ICAN: Positive Programs for Youth

City of Chandler — Study Session (2022-09-19)

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Gila River Indian Community Grant Application
Grant Cycle 2022

For Office Use Only:
Data Entry
Receipt
Evaluation
 Approval – Amount/Term $  Denial

Cover Sheet
Municipality Information
1. Date of Application: 3/31/2022 (NOTE: Click field or use up/down arrow keys to move among fields)
2. Name of City, Town or County: City of Chandler
3. Mayor (City or Town) or Board of Supervisor’s Chairman (County): Mayor Kevin Hartke
4. Mailing Address: Mail Stop 603 P.O. Box 4008
5. City: Chandler
State: Arizona
Zip Code: 85224-4008
6. Acknowledgement of Submission by Authorized Municipality Representative:
Typed Name/Title: Dawn Lang, Deputy City Manager, Chief Financial Officer
Email Address: Dawn.lang@chandleraz.gov
Signature:
Applicant Information
7. Department/Organization Name: ICAN: Positive Programs for Youth
8. Select Organization Type: 501c3 Non-Profit  If Non-profit please attach IRS Determination Letter
9. Application Contact Person: Shelby Pedersen Title: CEO
10. Phone Number: 480-874-7576
11. Mailing Address: 650 E. Morelos St.
12. City: Chandler
State: Arizona
Zip Code: 85225
13. Email Address: shelby@icanaz.org Website Address: www.icanaz.org
Project Information
14. Project Name: ICAN’s Free Afterschool Program for Vulnerable Youth
15. Purpose of Grant: Increase Enrollment at Three ICAN Sites by Adding Three Part-Time Program Staff
16. Priority Funding Area
Education
17. Annual amount requested
$75,130
18. Number of years that funding is requested
3
19. Total amount requested (annual amount x
number of years)
$225,390
20. Has your organization received past
funding from GRIC? If yes, list each year and
amount
2011 - $100,000
2022 - $28,303
21. Geographic area served
Chandler, AZ – primarily zip codes 85225 & 85224

Gila River Indian Community Grant Application
Grant Cycle 2022

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 your organization’s history, mission and goals.
ICAN was founded in 1991 by a concerned citizen in Chandler, AZ. Henry Salinas was a humble man who saw gang
violence taking over his neighborhood and decided to do something about it. Henry's initial investment of time and
compassion to area teens has blossomed into a full-service youth center whose programs are still free to the Chandler
community whom Henry held so dear, and now impacts youth, teens and their families across three sites. For 30 years,
ICAN has remained dedicated to its mission to provide free, comprehensive programs that empower youth to be
productive, self-confident, and responsible members of the community. ICAN's goal is to break the cycle of poverty,
creating a new pathway for youth to achieve future success. ICAN is in the midst of an aggressive expansion plan, with a
10-year goal to increase youth served daily from 250 to over 2,000 and grow from three sites to over twenty.

2. To determine eligibility for this grant, if the applying organization is non-municipal or a non-profit 501c, please
describe your relationship with the supporting municipality 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 or a municipal sub-division please
enter the text “Not applicable” and go to item 3.
Since its early beginning, ICAN has maintained a model partnership with the City of Chandler. City administration and
various City departments have been long-time supporters of ICAN programs, contributing financially and through the
time and talents of city employees serving as ICAN volunteers, program advisors, and Board members - working in close
collaboration to help further ICAN’s mission and the overall well-being of the city’s most vulnerable youth and families.
For example, in 1997 the City of Chandler provided a small facility to ICAN and as the agency quickly outgrew this space,
the City assisted ICAN to secure 2.5 acres within a City park to use for construction of its current Youth Center in 2012.
For over a decade the City of Chandler Neighborhood Services has confidently and continuously awarded annual
program grants to ICAN, averaging $80,000 per year, and benefitting thousands of Chandler youth over the years. In
2010, ICAN was one of the panelists to represent Chandler as they vied for and won the “All American City” designation.
The Chandler Police Department has been actively involved in ICAN since its inception, with representation on ICAN’s
Board of Directors, along with volunteer activities and mentorship. Lieutenant Shawn Hancock of the Chandler Police
Department has been involved with ICAN since 2013. He shares this powerful statement, "The City of Chandler is proud
to report its historically low crime rates over the last two decades, even as the city's population has grown
exponentially. It is evident ICAN's programs addressing the challenges facing our youth have been instrumental in
reducing criminal activity in our community. ICAN's ability to reduce youth exposure to gangs by providing free programs

