Snapshot: Appropriation & Staffing Changes from 2023 Budget
| 2023 Budgeted | 2024 Proposed | Net Change | Percent Change | |
| Appropriations | $926,780,352 | $851,384,657 | -$75,395,695 | -8.1% |
| Positions & FTEs | 435 | 451 | 16 | 3.7% |
Departmental Highlights
- Overall appropriations were down roughly -8.1%, largely driven by a $64 million reduction in Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Fund appropriations. Corporate Fund appropriations are up $8.6 million, a 7.7% increase.
- Overall DFSS headcount is up a net 16 positions, including nine additional project manager and four additional project coordinator positions. In addition to increases in existing positions, the 2024 budget proposal adds an Aging and Disability Resource Network Manager and a Director of Grants Management title.
- The bulk of DFSS’s 2024 budget is passed through to outside organizations, primarily through a $489.5 million delegate agencies appropriation, which makes up 57.5% of the department’s budget despite a $191.5m reduction from the previous year’s budget. DFSS also appropriates $135.3 million for professional and technical services, along with a number of multimillion dollar service-specific line items such as $35.2m for homeless services, $24.1m for summer programs, $16m for after school programs, $13m for early childhood education program, and $7.4m for youth mentoring programs.
- DFSS’s largest appropriations increase is in the professional and technical services account, up $96.6m from last year’s budget (a 249.2% increase). The delegate agencies appropriation saw an even larger decrease, down $191.5m from 2023 (a -28.1% decrease).
- Appropriations are also up for a number of service-specific appropriations, including an additional $5.7m for homeless services, $766,000 for summer programs, and $209,500 for Chicago Youth Services Corps.
Historical Context
The Department of Family and Support Services budget increased significantly under the Lightfoot administration, even before the infusion of federal funds during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Budget growth was not matched by staffing growth because the majority of the increase was dedicated to the “Delegate Agencies” and “Professional and Technical Services” appropriations – outside contracting and pass-through spending on private and non-profit service providers. Those two outside contracting appropriations make up the majority of the department’s budget every year.
At the start of the Emanuel administration, the city was budgeting $29.2 million for DFSS outside contracting. As DFSS workforce declined, outside contracting increased, reaching budgeted appropriations totalling $463.5 million in Emanuel’s final budget, and increasing further to $508.3 million in Lightfoot’s first. Buoyed by federal funds, DFSS spending on outside contractors grew even more during the pandemic years, reaching $719.8 million in the 2023 budget.
From 2011-2023, the department budget grew at an average rate of 8.6% per year. Departmental budgets overall increased an average of 5.9% per year over the same time period, while the total city budget including Finance General appropriations grew at an average rate of 8.2% annually.
The department’s budgeted workforce declined at a rate of roughly -3.7% annually from 2011-2023. Overall budgeted positions for the city remained relatively flat across the same time periods, with minor year-to-year fluctuations averaging out to an overall growth rate of -0.04%.
The 2024 budget proposal reduces DFSS’s appropriations by -8.1% overall, a sharper decline than historic averages and a contrast to the citywide budget growth from 2023, largely driven by a $64 million reduction in Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Fund appropriations. Corporate Fund appropriations are up $8.6 million, a 7.7% increase.
Staffing
Overall DFSS headcount is up a net 16 positions, including nine additional project manager and four additional project coordinator positions.
In addition to increases in existing positions, the 2024 budget proposal adds an Aging and Disability Resource Network Manager and a Director of Grants Management title.
Appropriations
Largest Appropriations
The bulk of DFSS’s 2024 budget is passed through to outside organizations, primarily through a $489.5 million delegate agencies appropriation, which makes up 57.5% of the department’s budget despite a $191.5m reduction from the previous year’s budget. DFSS also appropriates $135.3 million for professional and technical services, along with a number of multimillion dollar service-specific line items such as $35.2m for homeless services, $24.1m for summer programs, $16m for after school programs, $13m for early childhood education program, and $7.4m for youth mentoring programs.
Change from Previous Year
DFSS’s largest appropriations increase is in the professional and technical services account, up $96.6m from last year’s budget (a 249.2% increase). The delegate agencies appropriation saw an even larger decrease, down $191.5m from 2023 (a -28.1% decrease).
Appropriations are also up for a number of service-specific appropriations, including an additional $5.7m for homeless services, $766,000 for summer programs, and $209,500 for Chicago Youth Services Corps.
