FUTURE FOR KIDS.PDF

Last updated: 02/06/2018
General information
Organization Future for KIDS
Contact First name Madonna
Contact Last name Bistany
Contact e-mail madonna@futureforkids.org
Contact phone number 480-947-8131
Address
Street 1425 W. Southern Avenue, Suite 10A
City Tempe
State AZ
ZIP Code 85282
From what tribe is the Gila River Indian Community
organization requesting the
grant?
Total grant amount request 50,000
1 / 2

The Gila River Indian Community offers multi-year awards. If your organization is
requesting a multi-year grant for this project or program from the Gila River Indian
Community, enter the amount to be requested each year.
Amount
Year 1 (Gila River Indian
25,000
Community Grants Only)
Year 2 (Gila River Indian
25,000
Community Grants Only)
Year 3 (Gila River Indian
Community Grants Only)
Year 4 (Gila River Indian
Community Grants Only)
Year 5 (Gila River Indian
Community Grants Only)
2 / 2


Gila River Indian Community Grant Application
Grant Cycle 2018
Cover Sheet
Municipality Information
1. Date of Application: 3/21/2018 (NOTE: Click or use up/down arrow keys to move among fields)
2. Name of City, Town or County: Maricopa County
3. Mayor (City or Town) or Board of Supervisor’s Chairman (County): Steve Chucri
4. Mailing Address: 301 W. Jefferson, 10th Floor
5. City: Phoenix State: Arizona Zip Code: 85003
6. Acknowledgement of Submission by Authorized Municipality Representative:
Typed Name/Title: Zachary Wolfe Signature:
Applicant Information
7. Department/Organization Name: Future for KIDS
8. Is this a 501c non-profit Organization? No Yes If yes, attach IRS Determination Letter
9. Application Contact Person: Madonna Bistany Title: Executive Director
10. Phone Number: 480-947-8131
11. Mailing Address: 1425 W. Southern Avenue, Suite 10A
12. City: Tempe State: Arizona Zip Code: 85282
13. Email Address: Madonna@FutureforKIDS.org Website Address: www.FutureforKIDS.org
Project Information
14. Project Name: Discover Your Future (DYF)
15. Purpose of Grant: Future for KIDS respectfully requests a $50,000 investment, over two years, to our
signature program, Discover Your Future. With your support, we will reach 500 disadvantaged youth in their
elementary school years, proactively expanding their educational horizons with evidence-based techniques
that include mentor-led personal growth activities and STEAM education.
16. Priority Funding Area Education
17. Annual amount requested $25,000
18. Number of years that funding is requested Two
19. Total amount requested (annual amount x $50,000
number of years)
20. Has your organization received past No
funding from GRIC? If yes, list each year and
amount
For Office Use Only:
Data Entry Receipt Evaluation
Outcome  Approval Recommended/Amount $  Denial

Gila River Indian Community Grant Application
Grant Cycle 2018
21. Geographic area served Maricopa County

Gila River Indian Community Grant Application
Grant Cycle 2018
Narrative
Please structure your proposal to provide the following information in the order indicated. Provide the narrative in
paragraph form in the text field provided. Please be thorough but strive for brevity.
1. Briefly describe the organization’s history, mission and goals.
Future for KIDS has a mission to provide mentor-driven out-of-school-time programs and camps that focus on
personal development, academics, and athletics to improve the lives of youth who face adversity. We value
education, excellence, diversity, integrity and healthy living.
Our founder, retired NFL player Rodney Smith, was a child with a dream to be a professional athlete. Through
the power of a strong adult mentor, Rod was inspired to succeed and realized his dream. He began the work
of Future for KIDS in 2001 with a focus on free, high quality sports camps. Since then, Future for KIDS has
expanded to provide additional mentor-driven, out-of-school-time programs which counteract the negative
effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). ACEs consist of emotional or physical trauma that take place
before the age of 18, and includes all forms of abuse, neglect, or household dysfunction. Future for KIDS’
programs specifically target children who have experienced three or more ACEs. We have reached
over 130,000 children and their families since our inception.
The overarching goal of Future for KIDS is to mitigate the long-term effects of ACEs through mentor-driven
programming which builds resiliency, empowering disadvantaged youth to overcome challenging obstacles.
This is accomplished through four distinct programs: Discover Youth Future, Sports and Fitness Camps, and
Camp Future for KIDS.
2. If the applying organization is non-municipal or a non-profit 501c, please describe your relationship with Arizona
municipalities including past and present support, whether through partnerships, collaborations, in-kind
contributions, grants, tax-based funding or other. Describe the supporting municipality’s role in this project. If
the applying organization is a municipality governmental sub-division please enter the text “Not applicable.”
Future for KIDS works with a variety of cities in Maricopa County to engage their youth in our Youth Sports and Fitness
Camps. In addition, we have worked with school districts in Phoenix, Mesa and Glendale to offer our programs on their
school sites (both Discover Your Future and our summer Camp FFK program).
3. Describe the proposed project and planned goals and activities.
Future for KIDS is proud to offer the first trauma-sensitive, out-of-school time program for elementary-aged
youth in the state of Arizona. Our signature program, Discover Your Future is designed as a supportive
community program for youth (grades 3-6) who live in low-income communities in Maricopa County and have
experienced three or more Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs).

