Sullivan’s funder of programs for youth

Meet the manager of the Youth Bureau

By Zoey McGee | Manor Ink

Sullivan County, NY – The Sullivan County Youth Bureau may not run programs directly, but it plays a significant role in ensuring that children across the county have access to opportunities.

As Cathi Paci, the manager of youth services, explained, “The Youth Bureau is a funneler of money from the state and from the county to youth programs throughout Sullivan County. We don’t run programming. We fund programming.”

Right now, 74 programs are being funded, with 39 new applications just received. The 74 will go through the end of December, and then 34 of those will continue on into 2026, and then the 39 new ones will go on through 2026. Paci currently handles all tasks related to the Youth Bureau, including press releases, applications, creating 40-page contracts and processing reimbursements.

A former school teacher

Paci’s background isn’t in government but in teaching. She is a former teacher with a Master’s degree in literacy. After leaving teaching, she became an advocate for children with special needs. Following working in public health during the COVID pandemic, she started at the Youth Bureau, first coordinating internships and then moving into her current role.

The funding process is far from simple. Money comes from both the state and the county, with amounts changing year to year.

“The state amount is based on our population and how much our funding was used the prior year,” said Paci. That unpredictability means she is always making constant adjustments while trying to keep things steady.

Programs receiving funding must be free or very low-cost, which is something Paci feels is vital. “People don’t have to pay for these programs. If they can’t afford them, they don’t pay,” she said. Grants range from approximately $1,500 dollars to over $40,000 dollars for one highly competitive statewide program. However, most fall in the $5,000 to $10,000 range.

Improving awareness of the Bureau

A major priority has been increasing the visibility of the Youth Bureau. Paci got creative with a social media campaign featuring quirky characters, which increased online visits from just over 1,000 to more than 5,500 in a single year. “Even if it was something silly, like these crazy little characters that I came up with,” she said, the point was to get attention. The idea caught much attention at a statewide conference.

At the end of the day, she said the real goal is to have an impact. “You can make a huge difference in a kid’s life by just letting them play soccer, or if I can make a difference in that kid’s life for just the week that they’re in Europe, how wonderful is that?”

And Paci wants families to know that the Youth Bureau’s work is everywhere in Sullivan County. If you have questions about programs or funding, she says to call the office. Manor Ink just received notification from the Youth Bureau of an $11,225 grant for 2026, which will help fund printing costs for this monthly free community paper while nurturing student reporters and editors.