AK-CHIN NARRATIVE.DOCX

1. PURPOSE OF GRANT.
a. Describe the proposed program or project (collectively the “Project”).
The Opportunities for Youth Initiative (Initiative) will create a collective impact infrastructure with dedicated human
capital required to convene, facilitate, and support cross-sector leadership with the coordination of resources, talent, and
knowledge to solve the tremendous opportunity youth1 challenge throughout Maricopa County. Opportunity youth are defined as
individuals 16-24 who are neither working nor attending school. Through this Initiative we will harness the power of cross-
sector collaboration to create a comprehensive system of opportunity that re-engages our Valley’s disconnected youth.
The collective impact model recognizes that not one organization can solve complex social problems alone; a
coordinated effort among all stakeholders is needed to make a large scale impact. A collective impact model consists of five core
elements, one of which is a backbone entity. The backbone facilitates the effective governance of collective impact through 1)
Guiding vision and strategy, 2) Supporting aligned activities, 3) Establishing shared measurements, 4) Building public will, 5)
Advancing Policy, and 6) Mobilizing funding. MCESA will serve as the backbone for the Initiative to carry out these activities.
The Initiative will organize the collective impact approach around four pathways to re-engaging opportunity youth: Re-
Engagement Centers, Educational Momentum, Career Connections and Positive Youth Development. This project will focus on
the coordination of Educational Momentum and Re-Engagement Centers.
b. Identify the priority funding areas the Project will address. Explain how the project will respond to the areas you identify
Ak-Chin Indian Community priority funding area: Education (Schools/School Districts/Universities).
According to a May 2014 Report “The Economic Losses from High School Dropouts and Disconnected Youth:
Evidence from Across Arizona”2 by Clive R. Belfield, commissioned by Arizona Mayors Education Roundtable:
Youth are the key to a nation’s, a state’s, and a community’s prosperity. For youth to have successful lives and
contribute to their communities, they must develop their human capital by going to school and working. Yet two groups
of young people are not investing in their future. One group are students who drop out of high school. The other are so
called “disconnected” youth-young people who are neither going to school nor working. These youth face higher risks
of unemployment and economic insecurity and are more reliant on government supports. Thus, failing to ensure that the
state’s youth are adequately prepared for adulthood creates both social and fiscal losses.
With over 120 youth serving organization throughout Maricopa County operating independently, Opportunity youth
must navigate a maze of complexity. Evidence supports coordinated multi-system efforts to re-engage opportunity youth. The
project will utilize backbone staff to coordinate cross-system efforts in the Educational Momentum and Re-Engagement Center
pathways to ensure opportunity youth re-engage and complete their High School and Post-Secondary Goals.
Educational Momentum is a collective approach to helping at-risk youth reach early and frequent education milestones
in addition to long-term education milestones, which include completing their high school diploma or GED and obtaining post-
secondary credentials. This pathway also requires a collective approach to improving & designing pathways for adult learners.
Educational Momentum includes a plan to re-engage learners and urges the collective creation of seamless pathways of
various educational options, multiple pathways to graduation and re-entry, and support systems to meet the unique needs of
the youth throughout these milestones. Educational Momentum requires collective community action to ensure all students
achieve post-secondary success.
Re-Engagement centers are a critical component for ensuring that opportunity youth are afforded opportunities to
re-connect to educational pathways. These centers will be established throughout the county in geographic areas most impacted
by the opportunity youth population. These centers will serve as one-stop entry points where youth will meet with trained
specialist who will assess their needs, develop appropriate individualized plans and connect them to the most suitable wrap-
around services and educational opportunity.
c. Describe the needs/problems to be addressed.
The greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area was ranked number one for having the highest percentage of disconnected
youth, out of the top 25 largest metropolitan areas in 20123. According to that study, Phoenix had an 18.8% rate of disconnection
1 Opportunity youth are also referred to as disconnected youth in portions of the application. This is due to the varying
terminology used by different entities.
2 Belified, C.R. (2014). The Economic Losses from High School Dropouts and Disconnected Youth: Evidence from Across
Arizona. Arizona Mayors Education Roundtable.
3 Burd-Sharps, S., Lewis, K. (2012). One in Seven: Ranking Youth Disconnection in the 25 Largest Metro Areas. Measure of America.

amongst youth ages 16-24. This compares to a national youth disconnection rate of 14.7%. Unemployment in Phoenix for this
age group was 20.5%. Only 55 percent of young people in this age group are enrolled in school, the lowest of any of the twenty-
five metro areas, and the rate of teen motherhood is twice that of Boston. Maricopa County’s Justice Services Planning and
Information department also studied the disconnected youth population for all of Maricopa County and found disproportionally
higher rates of disconnection in African American (28%); American Indian (28%) and Hispanic (23%) populations.
