City of Phoenix - File #: 26-1033

• File #: 26-1033
• Type: Ordinance-S
• Status: Agenda Ready - Office of Government Relations Department
• Meeting Body: City Council Formal Meeting
• On agenda: 6/17/2026
• Title: Gila River Indian Community 2026 Gaming Grants (Ordinance S-53000) - Citywide
• District: Citywide

Title

Gila River Indian Community 2026 Gaming Grants (Ordinance S-53000) - Citywide

Description

Request to authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to apply, accept, and if awarded, enter into related agreements up to $9,372,510.02 in funding from the Gila River Indian Community (GRIC) under the 2026 funding cycle. Further request authorization for the City Treasurer to accept and the City Controller to disburse funds as directed by GRIC in connection with these grants, including sub-recipients and/or vendors associated with a project.

Report

Summary

Grants for programs and projects can range in total from $1,000 to $300,000 and can be paid out in installments to support the program for at least one but no more than three years. Detailed and justified budgets are essential for tribal gaming grants submitted to the tribe. GRIC will determine the final amount and length of all grant awards, which may vary from the requested amount.

GRIC will also consider capital funding requests up to $500,000 to be paid out in installments for at least one but no more than five years. The ultimate level of capital contribution will be at the discretion of the GRIC Tribal Council based on interest in the project and available funding.

If awarded, these monies would be applied as directed by the GRIC Tribal Council towards the following:

City Applications

• Fire Department: $48,772 for the Forcible Door Entry Training Props, which will provide specialized equipment for forcible door entry training.
• Fire Department: $16,030 for the Peer Fitness Trainer and Nutrition Certification Program, which will train Phoenix Firefighters as Peer Fitness Trainers and Nutritionists to support the health of Phoenix Firefighters.
• Fire Department: $136,375 (over one and a half years) for the Phoenix Fire Regional Training Academy Flashover Training Simulator, which will provide fire recruits with training for observation, recognition of fire behavior and experience in a fire response flashover situation.
• Human Services Department: $150,000 (over three years) for the Bridging the Benefits Cliff: Workforce Support and Retention Initiative, a pilot program that helps individuals maintain employment as they transition from public benefits to full-time work. Many participants in the Dislocated Worker programs experience the 'benefits cliff' where increased earnings result in the loss of essential support such as childcare subsidies, housing assistance, Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. This sudden loss often creates financial instability that threatens job retention.
• Information Technology Services: $300,000 (over three years) for the AI-Based Data Protection (AI Date Leak Prevention, Prompt Protection), which prevents misuse or theft of sensitive public-safety, criminal-justice, and citizen service data, which is a Citywide initiative to strengthen protection of the systems that support police, fire, emergency response, water delivery, aviation operations, and other essential public services.
• Information Technology Services: $500,000 (over three years, Capital Funding Request) for the AI-Enhanced Public Safety Cyber Defense, AI-Driven Threat Detection (SIEM), which enhances real-time monitoring for cyber threats targeting public-safety and operational technology environments, this Citywide initiative will strengthen protection of the systems that support police, fire, emergency response, water delivery, aviation operations, and other essential services.
• Information Technology Services: $300,000 (over three years) for the Cloud Security and Rogue Service Prevention, which will automatically detect and govern unauthorized cloud services that may expose City systems to risk.
• Office of Sustainability: $238,000 (over two years) for the Phoenix Energy Concierge Program, which will provide an equitable, accessible and bilingual navigation service that connects low-income and energy burdened households with the energy assistance, weatherization support, and heat resilience programs they qualify for.
• Office of Heat Response and Mitigation: $300,000 for the Urban Tree Risk Reduction and Replacement Projects, which will select grantees with dangerous dead trees to remove, selected removed trees will be replaced at a 1:2 ratio.
