Proposal passes to create a Community Council

The Allocation Committee adopted a proposal to create a Community Council to advise PCL policies and process.  Over the next 4 years, the Council will shape community engagement and the next PCL grantmaking process.  Council membership will reflect the children and families served by PCL.  PCL staff will implement an application and selection process this spring.

Staff drafted the proposal in response to recommendations from PCL’s community engagement process led by Empress Rules Equity Consulting, PSU’s Center for the Improvement of Child & Family Services and design team involved with PCL’s Small Grants funding process.

Since June 2021, staff worked with Allocation Committee members and PCL stakeholders to shape the proposal.  Respondents to 2 community surveys voiced strong support for creating the Council and provided suggestions that strengthened the proposal.

Recent Levy Revenue Projections appear stable

Staff briefed the Committee on Levy revenue updates from the city economist.  November’s imposed property tax revenues did not as decline sharply as projected in January 2021.  In January 2022, staff will receive updated revenue projections for FY22 and future years.  The future projections will provide better a revenue picture as it relates to current grant commitments.

Mentoring Grantee Partners shared Reflections

Staff from 4 PCL community partners in youth mentoring shared reflections on service delivery during the pandemic.  Thanks to Sonya Damtew (Ethiopian and Eritrean Cultural Resource Center), Antonio Servín-González (Camp Fire Columbia), Paul Tabron Jr. (Elevate Oregon), and Emielle Nischik (College Possible) for taking time to discuss program successes and challenges the past several months.

Grantee Partners’ Fall Convenings

Staff shared highlights from recent PCL grantee partner convenings. Small Grants partners met for an afternoon focused on disability inclusion with BIPOC youth and children.  Grantee partner staff, youth, and families participated in workshops on the logistics of inclusion such as ADA, strengths-based approaches to disability, and working with Immigrant & Refugee families of children/youth with disabilities. You can find videos and other resources from the workshops on PCL’s website.

In other program areas, key issues discussed at convenings included ongoing challenges with referrals of youth/children from Oregon DHS to PCL grantee partners in foster care; after school programs re-integrating into schools; BIPOC sources for food supply in hunger relief programs, mentoring program staff training needs, and staff wellbeing and stress reduction in child abuse prevention & intervention.

PCL wishes John Coghlan well

PCL Communications Director, John Coghlan, has accepted a new position and departed Levy staff this month.  John’s mark on the Levy is visible from the many beautiful videos and photos he created of PCL grantee partners to the redesigned PCL logo and its productive social media and digital presence.  We will miss John’s unique and talented storytelling about PCL, and we wish him the very best in his next steps.

Miss Tuesday’s Meeting?

Watch it on You Tube or on CityNet Xfinity Channel 30 and 330 (HD) at 8pm on 12-19-2021 and 12-27-2021.  You can also view the slide deck for all presentations.

Join Us for the next Allocation Committee Meeting

Our next meeting will be on March 15, 2022.  Agendas will be sent to our email list, shared on our social media channels and posted here on our website.

We welcome your comment on the work of the Portland Children’s Levy.  If you would like to join the next meeting to participate, please stay tuned for the next meeting invite.