Gila River Indian Community Grant Application
Grant Cycle 2022

that teach them to be responsible, productive citizens has proven effective. ICAN is one of the most valued partnerships
of the Chandler Police Department."
Finally, ICAN and Chandler Unified School District (CUSD) have maintained a formal partnership for over 20 years. CUSD
keeps ICAN informed of youth’s academic needs, helps to recruit families for ICAN services, and participates in
community needs assessments, program evaluation, and program governance. In 2014, CUSD opened Hill
Academy@ICAN (a public high school) at ICAN’s campus, permitting full access to ICAN’s award-winning programs for
teens who are at high risk of dropping out of school. ICAN’s expansion efforts, which are the focus of this grant
application, are in partnership with CUSD. ICAN opened two new sites over the last couple of years – ICAN @ Galveston
opened in October of 2020 and ICAN @ Hartford opened in January of 2021. CUSD provides space and support at the
schools for ICAN to operate these satellite program sites.

3. Describe the proposed project, objectives, and your plan to implement.
ICAN exists to break the cycle of poverty in the East Valley's most vulnerable neighborhoods and continues to expand to
reach more families. ICAN opened two satellite sites in Chandler last year, and now reaches 250 youth a day across the
three sites. ICAN is expanding in to Mesa in August of 2022, beginning with two sites, with plans to grow to as many as
twenty. All three current sites continue to operate on a waiting list for services. Harford in particular has 40 youth on the
waiting list. ICAN is requesting $75,000 a year for three years from Gila River Indian Community to support the addition
of three part-time Youth Program Leaders (YPL’s) for ICAN’s team. For each Youth Program Leader added, ICAN can add
22 youth to the roster at one of the three Chandler sites. GRIC’s investment in ICAN’s program would allow 60+ youth to
access ICAN’s free and comprehensive programs.
ICAN's afterschool program offers a holistic approach to helping youth from vulnerable backgrounds to prevent and
overcome life challenges and prepare for healthy transitions to adulthood. The program utilizes the "5 C's of Positive
Youth Development," a nationally-recognized youth engagement model that focuses not on "fixing" behavior problems,
but building and nurturing all a child's beliefs, behaviors, knowledge, attributes and skills. The 5 C's include: connection,
confidence, character, competence and contribution.
Programming is rooted in current 21st Century Learning Skills critical for youth success. These include: Learning Skills
(collaboration, communication), Literacy Skills (STEM), and Life Skills (social emotional learning).
ICAN uses evidence-supported curricula to build in youth the skills necessary to encourage pro-social behavior and
prevent substance abuse and delinquency, develop life skills and leadership capacity, and enhance self-image and self-
confidence. Youth (ages 5-18) attend programs everyday afterschool, and full days during summer and intercession
breaks, ensuring parents can continue to work. ICAN's staff are trained in Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE's) and
incorporate Trauma-Informed Care techniques of working with youth from disadvantaged backgrounds into their daily
interactions. Youth are divided into age groups and work closely with ICAN staff and volunteers. The "positive youth
development" model is woven into daily structured curriculum activities for youth. These may include a STEAM activity,
structured recreational activity, team building activity or group lesson focused on communication. Youth also receive

Gila River Indian Community Grant Application
Grant Cycle 2022

daily homework help, along with literacy skill building in ICAN's library (led by a team of volunteers who are all retired
teachers). Youth receive healthy snacks and dinner daily, ensuring that their basic nutritional needs are met. Each Friday,
youth participate in special "clubs" - these can include gardening, trains, art, soccer, and writing.
ICAN expanded its STEAM program a number of years ago to better align with 21st Century Learning Skills. Youth
participate in STEAM activities nearly every day, throughout the entire year. STEAM activities can be as simple as
building a structure out of marshmallows and toothpicks, to dissecting and rebuilding a computer. ICAN's Art Room is
the perfect template for creativity, where youth learn to work with watercolors, pastels, clay and other mediums. ICAN
has a robotics club that meets weekly and competes annually as a team.
STEAM learning is critical for ICAN's minority population. Underrepresented racial and ethnic groups make up 27% of the
population, but only 11% of the STEM workforce. Building a strong workforce is critical for the Chandler community,
where STEM jobs are so valued. Among Chandler's 30 largest employers, 8 companies provide over 20,000 jobs in STEM
related fields, including Intel, NXP, Microchip Technology, Northrop Grumman, Rogers Corporation, Dignity Health, AZ
Nutritional Supplements, and CVS.
ICAN's Equity & Empowerment Task Force (a diverse group of ICAN team members) lead the charge in ensuring that
ICAN continues to thoughtfully evaluate curriculum, messaging, outreach, and more, to ensure that the program is
welcoming and equitable. The group has identified a roadmap of priorities and goals that align with ICAN's mission and
commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