• Office of Homeless Solutions: $232,050 (over three years) for the Short-Term Emergency Hotel Program, which will allow for the City to process and pay for internal referrals for emergency hotel stays as a short-term, interim solution for individuals who are awaiting placement in shelter, availability of other housing, or diversion to avoid an individual spending the night unsheltered.
• Office of Homeless Solutions: $300,000 (over three years) for the Flexible Prevention Funding for Individuals At-Risk of or Experiencing Homelessness, which will provide funding to expand the assistance it can provide to individuals experiencing or on the verge of experiencing homelessness, to remove expenses (barriers) that may stand in the way of becoming or staying housed and/or employed.
• Office of Homeless Solutions: $300,000 (over three years) for the Homeless Workforce Program Supportive Needs, which will fund supportive needs related to workforce programming currently offered at City of Phoenix homeless shelters to give program participants tools for success and remove barriers such as employment-related costs and program needs for each site (desktop computers, associated software, headphones).
• Parks and Recreation Department: $423,084.11 (Capital Funding Request) for the Playground Renovation at 35th Avenue and Baseline Road, which will fund the purchase and installation of a new playground at the park located at 35th Avenue and Baseline Road.
• Parks and Recreation Department: $300,000 for the Adobe Mountain ADA Compliant Park Playground and Shade Structure Replacement, which will replace Adobe Mountain Playground and Shade Structure for children ages 2 -12.
• Parks and Recreation Department: $500,000 (Capital Funding Request) for the Urban Farm Project, which will fund the installation of irrigation and water delivery infrastructure necessary to operate the urban farm.
• Planning and Development Department: $300,000 (over two years) for the Rio Reimagined Community Plan Phase 2 - People, Nature, and the Built Environment, which will continue to create a community development plan that will positively transform Phoenix's western reach of the Salt River (Rio Salado) Corridor into a local and regional destination, while growing the local economy through eco-tourism, housing, and recreation. The plan also aims to improve the quality of life for residents and support continued river restoration efforts to reconnect residents to the natural beauty of the Salt River (Rio Salado).
• Office of Arts and Culture: $299,600 (over two years) for the ArtCorps, which will fund a job readiness program for college students interested in arts and administrative training, opportunities, and career development. The grant would be used as sub grants to local arts and culture nonprofit organizations to hire a college student for a 1-2 year placement.
• Office of Arts and Culture: $96,000 (over two years) for the Creative Arts Curriculum, which will a program that places experienced teaching artists in Phoenix schools that face significant education and access barriers. Teaching artists develop and teach curriculum to help students get engaged and excited about the arts in accordance with district standards and goals.
• Office of Arts and Culture: $156,846 for the Creating New STEM Gallery at S'edav Va'aki Museum, which will renovate office space into new gallery space to increase the public access area of the museum.
• Police Department: $291,000 for the APX Radios, which will provide updated portable radios to reserve police officers.
• Police Department: $270,000 for the Faro Focus Premium Scanner, which will fund the purchase of four Faro Focus Premium Scanners to replace two systems that are at the end of their operational life span and purchase two systems to increase the ability to provide precise measurements of evidence and detailed descriptions of crime scenes.
• Police Department: $215,994 for the Grappler Systems, which will provide each precinct Neighborhood Enforcement Team with a proven tool to safely and effectively immobilize fleeing vehicles. By enabling controlled engagement, the Grappler system significantly reduces the risks associated with vehicle pursuits, protecting the public, officers, and suspects alike.
• Public Defender's Office: $122,400 (over three years) for Community Court Improvements, which will help homeless Community Court clients get off the streets and stay out of jail.

