St. Louis County children’s services fund outlines $50 million-a-year core grants, seeks common client ID and youth voice

Emily Koenig, executive director of the St. Louis County Children’s Service Fund, told the County Council’s budget committee on Oct. 14 that the fund collects about $52,000,000 a year in sales tax revenue and sends roughly 90% of that to nonprofit and governmental providers of behavioral and mental health services for children and youth.

Koenig said the board has approved a three‑year core funding cycle totaling $150,000,000 (approximately $50,000,000 per year), and that a new core funding opportunity for 2026–2029 is open for applications through Oct. 30. She described a separate “grassroots” funding opportunity that targets smaller community‑based organizations; that program is funding 25 agencies with a total board investment of $3,600,000 over the current grant period.

Why it matters: the Children’s Service Fund is a dedicated, voter‑established quarter‑cent sales tax created by ballot initiative in 2008 and authorized by Missouri statute. Its budget and contracting decisions affect dozens of nonprofits and thousands of children across the county, and council members pressed staff on fund balance, program distribution and measurable outcomes.

Key details and context

- Revenue and spending rules: “We collect about $52,000,000…