The dramatic rise and fall of Philadelphia Safe and Sound brought attention to the complex web of funding streams and organizations used to finance government programs. Now, a new report from the Fels Institute of Government at the University of Pennsylvania looks for ways to completely reorganize the process. Researchers described their findings in an op-ed that appeared in today's Philadelphia Daily News.
The report conservatively estimated that more than $226 million will be spent this fiscal year on after-school and other community-based prevention programs, a much larger amount than in many comparable cities. These funds are spent by various city departments, intermediaries and private non-profits through byzantine pathways, without an overall plan and with inadequate means to collect data and track outcomes.
The report also says that the city is too dependent on a single state funding stream. Of the estimated money being expended this fiscal year, 60 percent comes from Act 148 funds administered by the state Department of Public Welfare. If this money is less available due to strained fiscal conditions or a change in guidelines governing its use, the consequences for the city youth services could be severe. The city needs to diversify its funding sources, including expanded use of the School-Age Child Care subsidy and more support from corporations and foundations.
Thus far, the response from the Nutter Administration has been to solicit proposals from organizations interested in taking over Safe and Sound's responsibilities for funding youth programs. That's a step in the right direction, but does not really begin to address the issues raised by the report from Fels. It will be interesting to see if our reform-minded mayor tackles the bigger problems connected to funding youth programs in Philadelphia.
Comments (6)
People like Warren Buffet and Bill Gates are trying to give their money away. Why doesn't Mayor Nutter take the problem to them? For what is he waiting?
Posted by Redphilly | May 9, 2008 11:06 AM
Bill Gates and Warren Buffet might actually demand some accountability in the their money is spent...
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