2019 Year in Review
December 20, 2019
Good afternoon,

With 2020 quickly approaching, I find it appropriate to reflect on the accomplishments of the St. Louis County Children’s Service Fund (CSF) and want to express a sentiment of deep gratitude for all that you have done over the last year to support our very important work.  It is through our partnership and shared commitment to the community that we are improving behavioral health outcomes for children and their families.

To put it simply – we could not achieve our mission without you. The strength of CSF lies in a committed network of services providers, a dedicated and knowledgeable board, and a very talented and capable staff.
 
2019 was a year when we continued to focus on strengthening our relationships with our partners and community, worked to ensure an effective and efficient allocations process for both applicants and CSF staff, continued to improve and streamline our policies and processes, and worked to secure our future as a leader in children’s behavioral health in the St. Louis region. I would like to highlight a few of our accomplishments below:
 
  • Allocated $107 million to 65 nonprofits in the St. Louis region to positively impact the lives of St. Louis County. To date, CSF has invested more than $400 million dollars over the last 10 years to improve the lives of children and families.

  • Met with more than 30 agencies not currently funded by CSF to discuss our funding areas and explain our application and billing processes. 

  • Updated many policies and processes at CSF including the Shelter and Residency and Eligibility policies to standardize practices among providers and increase access to services for children and youth.


  • Assembled a diverse committee of 20 individuals across various sectors including higher education, child welfare, child advocacy, the juvenile justice system and other areas funders to help inform an alternative grants cycle in 2020.


 
  • Continued our work on our school-based strategy through our partnership with Ready by 21 to ensure school-based behavioral health prevention and intervention services are efficiently and equitably placed by partnering with the school districts and agencies providing school based services.

  • Updated the units of services to ensure the consistent application of these units across funded partners.

  • Strengthened our internal infrastructure and sustainability through reorganization and reclassification of some staff positions.

  • Completed a very extensive site visit process with all funded agencies that ensures accountability of taxpayer funds.


2019 was also a year of internal transition, we said goodbye to two long term board members Patti Kelly and Dr. Erica Bumpers, who both went on to pursue job opportunities that took them away from the CSF Board. And we are excited to welcome Judge Susan Block to the board in 2020. 
 
As I reflect on all that we accomplished in 2019, I am most proud of the work we did over the last year around the development and approval of a comprehensive strategic plan This is CSF’s first comprehensive strategic plan, and it is truly transformational for the organization.   This process was enriched by your feedback and participation. What I am most excited about related to the strategic plan is grounding our work in equity. Children and families face many challenges in the St. Louis region, and it is going to take all of us working together to ensure that they receive the services and supports they need and deserve.

CSF will continue to capitalize on this incredible momentum in 2020, and we need all of you to help us! It has been quite a year, and this summary barely encompasses the flurry of activity that has been underway in preparation for a new year that will certainly be full of growth and change. I am confident that together we can continue to build a strong organization that is uniquely poised to realize tremendous positive outcomes for children and families in St. Louis County.

I am humbled and honored to work together to improve the lives of children and families in partnership with you. Best wishes for safe and happy holiday season. We’ll see you in 2020!
Best,

Emily



Emily Koenig
Pronouns: she/her/hers What’s this?
Acting Executive Director
St. Louis County Children's Service Fund
Top Left to Right:
20-22 Core Partner Agency Orientation
June Board Meeting
First Professional Learning Network Meeting



Middle Left to Right:
2020 Census Kick-off
Staff Photo
Program Associate Jenny Lynch accepts Gateway Center for Giving Emerging Leader in Philanthropy Award


Bottom Left to Right:
CSF Halloween Contest
External reviewers and staff meet to discuss 20-22 Core proposals
All hands in before 20-22 Core pre-application meeting