Sacramento Youth Commission Business Meeting - May 5, 2025
Sacramento Youth Commission Business Meeting - May 5, 2025
The Sacramento Youth Commission held a regular business meeting on Monday, May 5, 2025, at 5:30 PM in the City Hall Council Chamber. The meeting was called to order by Chair Rios at 5:31 PM and adjourned at 6:41 PM. Commissioners present: Avila, Bernardo, Caraveo, Chan, de Leon, Lin, Liu, Longmire, Merrill, Rooprai, and Chair Rios. Absent: Balasa, Sista, Turk, and Yeung. The meeting included a land acknowledgement, pledge of allegiance, approval of the consent calendar, welcome of two new commissioners, two discussion items, and commissioner comments. No public comments were received.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of Youth Commission Meeting Minutes (File ID: 2025-00028): Passed a motion approving the draft minutes from April 7, 2025.
- Sacramento Youth Commission Follow-Up Log (File ID: 2025-00184): Passed a motion approving the follow-up log.
- Action: Moved by Vice Chair Longmire, seconded by Commissioner de Leon. The motion passed unanimously (11-0).
Public Comments & Testimony
- No members of the public spoke on any agenda item or matters not on the agenda.
Discussion Items
- Sac Town Youth Night Overview (Item 3): Brian Vargas, Administrative Analyst, presented an overview of the Sac Town Youth Night program, which started in 2019 with a $1.3 million budget in response to youth violence. The program is currently funded by the Office of Violence Prevention and managed by the Department of Youth, Parks, and Community Enrichment. 27 community-based organizations were selected from 60 applicants for the current grant period (January 1, 2025, to January 2026). Organizations can apply for up to $50,000 each. Events must occur on Fridays and Saturdays from 5 to 9 PM, include food, entertainment, activities for all ages, and a workforce development component. Commissioners asked about the selection panel, geographic equity, and youth involvement. Staff noted that youth were not on the panel due to a fast turnaround but plan to include the commission in future iterations. The item was received and commented on; no vote required.
- Sacramento Children’s Fund Implementation Update (Item 4): Julie Garen, Program Specialist, presented an update on the Sacramento Children’s Fund, established by Measure L in November 2022. The fund mandates spending 40% of the cannabis business operations tax on youth services. A strategic investment plan was adopted by City Council in September 2024. Staff released a Request for Proposals (RFP) from November 6 to December 6, 2024, receiving 121 applications. 70% of applicants serve seed/COI-identified opportunity neighborhoods. The breakdown by fund goal: 77 for mental health, 17 for violence prevention, 15 for children 0–5, 8 for homelessness, 7 for mental health, 3 for substance abuse. The majority of applicants were community-based organizations (80). A grant advisory review panel of five panels scored applications; scores are currently being reviewed for discrepancies. Award recommendations will go to City Council on May 20, 2025. Contracts and fund disbursement expected in June/July 2025, with the grant program running July 2025 to June 2028. A separate RFP for a 20% set-aside for guaranteed basic income for foster youth will be released before July 2025. Staff also shared lessons learned from a survey: small CBOs found financial requirements (e.g., audited financial statements) and the inability to use fiscal sponsors as barriers. Commissioners asked about scoring criteria, youth involvement, and future improvements. Staff noted they will consider raising the budget threshold for small CBOs and other modifications for the next RFP in 2028. The item was received, commented on, and direction provided; no vote required.
Key Outcomes
- Consent calendar approved unanimously.
- Discussion items reviewed and commented on; no votes taken.
- Staff will present Children’s Fund award recommendations to City Council on May 20, 2025.
- Future Sac Town Youth Night grant cycles will aim to include youth commissioners in the selection panel.
- Staff will explore ways to reduce barriers for small and emerging CBOs in future Children’s Fund RFPs.
- New Commissioners Samaya Caraveo and Jaidev Rooprai were welcomed to the commission.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening. Welcome to the May 5th, 2025 Sacramento Youth Commission Business Meeting. The meeting is now called to order. Will the clerk please call roll for quorum to establish quorum? Thank you, Chair. Commissioners, please unmute your microphones. Commissioner Sista is absent. Commissioner Balassa is absent. Commissioner Caravale. Present. Commissioner Bernardo. Present. Commissioner Lin. Present. Commissioner Liu. Present. Commissioner Chan. Present. Commissioner De Leon. Present. Commissioner Turk. Absent. Commissioner Merrill. Present. Commissioner Avila. Present. Commissioner Young is currently absent. Commissioner Longmire. Present. Commissioner Ru Pry. Present. And Chair Rios. Present. Thank you. We have quorum. I would like to remind members of the public in public chambers that if you would like to speak on an agenda item, please turn in a speaker's lip when the item begins. We'll now do the uh please take please rise with the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God in the visible with liberty and justice for all. Thanks to remain standing for the um acknowledgement in honor of Sacramento's indigenous people and tribal lands. To the original people of this land, the Nissanon people, the Southern Maidu, Valley and Plains Miwok, and Putwin Windtoon peoples, and the people of the Wilton Rancheria, Sacramento's only federally recognized tribe. May we acknowledge and honor the Native people who came before who came before us and still walk beside us today on these ancestral lands by choosing to gather together today in the active practice of acknowledgement and appreciation for Sacramento's indigenous peoples' history, contributions, and lives. Thank you. Moving on, our first business today is the approval of the consent calendar that includes last month's meeting minutes as well as a follow-up log. Clerk, are there any members of the public who wish to speak on this item? Thank you, Chair. I have no speaker slips on this item. Are there any commissioners who wish to speak on this item? Is there a motion and second for the consent calendar? I motion. We have a motion by Vice Chair Longmeyer.
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