The Children’s Trust of Alachua County (CTAC) approved the rollover of funds for gun violence prevention to next year, and funding for two youth health programs, at its regular meeting on Monday.
The board unanimously approved a staff recommendation to roll over to next year’s $250,000 budgeted for gun violence initiatives.
An additional $250,000 was already budgeted for the same purpose in the 2024-25 plan, so CTAC has now committed a total of $500,000 to this anti-gun violence partnership with the Gun Violence Prevention Alliance, made up of Alachua County, the city of Gainesville and Santa Fe College.
The initial $250,000 was taken from unallocated funds left in the 2023-24 budget, but Executive Director Marsha Kiner said the city and county were not able to come up with items that could be executed by the end of September, so instead it will be rolled over.
“I very much would rather spend the money well than spend the money fast,” CTAC Member Ken Cornell said.
The Gun Violence Prevention Alliance had already constructed a proposed budget for FY25’s $250,000, including grant-funded projects, hiring a strategic planning consultant, violence interrupter support and training, and stipends for members of a youth steering committee.
With CTAC’s approval, the alliance can now work with double the amount it had planned for.
The board also unanimously approved staff’s recommendation to award $600,000 for youth health, and negotiate and execute contracts with the top two organizations that responded to the request for proposal (RFP).
The University of Florida’s Saving Smiles and the Children’s Home Society of Florida were the only two organizations that scored high enough for approval among the five that applied for CTAC’s RFP in April. One other scored high enough to qualify for a provider presentation but was determined not to meet the criteria.
Saving Smiles applied for $363,462 and the Children’s Home Society of Florida asked for $255,079, which exceeds the total allocated by $18,541. Kiner said staff would work with the two organizations during negotiations to see how the cost can be reduced to fit within the $600,000 window, but if all costs are necessary staff can come back and ask for more funding.