Philly hiring a consultant to support anti-violence nonprofits amid scrutiny
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Mayor Cherelle Parker's administration is hiring a consultant to help city-funded grassroots anti-violence groups improve their operations amid questions about oversight and mismanagement.
- But at least one local nonprofit leader is calling the move performative, and a tall order for the firm that lands the job.
Why it matters: Since 2021, Philadelphia has poured more than $60 million into anti-violence programs — though some groups have faced questions about whether they're able to effectively manage the money and deliver results.
The big picture: Philadelphia leaders hoped the collective program would curb violence in its hardest-hit neighborhoods and reach young people before they were swept up in it.
- But a city controller report found the initiative — rolled out quickly during the pandemic-era surge in violence — was plagued by problems, including start-up organizations receiving funding despite lacking dedicated staff, budgets or oversight boards, per the Inquirer.
- In some cases, money went unspent. And in one high-profile case, members of Guns Down Gloves Up, a group founded by former Philly police captain Nashid Akil, were charged with theft and conspiracy over the alleged misuse of grant funds.
Driving the news: The city's Office of Public Safety is awarding a $500,000 contract to a consultant that will provide guidance to more than 170 grassroots organizations on building out their operations and becoming more sustainable, per public contracting records.
- The city expects to have the consultant in place by Feb. 1, city spokesperson Jennifer Crandall tells Axios.
What they're saying: The anti-violence program has "undergone a significant overhaul," following the issues raised by the controller, and the city is proactively bringing in help, Crandall says.
Flashback: In 2021, a City Council-led monitoring group was established to provide some oversight over the anti-violence program.
- Another group hired by the fiscal monitor that administered the grant also had a limited role in evaluating those programs.
Zoom in: The consultant's gig is being expanded to fit the city's needs, Crandall says.
- The administrative coach will hold dozens of workshops and one-on-one sessions with anti-violence groups throughout the year, provide "technical" assistance, gauge those groups' progress on several goals and report back to OPS.
- The consultant must meet several benchmarks outlined in the contract bid, including helping the groups improve their finances, public engagement and trauma-informed care.
Reality check: Those are "ridiculously" big tasks for the firm that lands the contract, David Fair, executive director of Turning Points for Children and a former nonprofit consultant, tells Axios.
- The contract amount, he says, is relatively small given the level of resources an administrative coach would need to ensure the anti-violence groups succeed.
"It's performance management," Fair says. "The city is looking for a quick win."
- The city may tap "multiple providers" for help as part of the contract, Crandall says.