§ 13. Children and Youth Fund.

(a) Fund established; Scope.

(1) There is a continuing, nonlapsing Baltimore City Children and Youth Fund, to be used exclusively for purposes of establishing new and augmenting existing programs for and services to the children and youth of this City.

(2) These programs and services must be from among those designed to:

(i) ensure that Baltimore's children and youth are healthy, are ready to learn and succeed in school, and live in stable, safe, and supportive families and communities;

(ii) ensure that Baltimore City supports families as an important part of the City population and civic culture;

(iii) focus on the prevention of problems and on supporting and enhancing the strengths of children, youth, and their families;

(iv) complement the City's community development efforts;

(v) strengthen community-based networks of recreation and after-school services in all neighborhoods; and

(vi) ensure that children and youth with the highest needs receive maximum benefit from the Fund.

(3) The Fund shall be administered in accordance with the following standards:

(i) programs and services shall be provided and funds allocated based on best practices and successful and innovative models;

(ii) to the maximum extent feasible, funds shall be allocated equitably among services for all age groups – from infancy to transitional-aged youth;

(iii) programs and services shall be gender-responsive and culturally competent; and

(iv) programs and services shall be designed to strengthen collaboration among service providers for children, youth, and their families, including collaboration among public agencies and non-profit organizations.

(b) Limitations on use.

The Children and Youth Fund may not be used to substitute for or replace funding for children and youth programs or services provided in the Ordinance of Estimates for Fiscal Year 2017, except to the extent that federal, state, or private agency funds for those programs or services have since been discontinued.

The Children and Youth Fund shall comprise:

(1) a mandatory annual appropriation in the Ordinance of Estimates of an amount equal to at least $0.03 on every $100 of assessed or assessable value of all property in the City of Baltimore (except property exempt by law); and

(2) grants and donations made to the Fund.

(d) Continuing nature of Fund.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Charter, unspent portions of the Children and Youth Fund:

(1) remain in the Fund, to be used exclusively for its specified purposes;

(2) do not revert to the general revenues of the City; and

(3) their appropriations do not lapse.

(e) Implementation.

By Ordinance, the Mayor and City Council shall provide for the oversight, governance, and administration of the Children and Youth Fund, including:

(1) methods and criteria for identifying specific program and services eligible for funding by the Fund;

(2) methods and criteria for allocating available funds among eligible programs and services; and

(3) the establishment of any other legislative or administrative rules, regulations, or standards, consistent with this section, governing the Fund, its operations, and programs and services funded by it.