarding the needs of children and youth, what is changing for young people, and strategies they are implementing to advance racial equity through the services and supports they provide. The key methods include:
Grantee Meeting
OFCY and BRG hosted a half-day grantee meeting on April 19, 2024, to solicit grantee feedback and input on needs and strategies, foster relationships between OFCY grantees, and communicate OFCY’s vision and partnership approach. Seventy-four individuals wh o work for Oakland’s community-based organizations attended the meeting. BRG provided an overview of the strategic planning process, promoted additional input opportunities in which community members and youth could participate, and facilitated breakout groups by OFCY goal area to have focused discussions on strengths, opportunities, racial equity indicators, and grantmaking approaches in OFCY’s body of work.
Grantee Surveys
A survey was disseminated to current OFCY grantees to gather grantee perspectives and input in an anonymous setting. In total, 78 individuals completed the survey. The survey asked about the strengths and challenges of the programming in each goal area; feedback on the grantmaking structure; perceptions of youth participation and needs; and ideas on how OFCY could infuse a racial equity perspective into their grantmaking approach.
Landscape Scan and Key Informant Interviews with System Partners OFCY partners with other city and county agencies and departments to strengthen the ecosystem of support for children and youth and to support their equity goals. BRG conducted key informant interviews and met with system partners and leaders of agencies that serve Oakland’s children, youth, and families to better understand the priorities of other stakeholder investments in each of OFCY’s goal areas and to identify opportunities for OFCY to deepen its partnership with agencies working to address population level inequities in Oakland. The interviews took place virtually in April and May 2024.
The goal of the interviews was to scan the landscape of children, youth, and family services in Oakland and to identify key changes and trends in this landscape since OFCY completed its last CNA.
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: OFCY 2025 – 2028 Strategic Investment Plan
Date: November 15, 2024 Page 11
Life Enrichment Committee
December 10, 2024
Interviews and Meetings with System Partners and Funders
1. Oakland Department of Violence
Prevention
2. OUSD Expanded Learning Programs
3. Mayor’s Office, Education and
Community Safety
4. City Administrator’s Office
5. Oakland Parks, Recreation, and Youth
Development
6. Oakland Department of Economic and
Workforce Development
7. Alameda County Center for Healthy
Schools and Communities
8. First 5 Alameda County
9. Oakland Thrives
10. Alameda County Probation
Department
11. City Council Members
12. Zellerbach Family Foundation
13. Oakland Children’s Initiative
14. Oakland Head Start
What is Changing for Oakland’s Children and Youth
Since the last CNA was conducted in 2021, the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic has painted a clearer picture of needs and challenges in the city. Children, youth, and families in Oakland are struggling w ith learning loss, economic challenges, increases in community violence, rising housing costs, and mental health crises. Overall, 50% of all third -grade students in Oakland are reading at or above a third -grade reading level. African American and Latino ch ildren have consistently lower rates of reading on grade level (39% and 35%, respectively). At the same time, the City of Oakland is facing a structural deficit that is leading to significant cuts in City services and programs.
Youth representation across racial identities has not changed much since 2020. The largest percentage of Oakland youth identify as “Other Race” (27%). According to the 2022 census, there are 91,991 youth in Oakland, representing 21% of the total population, and the proportion of older youth has increased by 9%. Latino children have represented the largest population of students in district -run and charter schools over the last 10 years. A higher proportion of Latinos are enrolled in charter schools than in district-run schools (58% vs. 46%, respectively, in 2022–2023), but there has been a steady increase in the proportion of students at district-run schools who are Latino.
In the last decade, enrollment of African American children in OUSD district -run schools has declined from 30% to 20% of the student population, with only 6,970 African American students enrolled in 2022 –2023. Meanwhile, enrollment of African American children in charter schools had stayed relatively steady, at 20% of the student popula tion, but has started to decline in the last two school years (to 18% in 2022–2023). From 2000 to 2020, the Black population in Oakland declined by 43%—the largest decrease in any city in California during this period.3
Throughout the CNA, community members highlighted the shifting demographics in Oakland.
