The Mayor’s Fund for Philadelphia is getting a makeover

Mayor Jim Kenney’s administration is revamping the Mayor’s Fund of Philadelphia after recent reports that found the city’s philanthropic arm was misusing funds under former Mayor Michael Nutter.

Ashley Del Bianco, executive director of the fund under Kenney, informed the city controller of conspicuous expenses last year, including $52,000 drawn from the Fund to pay for Uber rides, shopping trips, meals and more. Those purchases were overseen by former chair Desiree Peterkin Bell and her staff.

Last year, it was revealed the fund owed the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation approximately $1 million for a loan used to pay for Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Summit.

And despite its troubled past, Del Bianco told the Inquirer that the fund’s existence is necessary if the city wants to be able to accept grants.

“In order for us to be able to utilize those private dollars, we have to have an entity that is available to manage them,” she said.

According to the Inquirer, Kenney’s administration has tweaked governance and oversight to make sure the fund is operating ethically in the future, with more changes possibly pending for the future.