Nonprofit Applications

• 3rd Decade Inc.: $30,000 for the 3rd Decade Financial Education and Mentoring Program, which will promote and educate financial literacy to young adults.
• 100 Club of Arizona: $50,000 (over two years) for the 100 Club Program Support, which will support the 100 Club of Arizona's public safety assistance programs providing mental health support, financial assistance, and wellness resources to first responders and their families in the City of Phoenix.
• ACCEL: $28,649.91 for the Preparing Students For Post-Graduation Jobs program, which will fund career exploration and job skills development.
• AllThrive 365 (formerly Foundation for Senior Living): $20,000 for the AllThrive 365's Adult Day Health Services (ADHS) Program, which will support older adults with complex health and social needs and adults of all ages living with a disability through the ADHS program. This unique program helps vulnerable adults achieve optimal health outcomes and remain safely engaged in their communities and provide support, resources, and respite to family caregivers.
• Arizona Burn Foundation: $75,000 for Continuum of Care for Burn Survivors, which will provide bedside support, case management, peer mentorship, and therapeutic camp programming to burn survivors and their families at no cost.
• Arizona Cancer Foundation for Children: $25,000 for the Improving the Lives of Children Facing Cancer program, which will provide comprehensive support to children with cancer and their families across Arizona, addressing the emotional, social, and financial challenges they face during diagnosis and treatment. They offer financial assistance for critical expenses such as medical bills, transportation, and housing, alongside emotional support through individual and group therapy, therapy dog visits, and wellness activities like yoga and meditation. Families also have access to comforting spaces and essential resources at their facility, including a Toy Store, Paint Splatter Room, Family Pantry, and Clothing Market. This integrated approach reduces stress and hardship, enabling families to focus on their child's care. Funding will sustain and expand these vital services, directly fulfilling our mission to improve the quality of life for pediatric cancer patients and their families by providing compassionate, holistic support.
• Arizona Caregiver Coalition: $15,000 for the Phoenix Caregiver Respite Access & Awareness Initiative, which will expand access to respite support for unpaid family caregivers by increasing utilization of Arizona Caregiver Coalition Lifespan Respite Voucher and strengthening community awareness across Phoenix.
• Arizona Educational Foundation: $14,750 for the Story Sprouts program, which is a volunteer driven literacy initiative that places trainer community members inside Title I elementary schools to provide one-on-one reading support, small group read aloud engagement, and assistance in school library spaces for students developing foundational literacy skills. Grant funds will support volunteer recruitment, training, program coordination, evaluation, and materials needed to implement the program in six Kyrene School District elementary schools serving more than 1,600 students.
• Arizona Science Center: $50,000 for the STEM Learning Programs for Children in Need program, which will provide free Focused Field Trips and Science on Wheels STEM learning programs for 3,250 low-income children from Title I schools in the 2026-2027 school year.
• Arizona Jewish Historical Society (AZJHS): $20,000 for the Museum Without Walls: Holocaust Education in the Classroom, which will transform AZJHS' traveling Holocaust education exhibit, Triumph in Tragedy, into a mobile, classroom-based 'museum-without-walls' experience for grades 6-12. It will meet all AZ Department of Education Holocaust education mandate requirements.
• Camp Catanese: $75,000 for The Road Forward - College and Career Pathways for Low-Income Youth, which will prepare low-income, first-generation students across Greater Phoenix for college and careers in engineering, medicine, and education through immersive summer camps and a year-around ecosystem of tutoring, mentorship, and college counseling.
• Community Alliance of Seventh Avenue: $43,450 for the Woodlea Melrose Community Resource and Neighborhood Improvement Initiative, which will improve neighborhood infrastructure, enhance public safety, and implement humane, science-based animal population management to address environmental and public health concerns in central Phoenix.
• Copa Health: $300,000 for the Access to Core Copa Essential Support Services, which will fund support for individuals/families transitioning from homelessness to housing by providing food, hygiene items, clothing and move-in kits.
• Delivering Dreams of Arizona: $50,000 for the Delivering Dreams Bus Program, which will help to provide new clothes, shoes, and hygiene items to impoverished K-8 children in the Greater Phoenix Area. The program aims to increase self-esteem, fulfill a high-priority need, and ease financial stress for families.
• Desert Botanical Garden, Inc.: $143,820 (over three years) for the Community-Building in the Edison-Eastlake Housing Initiative, which will improve community and environmental health and education.
• Fresh Start Women's Foundation: $75,000 for the Impact Program: Career Builders - Hands-On Pathways, which will empower women to achieve self-sufficiency through an evidence-informed, holistic wrap around approach that focuses on job readiness, career training, and employment in well-paying careers.
• Friends of Public Radio Arizona: $50,000 for the SPOT 127 Youth Media Center Recording Studio Build-Out, which will build out a recording studio in an existing space.
• Gabriel's Angels (Paws for Youth): $15,000 for the Pet Therapy Program, which will expand its program to serve additional youth.
• Hacienda, Inc.: $8,176 for the Courtyard Canopy Replacement, which will replace a torn shade canopy.
• Human Services Campus, Inc., doing business as (dba) Keys to Change: $150,000 for the Respiro Shelter, which will support Respiro Shelter at Keys to Change, a low-barrier, 95-bed facility operated by Keys to Change that provides safe, dignified shelter for people experiencing homelessness in downtown Phoenix.
• Hunkapi Programs, Inc.: $30,000 for the Equine Therapy for First Responders Program, which will provide intensive therapeutic sessions to first responders.
• Jewish Family and Children's Services, Inc.: $25,000 for the Behavioral Health Program, which will provide program support at three health care centers.
