Baltimore Youth Fund Spends $50,000 on Conference Trip

BALTIMORE, Maryland — The taxpayer-backed Baltimore Children and Youth Fund (BCYF) spent around $50,000 to send over a dozen adults to the South by Southwest education conference in Austin, Texas, earlier this year. This included expenses for dining and travel, according to documents obtained by Spotlight on Maryland.

BCYF, which received $16 million from the Baltimore City budget for fiscal year 2026, is primarily funded by city tax dollars. Despite being a nonprofit, it is not subject to the same performance audits as city agencies, raising concerns about its financial practices.

Records revealed that 15 individuals, including staff and grantees, attended the four-day conference in March. The funds covered hotels, flights, and meals, with specific expenses noted for high-end dining. One dinner at Canje, a Caribbean restaurant, cost $2,675, while individual meals included a $75 steak from the Commodore Perry Estate and a $76 seafood order from The Boiling Crab.

City Councilman Mark Conway emphasized the importance of careful spending, saying, “When you’re playing fast and loose with money that should go to kids, that has a real impact.” He added that some youth might miss opportunities like summer camp because of these expenditures.

A BCYF spokesman defended the trip, stating attendees gained strategies for youth-led advocacy. “These kinds of events offer Baltimore youth leaders the rare opportunity to learn from national experts,” he said, noting the focus was on education and skill-building for local organizations.

Amanda Beck, a professor specializing in nonprofit accounting, called for clarity on the trip’s value. Meanwhile, Erica Harris, from Florida International University, suggested BCYF should increase its grants to local organizations, indicating a preference for more funds funneled directly to programs benefiting youth.

In addition to the Austin trip, BCYF has made other out-of-state excursions, spending approximately $300,000 over the past 15 months on several adult-only trips as part of its capacity-building initiatives.

Spotlight on Maryland also noted that BCYF President Alysia Lee canceled her return flight to Baltimore to take a separate flight to El Paso, Texas. A BCYF spokesman stated this action adhered to their travel policies.

Inquiries were made to Baltimore City Mayor Brandon Scott and City Council President Zeke Cohen regarding the appropriateness of the spending, but Cohen’s office declined to comment, and Scott’s office did not respond.