4. Describe how the proposed project satisfies one or more of the priority funding areas identified by the Gila River
Indian Community.
ICAN’s program aligns with Gila River’s funding priorities of education, healthcare, and economic development. Arizona
lacks tremendously in support of youth. The state ranks 49th in education funding (U.S. Census Bureau) and 33rd in
children's health (WalletHub). Youth in Arizona experience significantly more Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE's)
than the rest of the country (Nat'l. Survey of Children's Health). ICAN’s program directly impacts the education of youth.
Research shows that high-quality afterschool programs improve students’ educational outcomes, school attendance,
and social and emotional learning. Consistent participation in afterschool programs has shown lower dropout rates and
has helped close achievement gaps for low-income students. For older youth, regular participation in an afterschool
program may also reduce risky behaviors and help them gain college and career-needed skills (NCSL, 2021).
Afterschool programs are an essential source of support for working parents—giving them peace of mind when at work
and helping them to keep their jobs. More than 8 in 10 parents (83 percent) of children in afterschool programs agree
that afterschool programs help working parents keep their jobs (Afterschool Alliance).
ICAN’s youth evaluation program takes place annually and evaluates youth gains in the areas of academic success, sense
of self, life skills, and positive life choices. Reports over the past 8+ years show consistent gains for youth in well over
80% of the youth population in these areas. ICAN hopes to place a focus on future evaluations of youth academic

Gila River Indian Community Grant Application
Grant Cycle 2022

performance as it correlates to the critically important indicator of 3rd grade reading levels. ICAN’s data sharing
agreement with CUSD and Mesa Public Schools will allow for year-over-year comparisons specific to ICAN youth.

5. Identify the needs/problems to be addressed, target population and number of people to be served by the
project.
ICAN’s service area is a small pocket of Chandler where government housing, trailer parks and run-down apartments
house a population that includes 15,000 youth. Poverty in the area is grinding and youth in the area suffer from frequent
hunger, illness, and exposure to risky behaviors. Over 85% of ICAN youth are minority populations, primarily Hispanic
(2% of youth are Native American). 85% of enrolled families report incomes below the AZ poverty level. ICAN’s partner
school, Galveston, reports the highest percentage in the district of youth who qualify for free and reduced lunch – 87%.
School suspensions at ICAN’s larger feeder school for Junior High are THREE TIMES higher than other Chandler Junior
Highs. Achievement testing data shows a twenty-point gap in Language and thirty point gap in Math.
The top risk factors for youth in 85225 (grades 8,10,12) are low neighborhood attachment (56%), family conflict (42%),
low commitment to school (55%) and reward for anti-social behavior (51%).
The top risky behaviors for youth in 85225 (grants 8,10,12) are binge drinking (12%), gambling (25%), stealing (20%) and
being drunk or high at school (18%)
The average cost for childcare in the U.S. is $5,000 a year per child, which can become a tremendous burden for families
living in poverty -- forcing them to make difficult decisions about their priorities. ICAN's program is equitable to all and
supports youth along with their families. The program encourages the future financial success of youth served, at the
same time supporting the immediate financial needs of its families by providing free childcare.
ICAN’s program is currently serving 500 youth a year (250 youth daily). The proposed funding for 3 YPL’s will increase
daily attendance at the three Chandler sites to 316 daily. That combined with the Mesa sites will increase overall
enrollment to 400 youth daily (approximately 700 unduplicated youth per year).

6. Define the project as a new or continuing program. Has GRIC previously funded this project?
ICAN’s program is ongoing, with expansion continuing each school year. GRIC previously funded ICAN in 2011 with a
$100,000 grant for the capital campaign for the current ICAN Main campus at 650 E. Morelos St. ICAN was also the
beneficiary of Gila River Casinos’ unclaimed jackpots in 2022, with a gift of $28,303 supporting ICAN’s afterschool
program. ICAN welcomed Delia Rose and Manuel Hernandez for a check presentation event celebrating the gift.

