By, Ruel Nolledo | Freelance Writer
August 5, 2025
First 5 LA’s Board of Commissioners convened in person for its monthly meeting on June 12, 2025. Highlights of the meeting included the approval of the FY 2025-26 Budget and Long-Term Fiscal Plan, as well as several strategic partnerships and contracts. In response to the heightened security in downtown Los Angeles due to demonstrations against the ICE raids, the meeting adjourned early, with several agenda items deferred to the August 2025 meeting.
L.A. County Supervisor and First 5 LA Board Chair Holly Mitchell began the meeting by noting that communities and families throughout Los Angeles have been shaken by the ICE immigration raids that began on June 6. She thanked her fellow Commissioners for attending in person even as protests were taking place in the immediate vicinity, adding that their work was especially crucial at this time.
“You’re the ones who hold the line,” she told them. “The ones who carry forward the vision of equity, dignity, and care for every child, regardless of their background, birthplace, or zip code. I hope that we will all remember the decisions that we make here today are not just policies and programs — They are a reflection of principles and values. To stand strong for the vulnerable, to remain rooted in justice, and to move forward together. Even when the road is uncertain.”
Mitchell also took a moment to share that the Board’s annual performance appraisal of First 5 LA leadership was completed recently. She commended President and CEO Karla Pleitéz Howell for her work over the last year.
“The Board appreciates your efforts to bring stakeholders, staff, and the board together to find unique solutions,” Mitchell said. “Despite the challenges posed by decreasing revenue and political uncertainties, you have kept the organization focused on achieving systemic changes and policy wins, always rooted in equity, community voice, and fiscal responsibility.”
Board Approves FY 2025-26 Budget
Commissioners voted to approve both First 5 LA’s 2025-26 Budget and Long-Term Financial Plan (LTFP). The budget totals $80 million, down from $91.7 million in FY 2024-25, a 12.8% year-over-year decrease. This reduction is part of the agency’s plan to transition toward a more sustainable annual budget of $60 million by FY 2027–28, in alignment with the 2024–2029 Strategic Plan and the twelve-year Long-Term Financial Plan (LTFP) adopted by the Board in October 2024.
JR Nino, vice president of Operations and Sustainability, began the presentation by reminding the Board that the proposed budget was developed with a view toward long-term sustainability.
“Our long-term financial plan,” he added, “was guided by ensuring consistency and stability in our partners’ work by having a step-down approach toward a steady $60 million organization through FY 27-28 and FY 34-35.”
Director of Finance Raoul Ortega echoed Nino’s sentiments. “Each year, we are tasked with exercising financial discipline,” he said. “This is not only a guiding principle — It’s a necessity, especially now, as we navigate ongoing federal uncertainty and a broader, increasingly challenging fiscal environment.”
The budget features the following changes from the previous fiscal year:
- An overall reduction in program demand— from $77.6 million to $67.3 million — driven largely by the wind-down of legacy investments and full activation of the new Strategic Plan investments. Key elements include:
- Approximately $54.9 million to support implementation of the new Strategic Plan initiatives
- $7.7 million for program support
- $4.75 million for the Strategic Initiatives Development Fund
- Administrative costs are expected to total $12.7 million, down from $14.9 million, reflecting a continued refinement of cost categorization and support functions.
Daisy Lopez, First 5 LA’s manager of Financial Planning & Analysis, added that the budget total will be offset by roughly $7.6 million in non-Prop 10 revenues from several funding sources, including the L.A. County Department of Mental Health, F5CA IMPACT and Medi-Cal Managed Care. This will reduce the net demand on First 5 LA resources by approximately $72.4 million.
For more information, please read the presentation and approved budget.
First 5 California 2023-24 Report
In accordance with the requirements of Proposition 10, Kimberly Hall, director of Impact & Accountability and Laura Covarrubias, senior data strategist, presented First 5 California’s newly released Annual Report. Covering FY 23-24, the report includes fiscal and programmatic information aggregated across all 58 county commissions, including data on revenue and expenditures, populations reached and key policy highlights. During the reporting period, commissions throughout the state served an estimated 602,341 children, 539,120 primary caregivers and 72,832 providers.
Hall also called out several changes to the annual reporting process, set to take effect in FY 2025–26. The new reporting framework will emphasize equity, outcomes, and standardization, shift from open-ended narratives to structured prompts and improve data usability. While these changes are intended to be technical improvements, many counties view them as a significant shift with added administrative demands and limited prior input. A pilot phase is in the works to allow counties to test and help shape the new approach before full implementation.
The report presentation is available here, while a copy of First 5 California’s report can be found here.
As part of the consent agenda, the Board also approved the following items:
- Community Partners: This 12-month extension of a strategic partnership with Community Partners will focus on expanding the Long Beach Early Learning Hub. This investment aligns with the Strategic Plan’s objectives related to early care and education (Objective 3.1). For more information, click here.
- Southern California Grantmakers (SCG): Staff previewed an amendment to provide continued operational support for the Center for Strategic Partnerships, a public-private initiative to advance cross-sector systems change aligned with First 5 LA’s county partnership priorities. For more information on the amendment, click here.
- California Community Foundation (CCF): The approved amendment extends the existing strategic partnership with CCF through December 2026 in support of the African American Infant and Maternal Mortality (AAIMM) Innovation Fund. This investment aligns with three Strategic Plan objectives: reduce infant mortality, increase supports for maternal depression and increase culturally affirming services. For more information on the amendment, click here.
- Nine Welcome Baby Hospitals: Strategic partnerships with nine hospitals were amended to continue implementation of the Welcome Baby Home Visiting Program through FY 2025-26. Welcome Baby plays a critical role in different elements of the Strategic Plan, including areas such as maternal mental health, early identification, referral needs and health coverage. For more information on the amendment, click here.
- Catalyst California: This new strategic partnership will support the development and implementation of an Equity Index that aligns with First 5 LA’s commitment to equity by providing data-driven insights to guide resource allocation and advocacy efforts, ensuring that investments prioritize communities experiencing the greatest disparities. More information can be found here.
- Health Federation of Philadelphia: To support an additional cohort of the Thriving Providers Project through January 2027. This investment aligns with First 5 LA’s Strategic Plan’s objectives related to reducing poverty (Objective 1.2) and increasing access to early care and education (Objective 3.1). For more information on the amendment, click here.
The Board also approved the renewal of 25 contracts to continue or complete several multi-year projects and initiatives. A description of each contractor and grantee’s project and scope of work for FY 25-26 can be found here.
Presentations on the final enacted State budget as well as presentations on response to the changing federal landscape will be the focus of the next Board meeting, scheduled on August 14, 2025. The agenda and meeting materials will be available at www.first5la.org/our-board/meeting-materials 72 hours in advance of the meeting date.
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