Finance Committee also discusses:

A new funding strategy for Santa Fe’s Children and Youth Commission.

A new funding strategy for the city of Santa Fe’s Children and Youth Commission could deliver more grant money to programs that promote early childhood education.

The city earmarks 3 percent of gross receipts tax revenue for the Children and Youth Commission annually, an amount that comes out to roughly $1.2 million.

The city Finance Committee on Monday night endorsed the commission’s proposal for the 2019-21 funding cycle that would equalize the amount of money the city delivers to the commission for grants to youth nonprofits across four priority areas: Youth wellness, reconnecting youth, supplemental education for school-age children, and early childhood education and care.

Each category would be eligible for $239,000 annually, according to the strategic plan. The largest increase would be for programs that deal in education and care for children younger than 5, which received $92,000 in the previous funding cycle, from 2016-18.

“The commission wanted a lot of organizations to leverage city funding,” said Julie Sanchez, youth and family services program manager. “Having the funds dispersed equally was really important.”

Members of the commission also stipulated the possibility that funds could move between the categories if “there are not adequate highscoring applications in one of the other priority areas,” according to the plan.

A new $60,000 innovation fund would also contribute to flexibility, according to the plan. That fund would dole out smaller grants — either $2,500 or $5,000 — with fewer application and reporting requirements. It would be open through the funding cycle to allow the commission “to respond to emerging opportunities throughout the year.”