Kim Hemmert

The board meeting agenda includes board education regarding early childhood strategy and a consent agenda covering financial reports, staff reports, a Strengthening Families month recap, and a report on current grants. Additional discussion topics include building the budget for the upcoming fiscal year, allocations from the Millennium Fund, community-based CAP funds, and future funding opportunities such as surcharges on vital statistics certificates and the Family First Prevention Services Act.

The key discussion centered on the uncertainty surrounding federal funding and the upcoming multi-year grant announcement. The board deliberated whether to postpone the announcement of the three-year grant cycle until clarity is achieved regarding the previously announced freeze on federal grants. Following discussion, the board approved a motion to postpone the announcement of the Idaho Children's Trust Fund's multi-year funding cycle and to review the matter at the subsequent board meeting. The board also requested that all current and former grantees be notified of this decision.

The meeting addressed several operational and financial matters. Discussions focused on improving workshop sign-in processes, potentially using digital methods like QR codes, and coordinating with the Early Years conference. Regarding grants, the Board approved funding four multi-year grants at $40,000 each for the SFY 27 budget, contingent on Roger developing contingency budget proposals. Employee raises were approved, set at $1.05, potentially reaching $1.55 based on state CEC standards and evaluation outcomes. Key considerations for the Annual Budget Development included prioritizing spending of CBCAP ARPA funds first, pursuing Millennium Fund opportunities, and authorizing discussions regarding an increase in surcharges on Vital Statistics Certificates. New initiatives planned for the following year include Parent Summits/Cafes, a Fatherhood Initiative, and a new child sexual abuse prevention initiative. Authority was granted to proceed with the ARPA contingency plan, including temporary payment for Community Resource Coordinator positions, should ARPA funding be revoked.

The multi-day meeting covered several key operational and strategic topics. Discussions included staff and financial reports reviewed by the Finance Committee. A major focus was the review and decision-making process for multi-year grant proposals, resulting in the selection of four grantees: St. Vincent de Paul North Idaho (ICARE), Lutheran Community Services Northwest (LCSNW), Advocates Against Family Violence (AAFV), and Hand-In-Hand. The board also addressed end-of-year finances, exploring alternative funding sources like the Millenium Fund and the Vital Statistics project following the conclusion of ARPA funding. Strategic discussions covered the policy environment's effect on funding, the development of a proposal for HOPE and PCE-related training, and updates on new training opportunities such as Crying Baby Plan and Parent Cafés. Strategic vision presentations involved the A2A project, Parent Summits, and work with the Hispanic Community Center. The process for the Executive Director's performance review was established, utilizing input from board members, community members, and staff. The second day included site visits to the Idaho Hispanic Community Center and the Nampa Family Justice Center.

The meeting agenda for the Idaho Children's Trust Fund Board's third quarter SFY 2026 meeting focused heavily on grant review and Trust Fund initiatives. Key discussion items included evaluating project alignment with ICTF initiatives related to universal access and primary prevention, specifically training programs (Darkness to Light/HOPE/Crying Plan), parent connection programs (Parent Café/Leadership/Fatherhood), and Community School/Family Resource Centers. The agenda also included updates on the Strengthening Families Training Institute (SFTI), Parent Summits, Strengthening Families Month, a legislative update (including the Millennium Fund), and continuing the Quality Indicator process.