About the Care First Community Investment/Non-Care First Community Investment Third-Party Administrator

Through a competitively bid process, Amity Foundation was selected to act as Third-Party Administrator (TPA) to manage and distribute a portion of funds included in the Care First Community Investment (CFCI) spending plan, and Non-Care First Community Investment (Non-CFCI) funds for Grants to Justice-Focused Community-Based Organizations.  Amity will be responsible for distributing $55M over three years across eight program areas with the goal of equitably increasing access to funding for organizations serving youth and those impacted by injustice and inequities within the criminal legal systems and will give priority to organizations that have historically experienced barriers to accessing County funding. 

About Amity Foundation

Historically, Amity Foundation has provided an array of quality direct services to the legal system-impacted population in California since 1990 (31 years) and in Arizona since 1981 (40 years).  Amity has long been committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion, which aligns with the principles adopted by Los Angeles County in forging Care First Community Investment, and takes pride in its workforce that deeply represents the life experiences of the individuals it serves.  The lived experience of over 50% of Amity’s direct services faculty creates a natural affinity for the work of the community based organizations that will provide services under CFCI and Non-CFCI funds.

Amity also brings a wealth of experience providing Third-Party Administrator services and currently administers well over $30 million annually to numerous community-based organizations throughout Los Angeles County and the State of California. 

History and Background:
Care First Community Initiative

On November 3, 2020, the voters of Los Angeles County approved Measure J, which directed the County to set aside at least 10% of the County’s locally generated unrestricted revenues to address systemic racism through direct community investment and alternatives to incarceration.  Directly following approval of the ballot measure, the Board of Supervisors (Board) established an Advisory Committee and charged the committee with developing spending recommendations for Measure J funds. 

In June 2021, the Advisory Committee delivered its spending recommendations to the County’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) who reviewed them, made adjustments, and then included them in her recommendations to the Board.  The Board approved $187M in funding for CFCI programs ($100M in CFCI funds and $87M in American Rescue Plan funds).  Funding is distributed in two manners:

  • Via County Departments

  • Via a Third-Party Administrator

During the process of developing spending recommendations, the public consistently requested that the County use a third-party administrator to disburse funds to community-based organizations (CBOs) positioned to deliver services within the community, with a focus on smaller CBOs who have traditionally had difficulty obtaining County contracts.

In June 2021, there was a court action nullifying Measure J, but the Board reaffirmed its commitment to the vision of Measure J and renamed the effort Care First Community Investment (CFCI). 

CFCI adheres to the spirit of Measure J and the above-mentioned budget policy by allocating at least 10% of locally generated unrestricted revenue to be invested directly into communities and alternatives to incarceration to address the impact of racial injustice — in particular within the criminal legal systems. In addition, CFCI prohibits using these funds for carceral systems and law enforcement agencies. The CFCI Programs budget policy identifies how the County will determine the amount of locally generated unrestricted revenues in the general fund (net County cost) to be set aside for CFCI programs. L.A. County’s new Justice, Care & Opportunities Department (JCOD), which was created by the Board of Supervisors in November 2022, is now responsible for the stewardship of CFCI. JCOD continues to follow the guidance of the Board of Supervisors, CFCI Advisory Committee, and CEO in ensuring that the CFCI funding goes to those who need it most

On September 6, 2022, the LA County Board of Supervisors approved Year 2 allocations to further advance Los Angeles County’s Care First, Jails Last vision using direct community investments and funding for alternatives to incarceration. The Year 2 allocations build upon the Year 1 CFCI investment (including American Rescue Plan Act funding). Funding is distributed in two ways: 1) via County Departments; and 2) via a Third-Party Administrator. In Year 2, the Third-Party Administrator is responsible for distributing approximately $104MM through 3-year Service Provider funding awards.