BALTIMORE (WBFF) — The Baltimore Children and Youth Fund (BCYF) nonprofit is refusing to release records showing how taxpayer money is spent, denying a public information request and leaving key questions unanswered about millions in public funding.
The decision marks the latest flashpoint in an ongoing transparency battle surrounding BCYF – a taxpayer-funded nonprofit that receives a guaranteed share of Baltimore City property tax revenue, but operates outside traditional government oversight. Spotlight on Maryland has spent more than a year seeking detailed records of how those public dollars are distributed and used.
BCYF is guaranteed a portion of Baltimore City’s assessed property value each year, which amounted to about $16 million this fiscal year. However, it operates independently from city government and distributes funding to dozens of grassroots youth organizations…