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Council hears questions about Broncos fund spend-down, $3.5 million proposal for youth activities
Summary
Council members pressed the Office of Children's Affairs on the Broncos youth activities fund balance, proposed 2026 spending of $3.5 million and how the city will sustain youth programming after the one-time proceeds are spent.
Denver (Consolidated County and City) — Council members at the Health & Safety Committee hearing sought detail about the Broncos Fund (the youth activities fund), proposed 2026 appropriations and how the city will sustain youth programming when the one-time proceeds are spent down.
Jess Ridgeway, Executive Director of the Office of Children's Affairs, said the administration has proposed $3.5 million from the Broncos Fund for youth-serving organizations in 2026. Ridgeway said that, if appropriated by council, “those dollars...will then be able to be distributed to agencies and organizations that are youth serving,” and that a component of the dollars “is absolutely out of school time programs.”
Council members asked whether the Broncos Fund is a one-time resource. Ridgeway and others confirmed the fund originated from the Broncos sale proceeds and is a one-time payment, not an automatically replenishing revenue stream. Ridgeway said the office planned a multi-year rollout of the funds: roughly $3 million per year so the fund would support programming through approximately 2028 if spend-down continues at the same pace.
Justin Sykes, Budget Management Office Director, told the committee the Broncos Fund balance is held in its own fund and “the dollars came into the Broncos Fund, they stay in the Broncos Fund, they generate interest out of the Broncos Fund.” Ridgeway and council members asked for additional accounting detail: Council Member Amanda Gonzalez Gutierrez requested how much interest the fund has earned each year since 2023, the fund balance history and a ledger of how funds have been spent; OCA staff and budget office staff committed to provide that information in follow-up.
Why it matters: Council members flagged sustainability concerns. One council member described the Broncos Fund as having been intended in some discussions to act as a corpus (to spend interest only) but said the one-time nature and current spend plan mean the city must identify ongoing funding sources for youth programming after the fund is drawn down.
Quantities and timeline referenced in the hearing • Proposed 2026 Broncos Fund appropriation: $3,500,000 (if approved by council). • Current Broncos Fund balance cited in committee: $9,800,000 (held in an interest-bearing account). • OCA described a planned multi-year distribution: approximately $3 million per year intended to cover programming through 2028 under current plans.
Ending note Council members requested a detailed accounting of the Broncos Fund (historical balances, annual interest earned since 2023 and expenditures) and asked OCA and Budget Management Office staff to provide documentation and a narrative showing how the proposed 2026 appropriation would be spent.
