Reauthorization
OFCY Reauthorization Updates for 2020
The Oakland City Council approved the reauthorization of OFCY for a third twelve-year term with their second reading of the updated ordinance on March 3, 2020. Click here for a copy of the council resolution. Thank you to the hundreds of children, youth, parents, providers, and community advocates who reached out to their City Councilmembers and who came out to public meetings in support of the Fund. The action taken by City Council will provide a consistent source of support for Oakland's children and youth through OFCY to 2033.
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On February 11, 2020 Oakland City Council's Life Enrichment Committee unanimously approved an ordinance to reauthorize the Oakland Fund for Children and Youth for twelve more years, and moved the ordinance to the consent calendar of the next meeting of City Council on February 18, 2020. As an ordinance, it will be read at City Council first on February 18, 2020, and require a second reading at the following city council meeting.
Click here to watch the video from the meeting.
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On December 3, 2019 at the Life Enrichment Committee meeting to adopt OFCY's 2018-2019 evaluation report, Councilmember Nikki Fortunato Bas announced that she would bring an ordinance to City Council in early February 2020 to reauthorize the fund and voiced her support for OFCY. The meeting can be viewed here. Nearly 60 youth and supporters spoke to advocate for reauthorization of the fund.
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In October 2019, the Planning and Oversight Committee approved a motion to formally recommend to the Oakland City Administrator and City Council that they reauthorize the Oakland Kids First! Children's Fund. Meeting minutes can be viewed here.
Additionally, the Oakland Unified School District Board met in October and voted unanimously to approve a resolution in support of the reauthorization of OFCY. Click here for a copy of the resolution.
Oakland City Charter: Article XIII: Kids First! Oakland Children’s Fund
Section 1307:
"This section may be extended for an additional twelve years beginning July 1 2021 by a simple majority vote of the City Council. If the City Council does not itself extend this section, then the City Council shall place the question of whether to extend this section on the November 2020 ballot for a vote of the electorate. This process will be repeated every twelve years or until reauthorization is rejected by a vote of the electorate."
Below is a timeline of the establishment of Oakland Kids First! and efforts to reauthorize the fund in 2008-2009 for the second 12-year cycle, along with links to various articles and publications provided for context.
OFCY Kids First History
Establishment of the Fund – 1st 12-Year Cycle
1994-1996
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Citywide action developing policy and planning focusing on youth, including the "Call to Action: An Oakland Blueprint for Youth Development" by the Urban Strategies Council, which served as a template for establishing the fund.
1996
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Kids First! Initiative gathers over 30,000 signatures to put funding measure on the ballot.
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On November 5, 1996, 75% of Oakland voters approved Measure K to establish the Oakland Fund for Children and Youth, which set aside 2.5% of city’s unrestricted general fund for children and youth programming.
1998
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First round of funding. OFCY received 202 requests for funding and recommended 39 programs for nearly $5M in annual grant funding.
Reauthorization of the Fund – 2nd 12-Year Cycle
2007-2008
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OFCY’s Planning and Oversight Committee hosted meetings to discuss reauthorization and receive public input from community group and the members of the Kids First! Initiative.
April 2008
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Oakland City Council unanimously adopts resolution to reauthorize Oakland Kids First! ‘as is’, with only minor technical changes, for another 12-year term.
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Kids First! Coalition announces intention to place an initiative on November ballot to ‘double funding for children and youth services by 2011 without raising taxes’
November 2008
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On November 4 2008, A revised Kids First! Initiative (“Measure OO”) is passed by 53% of voters. The measure increased the annual set aside for grants to 1½% for two years and 2½% thereafter of the City's annual total revenues, rather than 2½ percent of the unrestricted general fund revenues.
December 2008 - January 2009
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City of Oakland forecasts a city budget deficits and identifies two main factors: declining revenue due to the economic recession, and the large increase of funding directed to children and youth via Kids First! due to the new funding formula in Measure OO.
March 2009 - April 2009
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City Council debates path to either repeal or revise Measure 00. After deadlocking on March 17, council approves a new ballot measure for a special election in July 2009 to replace Measure OO with Measure D.
July 2009
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On July 21 2009, 72% of Oakland voters approved Measure D in a special election conducted as a mail-in ballot only election. The measure changed the annual set aside for grants to 3% of the unrestricted General Purpose Fund.