Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Children And Family Services topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Portland Children’s Levy launches funding round and aligns with county ‘Preschool for All’ slots
Summary
Director Lisa Pellegrino told council the levy — approved repeatedly by voters since 2002 — funds dozens of community organizations and is running a competitive funding round for the new levy period. Parks will operate a Multnomah County Preschool for All program at nine community centers next year, staff said.
Lisa Pellegrino, director of the Portland Children’s Levy, briefed City Council on Jan. 16 about the levy’s work, its current funding round and a new relationship with Multnomah County’s Preschool for All initiative.
Pellegrino said the levy is a voter‑approved local option first passed in 2002 and renewed by voters multiple times; staff budgeted about $23.7 million in tax receipts for the current fiscal year and had roughly $10 million in carryover to cover grant obligations. The levy funds about 50 community organizations and 86 programs that support school readiness, after‑school engagement, mentoring, hunger relief and family stability.
Pellegrino described a recent funding process: before soliciting large grants for the new levy period, the levy convened a 13‑member community council to provide ongoing input and ran outreach that reached more than 750 people in 25 languages. The current large‑grant competitive round is underway and staff expect to finalize awards by the end of the fiscal year.
Councilor Novick asked about alignment with Multnomah County’s Preschool for All initiative. Pellegrino and Parks Director Adina Long said the two agencies coordinated: county‑funded preschool slots will run at some community centers and the levy has transitioned providers into the county program when applicable. Long told council that Parks was approved to operate Preschool for All slots and will accept three‑ and four‑year‑olds in nine community centers for the 2025–26 school year.
Pellegrino also noted a small‑grants program launched in 2020 to lower barriers to applying for government funding; many small‑grant recipients have since been competitive in the large‑grant process.
Staff said they will return to council with the formal slate of grant awards and the allocation committee’s recommendations. Councilors asked for continuing updates about how levy funds align with county preschool expansion and how levy investments might change to support increased early‑childhood access.