Within Phoenix, analysis shows that youth employment is not the area of greatest challenge; unemployment
in Phoenix for youth ages 16 to 24 is virtually equal to the national unemployment rate for that age group.
Instead, two other areas stand out. Only 55 percent of young people in this age group are enrolled in school,
the lowest of any of the 25 metro areas, and the rate of teen motherhood is twice that of Boston.
Subsequent analysis revealed that without any intervention or prevention, the population will grow to 19% by 2020,
22% by 2030 and 27% by 2050. There must be a strategic and coordinated focus on those already disconnected. With
intervention and prevention, we can reduce this population to 11% by 20204.
d. Identify the target population that will be served by the project (i.e who will benefit? geographic location, # of people, etc)
Target Population: 91,000 + Opportunity Youth (defined above). Geographic Area: Maricopa County
e. Describe the Project Goals and Objectives and your plan to meet them (Activities).
Table 2. Project Goals, Objectives, Activities, and Outcomes
Project Goal
Create a comprehensive system of support that reconnects opportunity youth in Maricopa County to education
Project Objectives
Objective 1: Adopt a common agenda to guide the vision and coordination of the Educational Momentum and Re-Engagement
Center pathways
Objective 2: Identify & use shared measures to measure the progress of the Educational Momentum and Re-Engagement Center
action teams
Objective 3: Implement mutually reinforcing activities to create a coordinated re-engagement and education system
Overarching Activities Outcomes
RE-ENGAGEMENT CENTER PATHWAY  Re-engagement centers will be established throughout
 Develop and expand “one-stop-centers”, opportunity Maricopa County using “no-wrong door” model
youth gain access to well-trained staff that provides latest  Center staff are cross-trained on process for identification,
information on educational programming options and intake, and referrals, for disconnected youth
workforce development training. Youth will also be  Shared cross-sector database to measure youth progress
guided to long-term wrap-around services necessary to and identify youth needs
sustain re-connection including housing supports,  Online and updated asset referral map of all services
childcare, and income or food assistance. throughout Maricopa County
 Conduct outreach/recruitment of opportunity youth  Coordinated in-take & referral process
 Establish Education and Career Action Plan  Career Pathways Developed
 Conduct Interest & Aptitude Assessments to guide  Coordinated recruitment strategy
services for youth  Youth enrolled in continuing education
EDUCATIONAL MOMENTUM PATHWAY  High School Diploma/GED in progress/ earned
 Evaluate transcripts & educational history  Post-secondary credentials in progress/earned
 Develop or expand best multiple pathways for  Opportunity Youth is on-track for meaningful employment
opportunity youth to complete HS or GED (Traditional
HS; Alt-HS; On-line HS; Credit Recovery; GED)
 Develop or expand on learning opportunities that include
job skills training
 Ensure education pathways directly align to career
opportunities and adequately teach skills to be successful
in the workplace
4 Kyne, D (2015). Opportunities Youth Initiative Data Analysis. Maricopa County Education Service Agency.

f. Provide a timetable for implementation of the project
Table 3. Project Timeline.
Activity Start Finish Frequency Responsible Party (Budgeted Staff)
Key Communication to build public will 6/1/2015 Bi-weekly Communication Coordinator
Community Mobilization 7/1/2015 Ongoing Communication Coordinator
Convening of Workgroups 9//2015 Monthly Action Team and Communication
Coordinators
Securing of Data Sharing 9/2015 11//2015 Ongoing Data Analyst
Establishments of Common Objectives, 10/2015 11/2015 Once Action Team Coordinator and Data
Measure, Target Analyst
Conduct asset mapping to understand who 10/2015 12/2015 Ongoing Action Team Coordinator and Data
youth serving agencies serve, what services Analyst
they offer and where services are located
Data Collection and Analysis 10/2015 12/2015 Quarterly Data Analyst
Develop asset map for community use & 11/2015 1/2016 Ongoing Action Team, Communication
develop strategic plan to expand on best Coordinators and Data Analyst
practices and develop needed projects
Mobilize Mutually Reinforcing and Aligned 11/2015 Ongoing Action Team & Communication
Activities Coordinators
Develop Re-engagement Centers 6/2015 6/2016 As needed Action Team & Communication
Coordinator
2. RESOURCES.
a. Identify other organizations, partners or funders participating in the project and their roles.