Gila River Indian Community Grant Application
Grant Cycle 2018
Throughout the school year, for two hours a week, DYF serves 500 youth across 10 Greater Phoenix area
partner locations. A typical meeting begins with gathering and a nutritious snack and includes mentor-lead
small group work that addresses an aspect of personal development. Following small group time are a hands-
on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) learning activity and a physical fitness
component.
While the structure of these meetings may seem simple, the benefits to youth are profound. Discover Your
Future functions to meet the needs of this population by first supporting them by providing a safe space and
nurturing relationships with caring adults, factors proven to mitigate the long-term effects of ACEs. Once these
essential needs are met, DYF’s small-group implementation allows youth to observe mentors modeling
healthy interactions, learn coping mechanisms and self-regulation, and explore feelings and motivations.
Building on the social and emotional dimensions of DYF, our specially designed curriculum includes STEAM
activities (45 minutes per meeting) and a fitness component (35 minutes per meeting).
Working as a collaborative effort with our 10 partner sites, Discover Your Future brings the program into the
neighborhoods and communities of participants, meeting them where they live. In this way, Future for KIDS is
building efficiently on existing structures in a way that both identifies the youth who are most in need and
serves them with greatest efficacy.
The objective of Discover Your Future is to keep this vulnerable population engaged in structured
programming with caring mentors during after-school hours, and in so doing, counteract the effects of the
ACEs they have experienced, promote resiliency, and expand academic horizons. Serving this objective, our
specific goals and their related activities for each year of funding are:
GOAL 1) Through mentoring, build resiliency in 500 youth ages 7-12 who face three or more ACEs.
RELATED ACTIVITIES: Trained volunteer mentors meet weekly throughout the school year (26 weeks) with the
same small group of 4/5 program participants to build meaningful relationships through which mentors model
healthy social behavior, direct group interactions, and allow for the exploration of feelings and motivations.
GOAL 2) Engage 500 youth, ages 7 – 12 who face 3 or more ACEs, in 1,100 minutes of academically evidence-
based STEAM activities.
RELATED ACTIVITIES: Mentors and program leaders implement STEAM curriculum units for 45 minutes each
week for 26 weeks. These units are broken into six blocks (Science/Technology; Environment/Nature;
Music/Art; Engineering/Math; Arts/Humanities; Nutrition/Health).
GOAL 3) Promote a solid foundation in science which moves 500 youth, ages 7 – 12 who face three or more
ACEs, forward and helps them to excel in all areas of their education.

