File #: 25-1198   
Type: Ordinance-S Status: Adopted
Meeting Body: City Council Formal Meeting
On agenda: 6/18/2025 Final action: 6/18/2025
Title: Ak-Chin Indian Community 2025 Gaming Grants (Ordinance S-52100) - Citywide
District: Citywide

Title

Ak-Chin Indian Community 2025 Gaming Grants (Ordinance S-52100) - Citywide

 

Description

Request to authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to apply, accept, and if awarded, enter into related agreements for up to $849,243 in new funding from the Ak-Chin Indian Community under the 2025 funding cycle. Further request authorization for the City Treasurer to accept and the City Controller to disburse funds as directed by the Ak-Chin Indian Community in connection with these grants.

 

Report

Summary

If awarded, these monies would be applied, as directed by the Ak-Chin Indian Community towards the following:

 

City Applications

  • Community and Economic Development Department: $40,000 for the Yuma Street Pocket Space, which is seeking partial funding for the design of the Yuma Street Pocket Space, which will include community meetings for valuable neighborhood input.
  • Human Services Department: $50,000 for the Empowerment Through Employment Initiative which will provide comprehensive workforce development services to marginalized communities across the region, including but not limited to, low-income individuals, dislocated workers, formerly incarcerated individuals, unhoused individuals, individuals with disabilities, and other populations facing significant employment barriers. This includes direct services such as job training, supportive services, resume printing materials, and costs associated with marketing materials and program supplies.
  • Planning and Development Department: $42,000 for the Rio Reimagined "Take Action" Campaign, which will conduct education and outreach to area residents, students, visitors and community groups and inspire them to 'take action' in activating and transforming the Rio Salado (Salt River) into a local and regional destination.
  • Phoenix Police Department: $25,200 for Digital Fingerprint Scanners, which will fund hand-held fingerprint devices that enable real-time identification based on biometric technology. These devices will allow officers to accurately identify suspects/witnesses/drivers/at-risk youths in the field, rather than transporting them to a precinct for identification purposes.

 

Nonprofit Applications

  • 100 Club of Arizona: $15,000 for the Safety Enhancement Stipend Program, which will decrease injury and death of public safety members. The program was created to provide assistance to public safety agencies for equipment to enhance the safety of officers and firefighters. Funded equipment includes ballistic vests, helmets, turnouts and communication equipment.
  • Arizona Humanities: $25,000 for the Youth Literacy in Arizona: AZ Read Program, which will support a youth literacy program, AZ Reads. AZ Reads promotes youth literacy and meets a critical community need in Arizona's Title 1 schools (K-12) by providing diverse and culturally responsive books for classrooms and school libraries, or directly to students. In addition to books for students, AZ Reads provides school supplies for programming, contracts with visiting speakers, capacity building for literacy curricula, and other resources by partnering directly with teachers.
  • Arizona Barrio Stories: $90,000 for the Arizona Barrio Stories Presents: A Multicultural Tribute to the States Early Settlers, which will document and share through storytelling the overlooked histories of Arizona's early settlers of color, ensuring their legacies inspire and educate future generations.
  • Duet: Partners in Health & Aging: $20,000 for Vital Services to Prevent Senior Homelessness program, which will assist homebound older adults with the resources and support they need to remain housed. The purpose of the grant is to prevent homelessness among homebound older adults.
  • Foundation for Blind Children: $25,000 for the Preschool for the Blind program, a preschool educational program staffed by certified teachers of the visually impaired with access to therapy related services as needed.
  • Gabriel's Angels: $10,000 for the Pet Therapy Program, which will provide pet therapy programming to children and youth ages 6 to 18 through partnerships with Title 1 schools and child-serving agencies.
  • Hunkapi Programs, Inc.: $12,043 for the Mental Health Services on Behalf of First Responders program, which offers equine therapy on behalf of First Responders and their families. Funding will allow them to continue the highly successful program that has been in significant demand and thereby help eliminate stress caused from PTSD along with suicidal ideation.
  • International Rescue Committee: $250,000 for the Employment Services and Resources for Low-Income Individuals and Families program, which will provide job education, training and support to maintain or gain employment and avoid homelessness to low-income individuals and families.
  • National Council of Jewish Women, AZ: $50,000 for the Furniture, Technology, and Supplies for Ruth Place, A Healing Center for Survivors of Sexual Violence, which will purchase essential equipment and supplies that will support its intensive six-month program to help survivors of sexual violence heal from their trauma.
  • Rosie's House: $5,000 for the Rosie's House 2026 Summer Camp, which will support the expansion of the summer camp to four weeks, offering free music instruction and mentorship for youth from low-income families in the Greater Phoenix metropolitan area.
  • Sonoran University of Health Sciences: $25,000 for the Sonoran University's Community Health Program, which will provide free health care to underserved populations.
  • The Joy Bus: $15,000 for the More Than A Meal Program, which will prepare medically tailored meals for people each year who are homebound with cancer.
  • United Cerebral Palsy Association of Central Arizona: $50,000 for the Motor Disorder Clinic, which serves children with all disabilities, but uniquely serves children with cerebral palsy, genetic disorders, and rare disorders that result in physical disability.
  • United National Indian Tribal Youth, Inc.: $50,000 for the Native Youth Leadership Training, which will support a three-day Native Youth Leadership Training, which is open to Native American youth aged 14 to 24 and it aims to prepare Native American youth to advocate for their needs and promote positive community, tribal, and school engagement.
  • Vista College Prep: $50,000 for AI-Powered Learning, which will launch a targeted initiative exploring how artificial intelligence (AI) can reduce teacher workload and accelerate student academic outcomes across Phoenix campuses.

 

The gaming compact entered into by the State of Arizona and various tribes calls for 12 percent of gaming revenue to be contributed to cities, towns, and counties for government services that benefit the general public including public safety, mitigation of impacts of gaming, and promotion of commerce and economic development. The Ak-Chin Indian Community will notify the City, by resolution of the Tribal Council, if it desires to convey to the nonprofit a portion of its annual 12 percent local revenue-sharing contribution.

 

Financial Impact

There is no budgeted impact to the City and no general-purpose funds are required. Entities that receive gaming grants are responsible for the management of those funds.

 

 

 

Department

Responsible Department

This item is submitted by City Manager Jeffrey Barton and the Office of Government Relations.