Specifically, people spoke to the sustained decrease in Oakland’s Black population and an increase in the population of newcomers. Community members also emphasized tha t
3 UCLA Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies, The State of Black California: Assessing 20 Years of Black Progress in the Golden State, April 2024. Accessible here.
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: OFCY 2025 – 2028 Strategic Investment Plan
Date: November 15, 2024 Page 12
Life Enrichment Committee
December 10, 2024
organizations need to hire and train bilingual staff to meet the needs of newcomer populations, especially Arabic-speaking and Mam-speaking staff, as these populations continue to grow.
Overall, many community members and organizations felt that OFCY e xcelled at supporting small, culturally specific organizations in high-need areas. These organizations were able to meet the unique needs of the diverse niche communities in Oakland through community -responsive approaches.
There was also a shared percepti on that youth homelessness in the region has increased, and that insufficient attention has been paid to this population.
For additional details on demographic changes, please view Attachment B. The results of the CNA informed the development of the SIP strategies and funding allocations.
Highlights of the Strategic Investment Plan and Funding Strategies for FY 2025 - 2028.
The 2025-2028 OFCY SIP outlines permitted activities, a brief rationale and description and the intended outcomes associated with the proposed eight strategies and funding allocations to purse and advance OFCYs four key goals in the enabling ordinance. The funded strat egies are responsive to the findings from the CNA.
Guiding Principles for Strategy Development
OFCY developed the following guiding principles to inform the 2025-2028 Strategic Plan.
Responding to Youth and Community Priorities First: OFCY conducted a deep review of the data on children and youth in Oakland, as well as an extensive community input pro cess that engaged 558 community members. Responding to the needs of the community first was prioritized during the development of these eight strategies.
Child and Youth Development Focus: Healthy and appropriate child and youth development is a common th eme and overarching focus for all of OFCY’s strategy areas. OFCY focuses on funding safe and enriching activities and spaces that prevent negative outcomes for youth in the future.
Commitment to Racial Equity: OFCY partners closely with the City of Oakland’s Department of Race & Equity to ensure that racial equity outcomes are imbued in each of the eight strategies.
OFCY focuses on funding programs that reach youth and families who face historic discrimination, racism, and disenfranchisement, with a specific focus on youth who are unhoused, living in equity zones, and system involved, as well as LGBTQ+ individuals and immigrants. OFCY has identified specific equity outcomes for each of the funding strategies.
Partnering to Shepherd City Resources Responsibly: As the city forecasts ahead, there will continue to be significant stressors on the city’s budget. OFCY is partnering closely with other city departments to ensure that city-funded investments and services are aligned, deduplicated, and supported. OFCY is specifically focused on ensuring that the city -funded service infrastructure experiences minimal disruption in the coming years. During this strategic planning process, OFCY met with city departments and led a transparent and open process with CBO partners to ensure Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: OFCY 2025 – 2028 Strategic Investment Plan
Date: November 15, 2024 Page 13
Life Enrichment Committee
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that organizations understand the steps and measures that OFCY needs to take to move this work forward in this fiscal landscape. OFCY has assessed shifts in the local funding landscape to inform this Strategic Plan.
Streamlining Strategies: In some cases, OFCY opted to streamline its goal areas by combining strategies that support OFCY’s goals. Reducing the number of strategies and simplifying strategy language will ensure ease of contract manage ment and evaluation. This guiding principle is responsive to feedback from community-based organizations about the difficulties of contracting with the City of Oakland.
Based on the results of the CNA, OFCY is increasing investments in older youth through strategies that support the Transitions to Adulthood goal area, adding a youth safety strategy, and increasing funding for youth development to foster joy, connection, and belonging. The OFCY SIP will inform the development of Requests for Proposals (RFPs) that will be released in the 2025 calendar year.
Given the uncertainties in the fiscal landscape, OFCY has allocated a range of funding amounts for each of the eight strategies. The funding ranges were determined by examining past funding levels, identifying priorities based on the results of the CNA, and assessing the funding landscape.
Funding ranges are estimated based on the expected demand for services. Exact funding levels will be determined as part of the RFP process in partnership with the POC and may be impacted by factors such as: outreach to priority populations and neighborhoods; the overall strength of proposals; and changes in the fiscal landscape
Table # 3
OFCY Investment Strategy FY 25 – 28 Funding
Allocation
Age Group
Served
Equity Outcome for Children &
Youth Living in Equity Zones
1. Family Resource
Centers and Parent
Engagement
8-13% 0 – 5 Families can access family
resource centers in their local
communities.