Gila River Indian Community Grant Application
Grant Cycle 2018
RELATED ACTIVITIES: Volunteer mentors and program leaders facilitate STEAM activities in a way that matches
participants’ natural impulses with fundamental concepts and instruction.
4. Describe how the proposed project satisfies one or more of the priority funding areas identified by the Gila River
Indian Community.
Discover Your Future fulfills Gila River Indian Community’s priority area of Education by empowering
disadvantaged students to succeed in school through a two-pronged approach. First, safe spaces and caring
mentors provide the foundation of a trauma-sensitive approach, a proven method for mitigating ACEs and
enabling students to succeed in school. Second, building on DYF’s trauma-sensitive approach, our curriculum
empowers students to grow academically through hands-on STEAM activities, which allow them to engage
familiar academic concepts through a new lens. By impacting the whole child; mind, spirit, and body, physical
fitness time further prepares students to learn and participate in DYF meetings.
5. Identify the needs/problems to be addressed, target population and number of people to be served by the
project.
All Discover Your Future program participants have experienced three or more ACEs, a factor making them
less likely to graduate from high school, because of their exposure to toxic levels of stress which are equivalent
with trauma. A 2012 study in Pediatrics notes that traumatic experiences can actually change the structure
and functioning of children’s brains through the repeated activation of the stress response system. These
repeated experiences of “fight, flight, or freeze” stress put children in a constant state of emergency, severely
affecting their brain development and social functioning.
Discover Your Future tackles this tremendous obstacle to academic success by using an evidence-based
trauma-sensitive approach which counteracts these negative effects on brain development and social
functioning by implementing resiliency-building techniques. According to the American Psychological
Association, resiliency describes the ability to adapt well, or “bounce back,” from life-changing events or
stressful situations. Resiliency-building techniques are those which encourage a positive mindset and healthy
view of one’s self, and include accepting change, moving towards your goals, taking decisive action, nurturing
a positive view of yourself, taking care of yourself, and maintaining hope.
The link between resiliency-building techniques and success in education has long-been suspected; however, a
2015 report conducted by Dario Longhi, PhD on Walla Walla, Washington’s Lincoln High School, confirmed it.
After four years of implementing a trauma-sensitive approach, there was a 90% decrease in suspensions, no
expulsions, and surging grades and test scores. By employing many of the same trauma-sensitive measures,
Discover Your Future seeks to similarly turn the tide, empowering students for academic success.

Gila River Indian Community Grant Application
Grant Cycle 2018
In addition to barriers to education that are presented by ACEs, 100% of Discover Your Future participants are
from low-income households, a factor related to a decreased likelihood of graduating from high school. While
national high school graduation rates are on the rise, the graduation gap between low-income students and
other students remains in the double digits. For those low-income students who do make it to a four-year
college, race becomes a factor in college graduation. A 2017 report from the National Student Clearinghouse
Research Center found that on average, white and Asian students earn college-level degrees at a rate
approximately 20 percentage points higher than Hispanic and black students. With 82% of DYF participants in
non-Asian minorities, the statistics are increasingly stacked against them. This multiplicity of challenging
factors facing DYF participants highlights, more than ever, the need for programming that supports resiliency,
personal development and access to education.
DYF serves children (grades 3 – 6) who live in low-income communities in Maricopa County and have
experienced three or more ACEs. This program impacts 500 children across 10 partner sites throughout
Maricopa County each year.
6. Define the project as a new or continuing program.
This is a continuing program.
7. Provide a brief timeline including start and finish dates. Indicate if the timeline is flexible.
Discover Your Future runs for 26 weeks, from September – April. Meetings are held once per week during this
time frame for two hours each. This request is for the 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 school years.
8. Identify other organizations, partners or funders participating in the project and their roles.
Discover Your Future partners with schools and nonprofits across the Valley to offer the Discover Your Future
program with the intent to become an integrated component within the communities we serve. In
collaborating this way, we overcome the barrier of transportation, bringing the program directly to program
participants in the neighborhoods where they live. Each partner organization provides indoor and outdoor
space to host DYF, a staff member on site to help coordinate logistics, staff assistance in identifying and
enrolling program participants, and a site liaison who knows the intricacies of their community and can
identify youth who will most benefit from participation. Additionally, site partners contribute $5,000 towards
program implementation at their site, confirming a dedicated partnership.
Current Site Partners are:
Boys & Girls Club of the East Valley (3 Locations)
Eagle Ridge Elementary School

Gila River Indian Community Grant Application
Grant Cycle 2018
Whispering Winds Academy
Native American Connections Coral Canyon Complex
Ignacio Conchos Elementary School
Julian Elementary School
(Future for KIDS is working to confirm two additional sites for the 2018-19 school year and beyond.)
Funding requests and commitments for DYF in 2018-2019, and 2019-2020 include:
Pending 2018-2019: USAA ($10,000), American Family Insurance ($3,000); please note we have just begun our
fundraising efforts for the next school year
Confirmed: 8 partner sites ($5,000 x 8)
9. Would you be able to implement the proposed plan if your organization received partial funding for this project?
Yes. Future for KIDS values a diverse stream of funders and partnerships as key to program sustainability.
While our hopes for this request include funding in the requested amount, Future for KIDS is grateful for
whatever support the Gila River Indian Community can provide. This request represents nearly 10% of the DYF
program budget.
10. Describe your plan for project financial sustainability beyond the grant period. If this is a program/project
previously funded by the Gila River Indian Community describe efforts made towards the previously described
sustainability plan.
In keeping with Future for KIDS’ organizational philosophy, Discover Your Future enjoys a high degree of
sustainability because of our outstanding volunteer mentors and diverse streams of funding. Our volunteer
mentors have been at the center of DYF’s programming since its inception in 2006. They invest their time and
their hearts, inviting the real connection with program participants that changes lives. Not only do volunteer
mentors enable the high quality of programming that makes DYF effective, but they are remarkably cost
effective as well. The cost of operating DYF at a single site for one school year is $27,400, or $548/student.
Compared to other mentoring programs of similar caliber, that’s at least half, in some instances a quarter, of
what they spend.
In addition to cost-effective programming, Future for KIDS maintains diverse streams of funding for DYF,
including: corporate and foundation grants; individual donors; and corporate sponsorships. Future for KIDS
receives no support from any government agency or United Way affiliate. This diversity and balance in funding
allows Future for KIDS the financial stability that has endured from the beginning.