• Lights Camera Discover: $50,000 for the Lights, Camera, Discover After School Digital Arts Program, which will provide a no-cost after school digital arts program, providing Phoenix area youth ages 8 to18 with structured, supervised programming during the critical 3 p.m. - 6 p.m. hours while building the technical skills, confidence, and workforce readiness that prepare them for lifelong success.
• Live and Learn: $15,000 for the Workforce Pathways for Phoenix Women, which will fund a structured, two-year, cohort-based economic mobility program that helps low-income women in Phoenix transition from low-wage employment into credentialed, career-path occupations through individualized coaching, education navigation, and financial capability training.
• Local First Arizona: $300,000 (over three years) for the Phoenix Agriculture Business Incubator and Local Market Integration Initiative, which will help urban and small-scale farmers in the City of Phoenix increase their capacity and business acumen by connecting them to reliable local markets and supporting institutions and food entrepreneurs to purchase more locally grown food.
• Maggie's Place: $40,000 for the Long-Term Recovery at Maggie's Place, which will support the Family Success Center at Maggie's Place that enables women to have the opportunity to thrive, while providing supportive and wraparound services for current and Alumni mothers.
• Native American Connections, Inc.: $150,000 for the Pendleton Court-Recovery Housing Continuum, which will support a sober living program that strengthens long-term recovery, behavioral health stability, and access to culturally responsive care for Phoenix residents.
• Neighborhood Ministries: $20,000 for the Neighbors at Work program, which will support a program which helps low-income residents of Phoenix and surrounding communities obtain employment that increases economic security and creates sustainable careers.
• New Pathways for Youth, Inc.: $50,000 for the Level Up Program, which will serve youth impacted by generational poverty and severe childhood trauma, the Level Up Program integrates eight key elements shown to change the trajectory of young lives, including one-on-one mentoring, case management, and college/career readiness workshops.
• Phoenix Rescue Mission: $40,000 for the Changing Lives Center for Women and Children, which will support the Changing Lives Center for Women and Children, providing housing, childcare, recovery, counseling and vocational training for women.
• Planned Parenthood Arizona: $15,000 for the Bridging the Health Care Equity Gap, which will provide access to sexual and reproductive health care for financially vulnerable community members who rely upon the Desert Sky Health Center for medical care. Funding will support the Patient Access Program and help bridge the equity gap in health care.
• Phoenix Coding Academy, Phoenix Union High School District: $298,800 for the Phoenix Coding Academy Educational Infrastructure and Program Sustainability Initiative, which will provide essential educational infrastructure through three integrated components, transportation, maker space and organization.
• Southwest Autism Research and Resource Center: $150,000 (over two years) for the Early Intervention Parent Training and Community Partnerships Programs, which will deliver parent education and training statewide to families of infants at risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder, including those in rural and remote areas, and partner with community organizations to provide autism education, training, and resources across Arizona.
• Southwest Human Development: $100,000 for the Southwest Human Development Financial Opportunity Center, which will support the implementation of the Financial Opportunity Center, helping childcare providers, educators, and families increase income, strengthen financial stability, and advance economic mobility.
• St. Joseph the Worker: $15,000 for the Workforce Development, which will help individuals address barriers to employment by offering supportive services that help participants obtain and maintain stable jobs.
• Stand for Children Leadership Center - Arizona: $10,000 for the Stand for Children Renaissance Scholarship - Scholar Roundtable Forum, which is a youth and community engagement event.
• The Joy Bus: $25,000 for the More Than a Meal program, which will provide delicious, medically tailored meals for residents of the greater Phoenix area undergoing cancer diagnosis and treatment.
• The Phoenix Symphony: $108,713 for the In-School Assembly Program, which will promote music education to Title I students.
• Tonatierra Community Development Institute: $100,000 for the Cualnemiliztli "Good Life", which will financially support preexisting health care projects.
• UMOM New Day Centers, Inc.: $300,000 (over three years) for the Emergency Shelter For Families Experiencing Homelessness in Maricopa County, which will ensure families experiencing homelessness have the stability, resources, and guidance needed to move from crisis into safe, permanent housing.
• Valleylife: $20,000 for the Sun & Heat Protection for Individuals with Disabilities, which will install awnings and misters to allow members to utilize the outdoors for mental health during the hot spring and summer months.
• Wesley Community & Health Centers: $300,000 (over three years) for the Mary Rose Wilcox Center for Health Care and Innovation, which will build a 40,000 square-foot health care center to provide undeserved communities with affordable, accessible, high-quality health care. The Center will also provide health care training to medical, nursing, physician assistant and allied health care students and residents.
• Wildlife in Motion: $175,000 for the Rio Salado Pollinator Pathways and Community Restoration Initiative, which will restore approximately 11 acres of native pollinator habitat, creating a connected pollinator pathway within the Rio Salado Habitat Restoration Area (~600 -acre urban restoration corridor), while providing hands-on environment education, community engagement, and stewardship opportunities for Phoenix residents.

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 public including public safety, mitigation of impacts of gaming and promotion of commerce, and economic development. GRIC will notify the City, by resolution of the Tribal Council, if it desires to convey to the City 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 Deputy City Manager Frank McCune and the Office of Government Relations.