Interoffice Memorandum
DATE: October 28, 2024
TO: Mayor Jerry L. Demings and County Commissioners
THROUGH: Venerria L. Thomas, Director
FROM: Angela A. Chestang, Manager
CONTACT: Angela Chestang
PHONE: 407-836-6541
DIVISION: Citizens Commission for Children Division
ACTION REQUESTED:
title
Approval and execution of Resolution 2024-M-51 of the Orange County Board of County Commissioners regarding the Citizens’ Review Panel for Human Services; Amending Resolution No. 96-M-59, as amended by Resolution No. 97-M-54; Decreasing Number of Panel Members; Revising Funding Recommendation Process; and providing an effective date. (Citizens’ Commission for Children Division)
body
PROJECT: N/A
PURPOSE: During the October 16, 2020, Citizens’ Review Panel for Human Services (CRP) Sunset Review meeting, the Membership and Mission Review Board (MMRB) supported a recommendation to amend Resolution No. 97-M-54 by removing outdated language regarding the composition of the CRP. After legal review, a draft amendment was presented to the MMRB on September 15, 2023, for their approval. The MMRB unanimously approved the proposed draft amendment and recommended that the draft amendment be forwarded to the Board for final approval, which is the purpose of the action requested.
On January 30, 1996, the Board established the CRP to promote citizen involvement in evaluating, recommending, and monitoring County funding for non-profit human service agencies. This initiative was a collaborative effort between the City of Orlando and Orange County Government, with each entity responsible for recruiting citizen volunteers to serve on the Panel. In Orange County, volunteers are selected through the MMRB and appointed by the Board. In 2015, the City of Orlando opted to conduct its funding recommendation process independently, withdrawing from the joint funding allocation process with Orange County. This change necessitates an update to the resolution to better reflect the current operational practices. The revisions to the resolution are administrative in nature, addressing the changes resulting from the City of Orlando’s withdrawal and incorporating several key updates consistent with current practice. Specifically, the proposed amendment reduces the number of members in the "Members in Training" pool because the City of Orlando also had “Members in Training;” clarifies the role of "Members in Training," providing them with opportunities for leadership development while limiting their voting rights. memorializes the practice of submitting funding recommendations to the Board for approval, ensures that the Panel maintains diverse representation across gender, ethnicity, economic status, and disability, and sustains the Panel's mission by continuing to incorporate needs assessments and recommendations from relevant advisory bodies to enhance the effectiveness of funding decisions.
The CRP was established based on a recommendation from the Human Services Council Review Board. On November 12, 1996, the Board adopted Resolution No. 96-M-59, which re-created the Panel and expanded the number of Panel members. On December 9, 1997, the Board amended Resolution No. 96-M-59, pursuant to Resolution No. 97-M-54, and increased the number of members on the Panel, provided for a “Members in Training” pool, and provided for funding recommendations to be forwarded to the Community Funding Forum. Since 2015, the CRP has taken on the responsibility of reviewing funding proposals from nonprofit organizations seeking support from Orange County through the Citizens’ Review Panel Competitive Fund Distribution Process. Proposals are evaluated using a consistent and uniform scoring rubric, with funding recommendations presented to the Board for approval.
BUDGET: N/A