BCYF OVERVIEW
The Baltimore Children and Youth Fund (“BCYF”) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that was created as a dedicated fund to support programs for Baltimore’s young people. The concept of the Baltimore Children and Youth Fund (“the Fund”) was launched in 2015 by then-City Council President Bernard “Jack” C. Young. It was created as a response to the unrest in Baltimore following the death of Freddie Gray while in police custody, an event that sharply illuminated longstanding inequities in public funding in Black communities.
In 2016, the Baltimore City Council and voters approved the Fund to receive an annual appropriation of the assessed value of all property in Baltimore City. Baltimore Children and Youth Fund was named the permanent intermediary of the Fund. BCYF is committed to ensuring that our children and youth are healthy, ready to succeed in school, and live in stable, safe, and supportive families and communities.
We do more than grantmaking.
We collaborate with grassroots organizations and community leaders to create new opportunities for the city’s young people to learn, thrive and succeed. BCYF awards grants to organizations that provide programs to thousands of Baltimore’s young people — from academic support and science exploration to dance and photography. Unlike traditional philanthropic efforts in Baltimore, BCYF is committed to authentic community engagement. Our strategy and grant decisions are shaped and led by Baltimore community members and youth leaders.
Baltimore Children & Youth Fund Mission & Values – bcyfund.org
Our core values of Racial Equity, Intergenerational Leadership, Community Ownership, and Collective Decision-Making direct our partnerships with organizations that share our Black liberation worldview. Through our strategic investments, we strive to resource a future where children and youth throughout the city enjoy access to high-caliber enrichment and learning opportunities, and children and youth programs have the resources they need to equitably serve all our young people.
MISSION, VISION & VALUES
Mission
BCYF is a nonprofit organization stewarding public funds to ensure our children and youth are healthy, ready to succeed in school, and live in stable, safe, and supportive families and communities.
Vision
Our vision is that children and youth throughout the city enjoy access to high-caliber enrichment and learning opportunities, and children and youth programs have the resources they need to equitably serve all our young people.
Values
Racial Equity: The Baltimore Children and Youth Fund must be built on racial equity. The evaluation of the Baltimore Children and Youth Fund’s work should include a basic understanding and appreciation of the cultural resources and assets within each community. We should identify and address how society’s power structures show up in the organization’s operations, including how assumptions about race may influence decision-making processes. Specifically, white people should not dominate or drive the conversation.
Intergenerational Leadership: The Baltimore Children and Youth Fund must include youth leaders and adults in all aspects of its work. Having different generations work together will reflect how our entire community must work together to improve the quality of life for our young people. In the West, we often greet each other by saying, “How are you doing?” The Maasai people of East Africa greet each other by asking, “How are the children?” This greeting represents the idea that the well-being of the children defines the well-being of the community.
The purpose of the Baltimore Children and Youth Fund is to help the whole city of Baltimore to embrace and live out the worldview embodied in this Maasai greeting. Specifically, the well-being of our children is everyone’s responsibility.
Community Ownership: The purpose of the Baltimore Children and Youth Fund is to provide the communities typically seen as mere recipients of services with equal, authentic decision-making power to disperse the Baltimore Children and Youth Fund Inc.’s resources.
This means that the organization should reflect the totality of our community. Specifically, the Baltimore Children and Youth Fund must include a variety of people who are highly committed to the communities they serve.
Collective Decision-Making: The Baltimore Children and Youth Fund will strive to have collective decision-making processes. “Gatekeeping,” when one person has too much power in a decision-making process, marginalizes the people and communities most hurt by structural racism. Gatekeepers can use their power to circumvent community accountability and limit access to resources.
BCYF Budget Background Information
Year Established: 2020
Annual Budget: $14M – $18.5M
Scope of Work
BCYF is dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of financial transparency, accuracy, and compliance. To this end we are seeking a financial audit.
Key Objectives of the Audit:
- Complete an audit of the organization’s financial statements for the period of July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2023
- Review internal controls and compliance with GAAP standards.
- Prepare an audit report and present findings to the organization’s management team and Board of Directors
- Filing of IRS Form-990 for the organization for 2023
- Preparation of Maryland Personal Property Form-1 to maintain Good Standing with the State of Maryland.
Qualifications
- Licensed CPA Firm in the State of Maryland
- Specialty in Nonprofit Auditing and Financial Reporting
- No Conflict of Interest with any BCYF staff, board of directors, grantees, and other vendors
Submitting a Proposal
In responding to this request, we request the following information:
- Detail your firm’s experience in providing auditing and tax services to companies in the nonprofit sector, as well as organizations of a comparable size to BCYF.
- Discuss the firm’s independence with respect to BCYF and Baltimore City.
- Discuss commitments you will make to staff continuity, including your staff turnover experience in the last three years.
- Identify the partner, manager, and in-charge accountant who will be assigned to our job if you are successful in your bid and provide biographies.
- Describe how your firm will approach the audit of the organization, including the use of any association or affiliate member firm personnel and the areas that will receive primary emphasis.
- Discuss the firm’s use of technology in the audit/review. And finally, discuss the communication process used by the firm to discuss issues with the management and finance committee of the board.
- Set forth your fee proposal for the audits as well as a proposal for future years with whatever guarantees can be given regarding increases in future years.
- Provide the fee for 990 preparations separate from the audit fee.
- Provide the names and contact information for other, similarly sized clients of the partner and manager that will be assigned to our organization for reference purposes.
- Describe how and why your firm is different from other firms being considered, and why our selection of your firm as our independent accountants is the best decision we could make.
- In alignment with our values and commitment to racial equity, please share the racial/ethnic and gender demographic breakdown of your firm’s employees and leadership.
- At least two professional references with a short description of the work performed and the time required to complete. BCYF will contact these references to discuss their experience with your audit process.
- Conflict of Interest Statement: The consultant must disclose any possible conflicts of interest that may result from the award of this contract or services provided under this contract.
Criteria for Selection
BCYF will select the proposal we believe will deliver the highest quality deliverable at the best value. Proposals will be reviewed by a selection committee designated by the President.
Additional Considerations:
This project will require that the consultant/s have insurance coverage and background checks prior to the commencement of any work.
All proposals are potentially public records. Please be advised that documents in BCYF’s possession are considered public records and subject to disclosure under the Maryland Public Information Act, meaning that people can ask to see these records and BCYF must release them.
Proposal Submission:
The deadline for submission is September 29, 2023 at 5:00 PM EST.
Please submit your response to this request for proposal to Bennice Thayer, bthayer@bcyfund.org.
We would also appreciate a response if you decline to submit a proposal.
Proposal Timeline
Announcement Released: September 15, 2023
Q&A Period: September 18-29, 2023
Proposal Submission Deadline: September 29, 2023
Interview Finalists and Select Finalists: September 18 – September 29, 2023
