Baltimore taxpayer-funded nonprofit sends funds to Mayor Scott's office
Fri, May 9th 2025 at 4:55 PM
BALTIMORE (WBFF) — A Baltimore City taxpayer-funded non-profit announced a plan to send $1.5 million to Mayor Brandon Scott’s office to help “community-based providers access public spaces and city support” — sparking criticism from some accounting experts.
The Baltimore Children and Youth Fund (BCYF) is guaranteed taxpayer dollars each year through the Baltimore City charter. The group operates as a non-profit and uses its taxpayer money to boost youth programming, mostly through grants to organizations in the Baltimore area. However, BCYF announced last week a plan to give Mayor Scott’s office $1.5 million.
“BCYF is supporting strategic summer partnerships coordinated through the Mayor’s Office, including $500,000 designated to deepen alignment between BCYF grantees and city agencies,” the organization’s press release stated.
“Government and community partnerships amplify what’s possible,” it continues. “This investment helps community-based providers access public spaces and city support—extending their reach and strengthening Baltimore’s youth-serving ecosystem.”
Mayor Scott and BCYF did not respond to questions about why Baltimore City taxpayer dollars would go to a non-profit that then sends the money back to the Baltimore City government.
BCYF is not required to conduct regular audits like Baltimore City government agencies because it operates as a non-profit. Its latest non-profit tax form in 2023 shows that more than 99.9% of its income came from government grants.
Laurie Styron is the CEO of Charity Watch, where she researches non-profit finances. She said she was puzzled by the arrangement between BCYF and Mayor Scott.
“When dealing with public money, not closing loopholes to avoid audits or disclosures is really bad form, whether strictly illegal or not,” Styron told Spotlight on Maryland. “While there could be legitimate instances of transactions occurring back and forth between a charity and a government office, I have never seen an arrangement structured in a way that has the effect of allowing a government office to avoid scrutiny about its use of public money.”
Complete Story at FoxBaltimore.com