Mission statement

The Children’s Board invests in partnerships and quality programs to support the success of all children and families in Hillsborough County.

The Children’s Board of Hillsborough County proudly serves children and families. Created by the voters in 1988, we provide funding for services and support on behalf of children, with an emphasis on pregnant women and children from birth to age eight. In the fiscal year 2020, we invested $51.8 million in more than 66 local non-profit agencies. Our funded partners have clearly defined goals and outcomes that are regularly monitored for quality and performance. The strategic focus of the Children’s Board is to work with organizations that share a common vision of offering support to children so they can lead a healthy, safe, and productive life, which makes a difference for all residents of Hillsborough County.

Vision

It is our vision that Hillsborough County will be recognized as one of the top places in the nation to raise children.

Mission

The Children’s Board invests in partnerships and quality programs to support the success of all children and families in Hillsborough County.

Core Values

The vision, mission, and goals of the Children’s Board of Hillsborough County will be guided by the following core values:

INTEGRITY

Demonstrating honesty and sincerity in all of our dealings.
Upholding only the highest ethical principles.
Making decisions that reflect the highest standards of proper stewardship an

TEAMWORK

Working in full cooperation and mutual support that inspires trust, loyalty, and respect to achieve a common goal.
Creating and maintaining a spirit of service.

EXCELLENCE

Projecting professionalism in everything we do.
Being accountable for our actions.
Delivering every product and service in an outstanding manner.
Developing a quality workforce.
Showing pride in our efforts and the community in which we live and work.

RESPECT

Showing consideration or regard for an individual or institution.
Assessing all people on their merits.
Valuing diversity and accepting individual differences.

What’s a Children’s Services Council?

The Children’s Board of Hillsborough County is one of the Children’s Services Councils in the State of Florida. You may not have heard of the Children’s Services Council before, but you’re probably very familiar with the organizations Children’s Services Councils support such as the Boys & Girls Clubs, Healthy Start Coalitions, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Children’s Home Network, and many more. Children’s Services Councils, or CSCs, are a type of government entity established by county citizens to help fund organizations that serve children and families like the ones mentioned above. They were also created to ensure tax dollars are being spent wisely and invested in programs that will provide the best outcomes for the children and families within their communities. Their top priority is to make sure children of all ages are healthy, safe and prepared to learn.

What CSCs Do

In addition to serving as the administrator of county funds for children and family programs, all Children’s Services Councils collect information and statistical data, monitor program/provider performance, and conduct local strategic planning. Essentially, CSCs serve as the hub of child advocacy in a county, bringing together the right people, organizations, and funding opportunities to ensure a brighter future for Florida’s children and youth. No other public entity provides this kind of umbrella for leadership, coordination, and oversight of efforts focused on children.
Children’s Services Councils help families by:

Ensuring the best use of taxpayer dollars and working to serve the greatest number of children
Determining the specific needs of children, youth, and families
Coordinating with other agencies, public/private funders, and stakeholders dedicated to the welfare of children
Leveraging funding for major state programs like:

For the Children, By the People!

Children’s Services Councils are created through the will of the people. They are first established by a county commission through a local ordinance. Voters can then approve taxing authority for a Children’s Services Council through a countywide referendum. Florida is the only state in the nation with laws that allow local county leaders and the residents of those counties to create a special government entity that’s sole purpose is to invest in the well-being of children and families.

A Tale of Two Children’s Services Councils

There are two different kinds of Children’s Services Councils. A county and its residents can choose to create an independent or a dependent Children’s Services Council. Both are focused on funding programs for children and families. The biggest difference is the source of those funds.

Independent Children’s Services Councils have voter-approved taxing authority to ensure a dedicated funding source is available for children’s programs and services. Voters in a county with an independent Children’s Services Council pay a portion of their property taxes toward their CSC and the programs they fund. For an approximate average annual cost to the taxpayer of $50 to $60 (depending on the county), Children’s Services Councils are able to fund programs that meet the specific needs of the people living in their communities.

Dependent Children’s Services Councils perform essentially the same functions as independent CSCs, but they do not have taxing authority. Their funding primarily comes from the county’s property tax revenues and falls under the county’s annual budget.

What’s in it for My County?

There is a tremendous benefit to a county with its own Children’s Services Council. While the services offered and age groups served vary depending on the needs of the community, the primary focus is investing in prevention and early intervention programs. This reduces the need for more costly services later in life.

FOCUS AREAS

The Children’s Board primarily invests dollars through a competitive grant award process to address four
strategic focus areas.

The Children’s Board evaluates the collective impact and outcomes of our funded programs. In 2021, a total of
108 programs were funded to address the needs of our community. The results of our 2021 performance evaluation are presented in this report.

60

Funded programs
contributed to outcomes

57

Outcomes measured

75%

Outcomes met or exceeded
benchmark targets

Measuring Success

The Children’s Board promotes accountability through our
performance measurement efforts. From gathering information based on local and national research to regularly listening to community stakeholders and program participants, we rely on these insights to help guide our strategic focus. Our funded programs strive to achieve selected outcomes from the four focus areas that are based on the specific services they provide and the participants they serve. To achieve the maximum impact of our funding, the Children’s Board and our funded partners:

Provide high-quality services that utilize best practices and evidence-based programming;
Collect and analyze data from research-based
measurement tools;
Work in partnership to evaluate overall effectiveness throughout the year;
Maintain ongoing communication with families to improve services.

Our Building

In addition to housing the administrative offices of the Children’s Board staff, the building houses the Central Tampa Children’s Board Family Resource Center and also serves as a conference center available at no cost to neighborhood, community, and civic organizations. With free parking, easy access to public transportation, and a central location close to major transportation routes, our building is a convenient conference space for various community groups. We are proud to serve approximately 38,000 visitors annually.

If you would like information about using our conference center, please complete the Conference Center Reservation Form and Terms and Conditions [Revised 02.02.2022] and email to reservations@childrensboard.org or fax to (813) 228-8122, Attn: CBHC Conference Center.