File #: 23-2083   
Type: Ordinance-S Status: Adopted
Meeting Body: City Council Formal Meeting
On agenda: 9/6/2023 Final action: 9/6/2023
Title: Tohono O'odam Nation Gaming Grants (Ordinance S-50146)
District: Citywide

Title

Tohono O'odam Nation Gaming Grants (Ordinance S-50146)

 

Description

Request to authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to apply, accept, and if awarded, enter into related agreements for up to $3,214,638 in new funding from the Tohono O'odham Nation under the 2023 funding cycle. Further request authorization for the City Treasurer to accept, and the City Controller to disburse funds as directed by the Tohono O'odham Nation in connection with these grants.

 

Report

Summary

If awarded, these monies would be applied, as directed by the Tohono O'odham Nation, towards the following:

 

City Applications

  • Neighborhood Services: $150,000 for the Financial Empowerment Microbusiness Program, which will launch the program locally in partnership with a trusted nonprofit financial counseling provider, in collaboration with more than a dozen community partners who have expressed interest in this program.
  • Sustainability: $50,000 for the Student Council Sustainability Officer Initiative, which seeks to develop student sustainability leaders, educate secondary students on how to implement community projects on school campuses, and improve civic engagement and embed sustainability on school campuses.
  • Parks and Recreation: $400,000 for the first all-inclusive playground project at Encanto Park. The park will provide a variety of inclusive amenities and equipment for children of all abilities, in inclusive environments.
  • Parks and Recreation: $1,739,864 for the FitPHX Network of FitLot Outdoor Fitness Parks at seven different proposed sites, which will support the planning, organizing, construction and programming of the sites.
  • Fire: $9,774 for the automated traffic scenario simulator, which will support Fire staff's Regional Driver Training Program.
  • Planning and Development: $30,000 for the Rio Reimagined Community Plan, which will develop a community-led planning document that will activate and transform Rio Salado (Salt River) into a local and regional tourist destination.

 

Non-Profit Applications

  • Arizona Forward: $15,000 for the Emerging Sustainability Leaders program, which will create a fund offering a scholarship to reduce entry barriers in the program and offer more field trips, a year-end project, and program materials.
  • Arizona Foundation for Women: $10,000 for the SHE Leads! program, a leadership development program designed by women, for women.
  • Arizona Science Center: $50,000 for the Focused Field Trips program, which will fund 5,000 students' free admission to participate in field trips in 2024.
  • Ballet Arizona: $10,000 for the Hoop Dance program, which will expand the program to 40 Native American youth residing in Maricopa County, providing access to arts programming that is dedicated to honoring and celebrating Native American traditions, culture, ancestry, and activities.
  • Banner Health Foundation: $100,000 for the creation of Play Zone, a healing area for ill and injured children who come to Banner Health's Diamond Children's Medical Center for care.
  • Creighton Community Foundation: $300,000 for the Native Wetlands Educational Space, which will create a unique one-time marquee project on a 10,000 square foot publicly accessible entrance area of a school campus being fully remodeled as an outdoor learning school.
  • Duet Partners in Health: $15,000 for the Improving Academic Achievement Health and Safety of At-risk Children program, which will improve the health, fitness, safety, academic skills, and well-being of low-income grandchildren being raised by their grandparents.
  • Foundation for Senior Living: $15,000 for the Nutrition program, which is a long-standing program for low-income individuals and families.
  • Heard Museum: $10,000 for the K-12 Free Admissions and School Tours program, which will allow 7,500 students, educators, and chaperones to participate in the program.
  • Homeward Bound: $50,000 for the Shelter and Community Services program, which will assist in operating the program and provide aid to 600 individuals.
  • Human Services Campus: $100,000 for the Respiro Shelter program, which will provide respite and shelter to 500 individuals experiencing homelessness.
  • Life More Abundantly: $15,000 for the Pregnancy and Sexually Transmitted Disease Care programs, which will assist with testing, ultrasound scans, nurse consultants, medical and social service referrals.
  • Lights Camera Discover: $25,000 for the Entrepreneur Workforce Readiness program, which will support a 24-week program for youth ages 17-21.
  • Mission of Mercy: $40,000 for the Access to Care program, which will subsidize care for more than 100 patients.
  • Phoenix Indian Center: $50,000 for the Bridging the Gaps for Indigenous Cultural Connection, and Direct Assistance programs, which will support language and culture funding and direct emergency support to Indigenous/American Indian youth and families.
  • Stand for Children: $10,000 for the Growing Readers program, which will engage families at partner schools, provide literacy workshops and other learning opportunities that help students develop literacy skills.
  • Treasures 4 Teacher (T4T): $20,000 for the T4T on Wheels program, which will distribute 2,235 hygiene kits to children in need.

 

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, and promotion of commerce and economic development. The Tohono O'odham Nation will notify the City, by grant-in-aid agreement, of the Tribal Council's decision, if it desires to convey to the City or local nonprofits a portion of its annual 12 percent local revenue-sharing contribution.

 

Financial Impact

There is no budgetary 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.