2. Elementary School-
Based Expanded Learning
8- 13% Elementary
school age
Every child has access to free
school-based afterschool
programs in elementary school.
3. Middle School-Based
Expanded Learning
10-15% Middle
school age
Every child has access to free
school-based afterschool
programs in middle school
4. Youth Development
and Leadership
30-35% Middle &
High school
age
Youth have access to free, high
quality youth development
programs in the summer and
year-round
5. Career Access &
Employment
12-17% Ages 15 - 21 Youth have increased access to
paid work opportunities and jobs.
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: OFCY 2025 – 2028 Strategic Investment Plan
Date: November 15, 2024 Page 14
Life Enrichment Committee
December 10, 2024
OFCY Investment Strategy FY 25 – 28 Funding
Allocation
Age Group
Served
Equity Outcome for Children &
Youth Living in Equity Zones
6. Youth Summer Jobs 6-11% Ages 15 - 21 Youth have increased access to paid work over the summer.
7. Independent Living 3-8% Ages 15 - 21 Youth have increased access to income, benefits, and supportive
services.
8. Place Based Innovations
for Safety
10-15% Middle &
high school
age, and TAY
Youth demonstrating early
warning indicators have improved
engagement in school, work, and
community activities.
Justification of Funding Allocation
The change in funding allocation from the last Strategic Plan is reflective of the shifts in the funding landscape over the last three years and the results of the CNA. A brief justification for these funding shifts is described below.
Increased Funding for Transitions to Adulthood Strategies: The funding allocation strategies that support the Transitions to Adulthood goal area will increase so that nearly one in four of OFCY’s dollars is invested in youth employment activities. OFCY will continue to focus on and expand career access and employment activities for kids in school and disconnected youth.
OFCY and OEWD will collaborate to expand the youth summer jobs program, with the vision of having enough summer jobs available for any young person in Oakland who wants one.
Finally, OFCY is investing in a new Independent Living strategy that will offer financial education, life skills, and basic income supports to young people, and refer them to employment p rograms when they are ready. This increase in funding is responsive to the significant community demand for services that prepare young people for adulthood, offer paid employment opportunities or other financial subsidies, and support the financial stability of older youth.
New Investment in Youth Safety: OFCY makes a significant investment in a new strategy that will expand OFCY’s focus on youth safety and build the city’s continuum of violence prevention programming. OFCY aims to focus on early intervention strategies for youth at lower levels of risk through youth life coaching, youth development, family support, school engagement, and other innovative ideas.
Through this new strategy, OFCY will invest in place -based programming that will be complementary to DVP’s youth programs and that can be evaluated for impact and quality. This investment is responsive to findings in the CNA that identified an increase in crime and violence in Oakland as a major d river of youth trauma that can increase their chances of future involvement in crime. OFCY will increase the investment in youth safety and partner closely with the DVP and community -based partners in the design and implementation of this critical strategy.
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: OFCY 2025 – 2028 Strategic Investment Plan
Date: November 15, 2024 Page 15
Life Enrichment Committee
December 10, 2024
Commitment to Youth Development: A key theme from community input sessions was the need to focus on providing young people with opportunities to experience joy, engage in enrichment, and foster a sense of belonging. Families and youth want youth -friendly spaces and events that make Oakland a more family-friendly city and increase social cohesion. As a core funder of youth development in the City of Oakland,
OFCY aims to strengthen and expand its support of youth development activities year-round and during the summer months. One out of every three dollars that OFCY will spend in the coming years will support community-based youth development programs that focus on arts, recreation, athletics, culturally specific programming, leadership development, and other youth-led programs.
In addition to supporting programs run by community -based organizations, OFCY and the Oakland Parks, Recreation & Youth Development Department (OPRYD) will partner to subsidize the costs of OPRYD after school and summer programs for low-income youth living in equity zones. This strategy aims to ensure equitable access to OPRYD youth development programs.
