Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Leadership Board Funding topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Senate bill would let State Leadership Board solicit gifts and grants to support youth programs
Summary
Supporters told the committee SB 5825 would authorize the Washington State Leadership Board to solicit gifts, grants and endowments to supplement its roughly $800,000 budget; the board’s executive director estimated under $50,000 could be raised in year one and said OFM and legal counsel would set gift policies. Public witnesses and the sponsor praised the programs’ impact.
Senate Bill 5825, sponsored by Senator Claire Wilson, would give the Washington State Leadership Board statutory authority to solicit gifts, grants and endowments from public and private sources for the benefit of the board’s programs.
Danielle Creech, committee staff, said the Leadership Board is a designated trustee agency that currently receives funds from specialty license plate sales deposited into a special account; the bill would permit solicitation and receipt of donated funds and require the executive director to report receipts and expenditures to the Office of Financial Management.
Senator Claire Wilson told the committee the programs—World Fellows, Compassion Scholars and Boundless—provide leadership development, mentorship and civic engagement opportunities to youth, veterans and people with disabilities. "These programs work because they're intentional, structured, and supported by an agency that knows how to create safe, meaningful learning environments," she said.
Laura Armstrong, the board’s executive director, testified the agency currently has a roughly $800,000 budget and estimated raising under $50,000 in the first year if the bill passes. Armstrong said the board would work with OFM and legal counsel to establish gift acceptance policies and public acknowledgements to manage donor expectations. Cynthia Tamayo, a board member and mentor, and volunteer Colin Pierce described program impacts in districts statewide and urged passage.
Committee members pressed for clarity on whether the bill sets any statutory ceiling on solicitations; witnesses said no ceiling appears in the draft and that operational thresholds and policies would likely be implemented via OFM, agency rules and board policy. The hearing closed with the committee noting public sign‑in counts and advancing next steps toward the scheduled executive session.
No formal vote was taken at the hearing; staff encouraged members to work with the sponsor on any amendments before the committee’s executive meeting.
