About CSF's Core Review Opportunity

Please note: Community reviewers cannot currently work for, serve on a board of, or provide services for an organization that is applying for the 2026-2029 CSF Core Funding Opportunity.

About the 2026-2029 Core Funding Opportunity Review Process
At the St. Louis County Children's Service Fund (CSF), we engage members of the community to support the review process for our 2026-2029 Core Funding Opportunity. As a community reviewer, you will assist us in deciding how public funding is distributed back into the community. Each CSF Review Team is led by a CSF staff member and includes community reviewers. Community reviewers will be paid $250 per application reviewed and $250 total for the required unconscious and implicit bias training, orientation, and final review meeting. Each community reviewer will review up to 25 applications. We estimate it will take 4-6 hours to review and score each application. Our goal is to recruit 15-35 community reviewers.

The community review stage of the 2026-2029 Core allocations process is slated to take place from November 7, 2025-December 19, 2025. Orientation will be in-person in University City on November 6 with an option to attend in the afternoon or evening. Other trainings will occur in mid-October through early November and will have a virtual option. Below you will find the criteria for the external reviewer position to be used in the recruitment and selection of qualified candidates. Anticipated timeline selecting and notifying external reviewers will be mid to late September. If selected, you will receive further communication on specific dates and times for trainings.

Learn more about being a community reviewer on our blog.
Who Should Apply?
Preference will be given to applicants with lived or professional experience in working with kids and families and/or mental or behavioral health. Lived experience refers to the understanding and insight gained through personal and/or family experiences that relate to the types of challenges our funded services aim to address. This may include: personal or family experience with mental or behavioral health challenges, substance use or recovery, navigating public systems such as special education, foster care, or juvenile justice, living in poverty or experiencing housing instability, encountering barriers to services, including those related to systemic inequities or discrimination. Professional experience refers to the practical knowledge and skills gained through working in a specific field.

Preferred Applicants would meet the following criteria:
  • Live in and have knowledge of the St. Louis region
  • Available for in-person orientation and in-person or virtual meetings between October 15, 2025-December 19, 2025, for unconscious and implicit biases training, orientation, review discussions or check-in meetings
    • Note: There will also be an optional “Introduction to Proposal Review” training for anyone who is new to reviewing or would like a more in-depth refresher
  • Willingness to learn CSF's online reviewing software (Salesforce). Support and training will be provided.
  • Able to manage timely communication with CSF review team lead via phone, Teams, and/or email throughout the review process
  • Access to a computer with reliable internet
  • Able to provide written feedback on strengths, concerns, and clarifications of a proposed program.
Key Dates & Contact Information
  • September 14, 2025: Applications due.
  • September 29, 2025: Selected reviewers will be notified.
Please email CSFCore@stlouiscountymo.gov with questions.
About the Core Funding Opportunity
The Core Funding Opportunity was established in 2010 as CSF’s first funding cycle. Since then, we have sought partnerships with organizations that align with our value of providing quality care to kids and families in St. Louis County. Our Core partners are established organizations that address community needs through impact-driven approaches to mental and behavioral health care. We support our Core partners through a standard unit-rate reimbursement model. The next three-year funding cycle will run from July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2029. Learn more at stlcsf.org.

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