BALTIMORE, MD – On Tuesday, February 21, City Council President Bernard C. "Jack" Young officially convened a task force of students, nonprofit leaders and community advocates to recommend guidelines related to the creation of a multi-million dollar youth fund that will benefit children and teens.

"This Fund is going to have an incredible impact on the programs that affect our youth. It is a big step in the right direction," said Council President Young.

The 38-member task force will offer suggestions on the following:

• Grantmaking Criteria: Methods and criteria for identifying specific program and services eligible for funding the Fund, and
• Grantmaking Style: Methods and criteria for allocating available funds among eligible programs and services, and
• Fund Organizational Structure: 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.

The task force will be co-chaired by Adam Jackson, the chief executive officer of Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle, a Baltimore think tank that focuses on social activism, and Dr. John Brothers, who oversees T. Rowe Price's philanthropic activities.

“It's essential that we invest in our Black-led community based institutions," Jackson said. "The youth fund represents an opportunity to implement a race equity framing around resource distribution by philanthropy.”

Dr. Brothers said that Council President Young's Youth Fund would create the third largest grant-making organization in Baltimore City.

“Baltimore has a bright future. And our youth will define how exactly that will look," Dr. Brothers said.  "As Adam and I work with the team, we’ll look to find ways to empower our city’s youth, so they can be the architects of change.”

A number of cities have successfully pursued a similar approach.

In 1991, San Francisco became a national model by creating “a dedicated Children’s Fund, and making ‘San Francisco’ the first city in the country to guarantee funding for children each year in the city budget, while preventing any cuts in previously funded services.”

In 1996, residents in Oakland, Calif., voted overwhelmingly to amend the city charter in order to invest millions of dollars in programs and services proven to benefit children and young adults.

And in 2002, voters in Miami’s Dade County passed a ballot initiative that has pumped hundreds of millions of dollars into similar programming. Residents - in the face of a crippling recession – confirmed their commitment six years later by approving a 10-year, $1 billion tax hike to avoid a planned sunset of the fund.

The first meeting of the task force takes place today at 5:00 p.m.. at the Humanim American Brewery at 1701 N Gay Street.

Listed below are member of the task force:

• Co-Chair: Adam Jackson – Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle (Chief Executive Officer)
• Co-Chair: Dr. John Brothers – T. Rowe Price Foundation (President & President of the Program for Charitable Giving)

          Name, Organization

• Robert C. Embry Jr.,Abell Foundation 
• Samantha Mellerson, Annie E. Casey Foundation 
• Valencia Warnock King, Associated Black Charities
• Jamal Jones, Baltimore Algebra Project
• Mira Green, Baltimore City Finance Department
• Yoanna Moisides, Baltimore City Finance Department
• Elena DiPietro, Baltimore City Law Department
• Dawn Kirstaetter, Baltimore City Community College
• Michael D. Thomas, Baltimore City Public Schools
• Jade Malonga, BCPS – STUDENT
• Mecca Lewis, BCPS – STUDENT
• Niara Ferguson, BCPS – STUDENT
• Jonathan Townes, BCPS – STUDENT
• Brianna Dower, BCPS – STUDENT
• Adar Ayira, Baltimore Racial Justice Action
• Tracey Estep, Baltimore City Recreation & Parks
• Kenneth R. Darden, Boys & Girls Club
• Mary Anne O’Donnell, Boys & Girls Club
• David Miller, Dare to Be King
• Kimberly Armstrong, Diamond Development, Inc
• Kim Trueheart, Downtown Cultural Art Center
• Alexandria Warrick Adams, Elev8 Baltimore
• Arlene F. Lee, Governor’s Office for Children
• Donald C. Fry, Greater Baltimore Committee
• Sheryl Goldstein, Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Foundation
• Antinnea Skipwith, The Intersection
• Joseph Smith, Johns Hopkins University
• Ericka Alston-Buck, Kids’ Safe Zone
• Terry Hickey, Mayor’s Office
• Jason Perkins-Cohen, Mayor’s Office of Employment Development
• George Mitchell, Neighborhoods United
• Sue Elias, Parks & People Foundation
• Heber Brown III, Pleasant Hope Baptist Church
• Michelle Becote-Jackson, Y of Central Maryland
• Stacie Sanders Evans, Young Audiences
• Lara Law, Youth Empowered Society (YES!)