Children and Youth Commission
Vision
The healthy development of children and youth in a community environment in which the strengths of young people are recognized and nurtured.
Mission
To improve the lives of children by supporting local nonprofits and school programs that work for kids.
The Child and Youth Commission was formed by Resolution 1989 and is charged by the City of Santa Fe by an Ordinance in 1998 with surveying and assessing the needs of the children and youth within the City of Santa Fe, identifying and recommending to the governing body existing legislation, policies, and programs that promote the healthy development of young people, determining priorities for program development, advocating in the community on behalf of children and youth, and planning short and long-range improvements for young people, from birth through the age of twenty-one.
The Commission receives three percent of the gross receipts tax and administers funding to local nonprofits on a two-year funding cycle at approximately $1.2 million annually (funding amount varies due to GRT fluctuations). The purpose of the fund is to support community programs that promote the healthy development of children and youth ages birth to twenty-one. The Commission works in partnership with the City liaison and the Youth and Family Services Division to provide advice on ways to effectively plan, coordinate and support child and youth efforts in the Santa Fe community and present a plan to the governing body for approval.
The City, through the Children and Youth Commission, improves the lives of Santa Fe children by providing funding and support for local nonprofit organizations and public school programs that work for kids. The Commission celebrated its 30th Anniversary in 2019-2020.
From the beginning, the Commission has believed that:
- All children and youth deserve a safe, healthy, and nurturing environment in which to grow.
- Families, schools, and other groups can work together with respect for young people as valued community members.
- The city government can work effectively with others in the community to support and enrich the lives of young people.
Click here for updated fy21 CYC indicators.
Funding closed. It will reopen in 2023.
Children and Youth Commission Fund for FY21-23
All proposals must be submitted to the purchasing office:
200 Lincoln Ave., Room 122, Santa Fe, NM 87505
Funding is currently closed due to budget
CYC Innovation and Small Grant Funding for FY20
All proposals must be submitted to the purchasing office:
200 Lincoln Ave., Room 122, Santa Fe, NM 87505
Link to EEO Certificates for Innovation Fund
What is the Innovation and Small Grant Fund?
Commission members implemented a new Innovation and Small Grant Fund in 2017 to support special projects that promote healthy child and youth development and resiliency but may not meet all requirements for CYC funding in priority funding categories. Organizations can apply for smaller grants of either $2,500 or $5,000 to support innovation through a separate and streamlined RFP with fewer application and reporting requirements, allowing them to maximize the use of funds toward program innovation. The Innovation and Small Grant Fund has a priority deadline but also remains open throughout the two-year cycle to allow CYC to respond to emerging opportunities throughout the year.
2015 Youth Summit Report
In 2015, Mayor Javier M. Gonzales, the Mayor's Youth Advisory Board, the Children and Youth Commission, the Student Wellness Action Team, Eagle Rock Professional Development Center, and other partners convened the mayor's first Santa Fe Youth Summit - a gathering of young people from across neighborhoods, schools and socioeconomic backgrounds - for an in-depth discussion the issues and concerns facing young people in this community.
The resulting series of "Call to Action" Plans outline solutions, as envisioned by the young participants themselves, that improve the quality of life for all of Santa Fe's youth.
2015 Youth Summit Report
2017 Youth Summit Report
Read the report from this year's Youth Summit, organized by Mayor Javier M. Gonzales, the Mayor's Youth Advisory Board, the Children and Youth Commission, Eagle Rock Professional Development Center, and the Americorps VISTA program.
Focused on bullying, financial stress, job opportunities, community activities, behavioral health, substance abuse, and more, 2017 featured a youth-led half-summit that brought more than 300 young people together to find solutions.
CYC Strategic Plan
The Children and Youth Commission is one of the City of Santa Fe’s oldest standing committees, which was formed by Resolution and then Ordinance to serve in an advisory capacity to the City Council concerning policy recommendations related to child development and youth issues. The founding Ordinance stipulates that the Committee shall make funding recommendations to the City Council from the Children and Youth Commission Fund to support nonprofit organizations that provide programs and services to children and youth throughout the City of Santa Fe.
During the fall of 2019, the Children and Youth Commission conducted its strategic planning meeting that outlined a strategic framework focused on two priority areas, they are:
- Early Care and Supplemental Education for School-Age Children
- Youth Wellness
The FY21 Strategic Plan outlines an expanded strategic framework, including a rationale for the distribution of funding and a rationale for funding decision-making. The CYC Strategic Plan also presents key goals for the commission for FY21 and beyond.
Click Here For The Fy21 Cyc Strategic Plan
CYC 2018-2020 Funded Programs
Programs funded for 2018-2020 are listed in the Grantee list
2018-2020 Funding category areas were:
- Early Care and Education for Children 0-5
- Supplemental Educational for School-Age Children
- Youth Wellness
- Reconnecting Youth