Table 4. Opportunities for Youth Board of Director Membership (* Signify Executive Team members)
Name Organization Job Title
STATE GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS
Rep. Heather Carter Arizona State Legislature State Representative
Dr. Jennifer Johnson Arizona Department of Education Deputy Superintendent of Programs and Policy
Kathy Waters Arizona Supreme Court/Adult Probation Director
Kim Sang Hee Governor’s Office: Children, Youth & Families ASPIRE Program Administrator
LOCAL GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS
Mayor Greg Stanton City of Phoenix Mayor
Sharlet Barnett Arizona Call-A-Teen Youth Resources ACYR CEO
Judge A. Craig Blakey II Superior Court, Maricopa County Associate Presiding Judge Juvenile Division
Dr. Don Covey Maricopa County Education Service Agency Superintendent of Schools
Donna McHenry Maricopa County Systems Integration Coordinator
Kristine Morris Maricopa County Education Service Agency Chief Deputy Superintendent
*Honorable Laura Pastor City of Phoenix City Councilwoman
Ernest Rose Maricopa County Regional School District Superintendent
Cynthia Schuler Tumbleweed Center for Youth Development Chief Executive Officer
*MaryEllen Sheppard Maricopa County Assistant County Manager/HR Director
Tim Valencia City of Phoenix Youth and Education Manager
Patricia Wallace Maricopa County Workforce Director Workforce Development
Connections/Human Services
Honorable Corey Woods City of Tempe Vice Mayor
HIGHER EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS
*Dr. Deb Duvall Arizona School Administrators, Inc. Executive Director
*Kimberly Flack ASU – Arizona PBS Associate General Manager of Education
Dick Foreman Arizona Business & Education Coalition President and CEO
Graciela Garcia Candia Jobs for Arizona’s Graduates President
Harry Garewal Trin and Associates/Tri Caucus Founder and CEO
Janice Grandy Trinity Opportunity Alliance
Kathy Johnson Greater Phoenix Urban League Director of Workforce Programs

Brad Kuluris Boys & Girls Club of Metro Phoenix Vice President of Advancement
Irma Leyendecker Public Allies AZ, ASU Lodestar Center Director of Leadership Programs
*Rick Miller Kids at Hope International Founder & President
Dr. Shari Olson South Mountain Community College President
Beth Rosenberg Children’s Action Alliance Director of Child Welfare & Juvenile Justice
Dr. Carolyn Warner Corporate Education Consulting, Inc./JAG President/Board Member (JAG)
Terri Wogan Social Venture Partners of Arizona Executive Director & Partner
b. Identify other funding sources for the Project and define as one time only or long-term funding.
The Initiative has not secured funding at this time; although, we are still waiting to hear back from one grant application,
and we continue to seek funding as we learn of opportunities. At this time, MCESA and Tri-Caucus are providing in-kind staff
support to analyze data, execute day to day communications and administration, and staff the Board of Directors. Full-time staff
is needed, however, to accelerate and ensure effective governance and implementation of coordinated services.
c. Explain how the current economic situation has been impacting the Project/your organization.
The Recession had a troubling impact on the well-being and health of Arizona, exacerbating factors that contribute to the
rise in opportunity youth. Funding received for k-12 education has decreased 13% since the recession5. Consequently, school
district budgets have been cut, resulting in a loss of critical intervention and prevention programs and services. Without a focus
on intervention and prevention, the safety net to support students during these critical times have been significantly reduced,
resulting in youth facing increased chances of becoming disconnected. For example, Arizona’s four year high school graduation
rate is 77%, well below the national average of 81%6. Arizona faced the height of unemployment at 11% in 20097 and has only
regained 62% of jobs lost during the recession8. Job loss contribute to high poverty rates during this time, and currently Arizona
continue to face higher rates of poverty level, 18.7%, than compared to the national level of 15. 9%9. The lasting effects of the
Recession have continued to contribute to the greater Phoenix area’s alarmingly high rate of opportunity youth.
As the economy starts to improve and our schools hope to see increases in funding, their attention will rightfully go toward
prevention efforts. However, youth who were disconnected as a result of the economy face an uphill battle and must navigate a
system that operates independently of one another. As a result, opportunity youth will be faced with a lack of resources. Without
a coordinated system and aligned efforts, our ability to build capacity will not reach its full potential. A collective impact model
helps to solve this through coordination.
In addition to the recession, additional barriers have been presented when seeking funding. Because the backbone focuses
on coordinating cross-sectors agencies to form a coordinated system that will lead to enhanced direct services, it has been
difficult to identify grant opportunities that align since many grants focus on direct services provided to the target population.
d. Define the project as a new or continuing program, and how it would be continued after its grant funding is expended.