Gila River Indian Community Grant Application
Grant Cycle 2018
11. Describe your plan to document progress and results.
Future for KIDS carefully tracks data and monitors all program evaluations to continually improve upon current
initiatives. Discover Your Future program evaluations are conducted through a combination of pre and post-
program surveys (completed by youth participants, volunteer mentors and personnel at each partner site).
All collected data are analyzed on an annual basis through a partnership with Arizona State University School
of Sustainability and consolidated into a Final Evaluation Report by our Program Manager.
Future for KIDS also follows the Quality Standards for Out-of-school Time Programs set forth by the Arizona
Center for Afterschool Excellence. Program data encompass all participants and sites collectively, creating a
comprehensive picture of "Social Return on Investment."
12. Indicate any application to and/or awards made by a tribe other than the Gila River Indian Community for state
shared revenues for this and any other project for the past five (5) years. If this information is included in a
separate attachment, please indicate that here.
None

Gila River Indian Community Grant Application
Grant Cycle 2018
Project Budget
Budget Period: July 1, 2018 – June 30, 2019 (the budget for July 1, 2019 – June 30, 2020 will be similar)
For each budget item listed here please provide a narrative description on the following Project Budget Detail page.
Proposed Budget Expense Amount Amount In Kind Total Budget
(list each budget item) requested from requested or contributions
GRIC secured from
other funders
1. Program Staffing and Related $5,000 $11,000 $0 $54,000
Expenses
2. Program Management $5,000 $11,000 $0 $79,000
3. Youth Management $10,000 $20,000 $0 $82,000
4. Volunteer Management $5,000 $11,000 $0 $59,000
5. Click here to enter text. $0 $0 $0 $0
6. Click here to enter text. $0 $0 $0 $0
7. Click here to enter text. $0 $0 $0 $0
8. Click here to enter text. $0 $0 $0 $0
9. Click here to enter text. $0 $0 $0 $0
10. Click here to enter text. $0 $0 $0 $0
11. Click here to enter text. $0 $0 $0 $0
12. Click here to enter text. $0 $0 $0 $0
13. Click here to enter text. $0 $0 $0 $0
14. Click here to enter text. $0 $0 $0 $0
15. Click here to enter text. $0 $0 $0 $0
16. Click here to enter text. $0 $0 $0 $0
17. Click here to enter text. $0 $0 $0 $0
Total Budget $25,000 $53,000 $0 $274,000

Gila River Indian Community Grant Application
Grant Cycle 2018
Project Budget Detail
Please provide a narrative description for each of the project budget items listed on the previous page. Include the
dollar figure and how it was derived.
1. Discover Your Future staffing: Discover Your Future Manager ($30,000), allocation of Program Leader to DYF
($16,000), and training/professional development ($8,000)
2. Program Management: Marketing ($12,000), Registration and Processing ($15,000), Collaboration
Management ($12,000), Data Input ($16,000), Program Evaluation and Reporting ($10,000), and Tech Support
($14,000)
3. Youth Management: Curriculum Development ($15,000), Program Supplies/Support Materials ($35,000),
Healthy Snacks ($15,000), Program Insurance ($7,000), and Guest Speaker Stipends ($10,000)
4. Volunteer Management: Recruitment and Processing ($20,000), Training ($15,000), Shirts and Badges
($9,000), Retention/Recognition/Appreciation ($10,000), and Transportation Reimbursement ($5,000)
5. Click here to enter text.
6. Click here to enter text.
7. Click here to enter text.
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Gila River Indian Community Grant Application
Grant Cycle 2018
16. Click here to enter text.
17. Click here to enter text.
Other explanation: Budget represents one year of funding. This request is for two consecutive years.