Justification for Decreases in Funding for Early Childhood and After -School: The early childhood systems landscape has changed a nd expanded significantly since the last OFCY Strategic Plan three years ago. Measure C (Children’s Health and Childcare Initiative for Alameda County) and Measure AA (Oakland Children’s Initiative) were recently upheld by the courts in 2024 and 2022, resp ectively. Under Measure C, a new sales tax revenue source will generate $150 million annually for Alameda County. to “enhance the access and quality of early care and education programming; improve compensation for participating early -care and education providers; enhance professional development programs and the eligibility and enrollment system for providers; [and] improve community spaces for children and families, such as parks, libraries, and family resource centers.” These increases in funding to earl y childhood education support the OFCY goal of healthy development of young children and expanded access to preschool and early care.
In addition, Measure AA will raise approximately $30 million annually for the City of Oakland, of which two -thirds will fund early childcare education for Oakland’s young children. First 5 Alameda County will serve as the early education implementation partner for these funds—focused on expanding ECE slots for three-years-olds and four-year-olds in high -need areas, with a f ocus on families who are low -income or qualify for a free/reduced lunch or Head Start.
The OFCY-OUSD after school partnership is a long-standing public system partnership, in which OFCY provides matching funds to community-based agencies that OUSD has selected to operate after-school programs in Title 1 schools. OUSD’s expanded learning programs are primarily funded by the California Department of Education (CDE). The CDE administers federal and state funds to Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) —such as OUS D—to support quality expanded learning programs before school, after school, and during the summer.
CDE has created a significant new funding source for after -school programs for TK -6th grade students—the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELO-P).
OFCY will continue to partner with OUSD to develop a transition plan for elementary school expanded learning providers to adapt to this change. OFCY will continue to monitor the funding Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: OFCY 2025 – 2028 Strategic Investment Plan
Date: November 15, 2024 Page 16
Life Enrichment Committee
December 10, 2024
landscape for expanded learning and remain adaptive to shifts in funding in order to preserve access to free, high quality after school programming in Oakland.
The Planning and Oversight Com mittee (POC) reviewed the results of the CNA, provided guidance throughout the development of the strategies outlined in this plan , and unanimously approved the proposed strategies and funding allocation.
ANALYSIS AND POLICY ALTERNATIVES
OFCY advances the Citywide priorities of Clean, Healthy, Sustainable Neighborhoods and Holistic Community Safety through grant funding to 147 community -based organizations and public agencies within each of the seven council districts to address the root causes of poverty by the provision of prevention and early intervention -oriented programs and equitable service delivery.
The Kids First! Oakland Children’s Fund was established by the voter -approved Kids First! Initiative in 1996. It required the City of Oakland to allocate 2.5% of its annual unrestricted General Purpose Fund revenue to provide services and programming to support children and youth.
In 2009, Oakland voters reauthorized the Oakland Children’s Fund (known as the Oakland Fund for Children and Youth, or OFCY) for the next 12 years (2009 –2020) through Measure D, which required Oakland to designate 3% of its unrestricted General Purpose Fund revenues to continue these efforts. In 2020, the Oakland City Council reauthorized the fund for a third 12 -year period, beginning July 1, 2021, and continuing through June 30, 2033. OFCY is administered by the City of Oakland’s Human Services Department.
The City Charter stipulates that ninety- percent (90%) of OFCY’s funds must support the provision of eligible direct services for children, youth, and families in Oakland. Ten percent (10%) is available for administration and evaluation. The amount of actual unrestricted General Purpose Fund (Fund 1010) is three-percent (3%) of annual revenues shall be estimated by the City Administrator and verified by the City Auditor. Revenues from the General Purpose Fund and any amounts unspe nt or uncommitted with any interest earned are appropriated and adjusted annually.
FISCAL IMPACT
The Oakland Municipal Charter The Kids First! Amendment Article XIII Ordinance No. 13588 C.M.S. adopted by City Council on March 3, 2020, extended OFCY for twelve (12) years , beginning July 1, 2021, and continuing through June 30, 2033, requires that three percent (3%) of the General-Purpose Fund be set aside as annual revenues, of which Ninety percent (90%) of the annual revenue is made available for grants to non-profit and public agencies to address the well-being of Oakland children and youth from birth through age 21. T en percent (10%) is available for administration and evaluation.
