Denver equity office proposes $8.4 million budget with three new positions

Denver’s Office of Social Equity and Innovation is proposing an approximately $8.4 million budget for 2027 that would add three positions by redirecting existing funds. The office also plans to end its youth-diversion funding agreement with the Denver District Attorney’s Office at the end of 2026.

At a Sept. 25 City Council presentation, OSCI Executive Director Ben Sanders and staff outlined the proposal, which includes about $7.37 million in General Fund support and just over $1 million in grants. The proposed positions are two diversion and criminal-justice officers and one program administrator, funded by repurposing professional-services dollars previously allocated to system partners. The proposal would not increase General Fund spending.

Staff said a correction to the budget book would assign two positions to Community Violence Solutions and one to Juvenile Justice and Resiliency. They said the jobs are intended to address intensive caseloads and rising youth referrals.

The youth-diversion agreement supports services for young people with substance-misuse issues. OSCI staff said the District Attorney’s Office plans to continue the programming after the agreement expires, but did not provide details about its post-agreement funding or staffing.

OSCI is also developing a gun-violence review process, modeled in part on Milwaukee’s approach. The planned process would examine shootings, particularly fatal shootings, to identify patterns and opportunities for intervention and to coordinate prevention and responses for people affected by violence. Staff said early coordination meetings with law enforcement and city partners are underway, but the formal process is still being developed. OSCI hopes to launch it by the end of 2026 or in 2027.

The Sept. 25 presentation was a budget discussion, not final approval of the 2027 budget.