This is a new project that builds upon a year’s worth of community awareness and coordination. The Initiative will achieve
sustainability through pursuing additional federal, local and philanthropic grant opportunities. Coordination and alignment that
occurs through a collective impact model will be leveraged to strengthen and differentiate complementary and reinforcing efforts
to support program efficiencies. Through this cross-sector collaboration, the momentum and structure of the initiative will
support the continued work of the Initiative. MCESA staff will also assist with data analysis, grant writing, financial
management and strategic planning. MCESA will leverage partnerships such as existing Board resources, City of Phoenix,
Starbucks Solutions City re-engagement efforts, guidance from Tucson Youth on the Rise, Boston, Philadelphia, Los Angeles
and the Aspen Institute, and additional funding has been requested through collaborative grant application.
e. If you have requested any other funding from another Arizona tribe, please list
The following applications and awards were submitted in prior years:
5 January, 2015. Has Arizona Recovered from the Recession? Children’s Action Alliance. Retrieved from
http://azchildren.org/wpcontent/uploads/2015/02/Has-Arizona-Recovered-from-the-Recession.pdf
6 Opportunity Index. (20105). http://opportunityindex.org/#4.00/40/-97/-/Arizona
7 Fischer, H (2015). State Pays Last $44 Million on Loan Covering Recession-Era Unemployment Benefits. Arizona Capitol Connections.
Retrieved from http://azcapitoltimes.com/news/2015/05/13/state-pays-last-44 million-on-loancovering-recession-era unemployment-benefits/
8 January, 2015. Has Arizona Recovered from the Recession? Children’s Action Alliance.
9Opportunity Index. (20105). http://opportunityindex.org/#4.00/40/-97/-/Arizona

Table 5. Previous Arizona Tribe Grant Applications
Year Program Tribe Funds Requested Awarded
2010 Books for Home Libraries-Reading for the Stars Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation $8,000 Yes
2011 Continued funding -Reading for the Stars Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation $8,000 Yes
2012 Volunteer Program for Reading for the Stars Gila River Indian Community $68,835 Yes
2012 MCESA-Reading for the Stars Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation $5,000 Yes
2013 TJST-MAT-Mentor and Tutoring Program Tohono O’Odham n/a No
2014 TJST Youth Council Gila River Indian Community $61,412 No
2014 TJST Parent Support Group Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation $9,000 No
2014 YMCA Passes for TJST Youth Tohono O’odham $37,900 No
2015 Opportunities for Youth Backbone Support Gila River Indian Community $900,000 No
2015 TJST Youth Advisory Council Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation $9,000 Pending
2015 Building Futures Tohono O’Odham $35,000 Pending
3. REPORTS.
How will you account for and manage the funding if selected? Describe your plan to document Project progress and results.
MCESA is a county agency and serves as a fiscal agent for 38 school districts, maintaining and ensuring accurate and
current federal and state grant project records in accordance with federal and state guidelines. MCESA has extensive experience
in managing funding and reporting on progress for over $115 million in federal, state, gaming and non-profit grants. MCESA’s
Economic Management team supports the required financial reporting for each grant program, including working with the
project director for ongoing budget monitoring and any required interim or summary program reports. Each grant program has a
monthly budget meeting with project staff to monitor ongoing budget progress internally.
MCESA’s Research and Evaluation team will support ongoing monitoring of progress towards project goals on a quarterly
basis. This team will support the project director with all data collection reporting and analysis. Progress reports will be made to
Ak-Chin according to grant guidelines, and will be shared with the Opportunities for Youth Board of Directors bi-annually.
4. BUDGET.
Provide a detailed budget of how the funding will be used. If possible provide a timeline for when funds will be expended.
Table 6. Opportunity Youth Initiative Proposed Budget
Personnel FTE Salary Benefits Total
1. Action Team Coordinator 1.0 $73,268 $24,611 $97,879
2. Communication Coordinator 0.25 $15,965 $5,968.5 $21,933.5
3. Data Analyst 0.25 $15,965 $5,968.5 $21,933.5
Total Amount Requested 1.5 $105,198 $36,548 $141,746
Budget Timeline: Funding for positions will be expended starting September 2015 and will be ongoing throughout the project.
1. The Action Team Coordinator (1.0 FTE; $73,268 salary + $24,611 benefits = $97,879) will be part of a small team
responsible for driving the Backbone organization’s work forward, in particular facilitating and coordinating action teams as
they develop strategic plans to advance the Initiative’s goals and implement strategic solutions. This role is responsible for day
to day administration and for the coordination of calendars and communications between action team partners.
2. The Communication Coordinator (.25 FTE; $15,965.25 salary at partial funding + $5,968.5 partial benefits = 21,933.5) will
be responsible for day-to-day communications and community engagement. This role manages external communications to
maximize the impact of the collaborative work, ensures that the collaborative speaks as one entity when appropriate, and
coordinates with partners to ensure that their independent communications are aligned with the collaborative agenda. This role
also supports work of Action Teams to achieve objectives and realize strategy.
3. The Data Analyst (.25 FTE; $15,965.25 salary at partial funding + $5,968.5 partial benefits = 21,933.5) will lead the
planning, analysis, reporting, and coordination for the Backbone organization’s overall data needs and infrastructure. The
collection, analysis and reporting of data is a major strategic component of the effort. For this project, the Analyst will be funded
for conducting such activities relative to Re-Engagement Centers and Action Team Coordinators.