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: OFCY 2025 – 2028 Strategic Investment Plan
Date: November 15, 2024 Page 17
Life Enrichment Committee
December 10, 2024
PUBLIC OUTREACH / INTEREST
The POC provided notice and hosted several public meetings throughout the CNA and SIP strategy development process. Meetings were held on April 3, 2024; July 17, 2024; October 2, 2024; October 16, 2024, in addition to POC CNA Input Sessions that were held on May 15, 2024; June 5, 2024; June 12, 2024. to receive public input prior to approving the recommendations for forwarding to Oakland City Council.
COORDINATION
This report and legislation have been reviewed by the Office of the City Attorney, the Finance Department, and the Department of Workplace and Employment Standards. OFCY sought input from leadership from the City of Oakland departments, multiple system partners, and Oakland’s communities in the development of the proposed strategies , which is reflected in the OFCY Strategic Investment Plan.
PAST PERFORMANCE, EVALUATION AND FOLLOW-UP
The proposed 2025-2028 Strategic Investment Plan details the intended impact to be achieved through each of the proposed funding strategy areas. OFCY contracted grantee performance is assessed annually by OFCY grant managers and by an independent (third-party) evaluation, which is captured in separate reports reviewed and submitted to the City Council by the Planning and Oversight Committee.
OFCY is currently engaged in a participatory process with grantees to move from self -reported open narratives to capture outcomes to defined proscriptive outcomes that can be captured in the contracts management database (Cityspan) across the eight identified proposed strategies.
SUSTAINABLE OPPORTUNITIES
Economic: OFCY funding provides local employment opportunities through public and non- profit agencies, which are primarily Oakland-based, all of which employ local staff and have a positive economic impact. OFCY funds provide direct compensation to youth through subsidized internships and work experience. OFCY funds are used to leverage and match additional local, state, federal, and private philanthropic funds, bringing additional resources into Oakland.
Environmental: Programs will support community health and safety by providing physical activities outdoors, and nutritional snacks to improve the health and well -being of children and youth.
Race & Equity: In support of the City of Oakland’s racial equity goals, the CNA gathers disaggregated data to understand current conditions and ensure that the OFCY program design is sufficiently informed by and calibrated to the needs of underserved populations and those who have historically not been served.
Jestin D. Johnson, City Administrator
Subject: OFCY 2025 – 2028 Strategic Investment Plan
Date: November 15, 2024 Page 18
Life Enrichment Committee
December 10, 2024
OFCY prioritizes funding for services that reach youth and families with the greatest needs.
Programs will work to support children, youth, and families in need with basic health, education, enrichment, and employment services through a variety of means. The overwhelming majority of program participants are Latinx, African American, and Asian, indicating a racial equity focus in the funding and delivery of programming. Programs are intended to provide children, youth, and families that otherwise m ay not have the ability to participate in enriching, academically supportive, and socially engaging programming free of charge.
Working in partnership with the Department of Race & Equity (DRE), equity outcomes were developed and included in the FY 2025 -2028 SIP for council districts (equity zones) in which children, youth, and their families experiencing the most disparities reside.
OFCY will continue the work it began with DRE in 2023 to embed race and equity in its approach to grant, policy and decision making, with specific intention to change conditions for children and youth who are most impacted by racial disparities to maximize OFCY’s impact.
ACTION REQUESTED OF THE CITY COUNCIL
Staff Recommends That The City Council Adopt A Resolution To Adopt The 2025-2028 Strategic Investment Plan Of The Oakland Fund For Children And Youth As Unanimously Approved By The Planning And Oversight Committee.
For questions regarding this report, please contact Robin Love, Children and Youth Ser vices Manager, 510-238-3231 or email [email protected].
Respectfully submitted,
LaTonda Simmons
Assistant City Administrator
Prepared by:
Robin Love, Children &and Youth Services
Manager
Children& and Youth Services Division
Attachments (2):
A: OFCY Community Needs Assessment
B: OFCY Strategic Investment Plan FY 2025-2028
LaTonda Simmons (Nov 25, 2024 08:23 PST)