Long-standing after-school programs in Florida that help thousands of at-risk kids with homework, mentoring and gang prevention could face significant changes in how state funding is distributed to them.
The state Senate's budget planwould increase funding from $22 million to $30 million, making more money available to more groups.
But prominent organizations like the Boys and Girls Club and Big Brothers Big Sisters depend on these funds that have been distributed to them for decades. The proposal would put the money up for grabs.
Kristen Clark is state government reporter with the Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald Tallahassee bureau. She explains how the change could affect both established and new after-school programs.
"To not have that guarantee or to have this whole new system thrown at them," she says, "it’s very unsettling. For the senators, they say this might be a more fair process to do it. You’d open the door for more groups to get funding, there’s more funding available… and so, let’s open up the pool here and see who can apply."
The House has its own budget plan, which includes giving allocated funding to certain groups. A decision will be reached on which plan will be included in the state budget by March10. That’s when the session is scheduled to end.
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