Gila River Indian Community Grant Application
Grant Cycle 2022

7. Provide a brief timeline including start and finish dates. Indicate if the timeline is flexible.
Upcoming timelines for ICAN’s program include:
•
Summer Intercession (May 31 – July 15) – All ICAN sites attend full day sessions at ICAN Main
•
Fall Session (begins July 18) – ICAN Main, ICAN Galveston, ICAN Hartford
•
Fall Session (begins August 3) – ICAN Adams, ICAN Longfellow (two new Mesa sites)
•
Fall 2022 – With secured funding from GRIC, ICAN will recruit three new YPL’s for the team
•
January 2 – Winter/Spring Session begins with increased enrollment at the three Chandler sites
•
Spring 2023 – Youth at all sites will be evaluated on their increases in academic success, sense of self, life skills,
and positive life choices

8. Identify other organizations, partners or funders participating in the project and their roles.
As mentioned earlier, CUSD is a critical partner in ICAN’s expansion efforts – providing space and support at the satellite
sites. CUSD also operates ICAN’s nutrition program, facilitating and operating the program that ensures all youth receive
a healthy snack and dinner each day.
Valley of the Sun United Way, another key partner, provides literacy instruction during the summer - keeping youth
reading and preventing summer learning loss. ICAN has many other partners that supplement programming offered
daily at ICAN. These include Chandler CARE Center (referrals for physical health, dental and behavioral health) and Big
Brothers/Big Sisters (on-site mentoring program).

9. Would you be able to implement the proposed plan if your organization received partial funding for this project?
ICAN would be able to implement portions of the plan, based on partial funding. Each YPL position added is an additional
$25,000 for ICAN’s organizational budget and each additional YPL allows ICAN to add 22 youth to the program. While
ICAN is requesting $75,130/year for 3 years, the plan can be adjusted and lowered based on grant funds received.

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.
As ICAN continues to grow and expand in Chandler and into the East Valley, ICAN’s donor base grows as well. ICAN’s
signature gala, dreamBIG, saw a 30% increase in revenue from 2019 to the 2020 event. ICAN maintains a diverse funding

Gila River Indian Community Grant Application
Grant Cycle 2022

portfolio, including funding from individuals, service clubs, public (city/state/fed), and private (corporate/foundation)
sources. ICAN maintains over 40 formal partnerships with community organizations and local businesses that contribute
their expertise and resources to enhancing our program. In addition, ICAN's growth strategy is fiscally sound -- the
organization is able to serve more youth by bringing the program into the schools, greatly reducing ICAN's cost per
youth ratio.

11. Describe your plan to document progress and results.
ICAN has several evaluation tools in place to measure the effectiveness of the program. Goals for this grant proposal
include:
1. Serve 316 youth per day, on average through the afterschool program at the three Chandler sites (measured through
attendance data).
2. Consistent attendance, with 70% of youth attending 3+ days per week (measured through attendance data).
3. A minimum of 70% of youth in the afterschool program reporting improvements in key metrics because of attending
ICAN (academic success, sense of self, life skills, and positive life choices).
Youth in the afterschool program at ICAN are evaluated with an assessment tool that measures the identified key
metrics. ICAN also utilizes the Listen for Good evaluation model, with response from youth and parents collected
multiple times each year. The key component of the Listen for Good model is a continuous feedback loop, where ICAN
youth and families learn what the results where and how ICAN is acting on those responses.
In addition to the above metrics, ICAN will also be using the Arizona Progress Meter as a basis for measuring impact in
two areas: 1) 3rd grade reading and 2) high school graduation. ICAN will also be bolstering our ability to measure
improvements in the economic mobility of families by offering our free program. These enhanced evaluation systems
will help ICAN target services to the highest need individuals and ensure the program strategies are tailored to achieve
the highest impact as we grow. Pairing this new data with our existing "community listening" strategies will also ensure
our participants are engaged in program design -- it's important for us to work side-by-side with the community we
serve to create lasting change. These high quality systems of data collection will allow for that.

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.
No other applications or awards to other tribes, aside from Gila River, have been proposed by ICAN.

Gila River Indian Community Grant Application
Grant Cycle 2022

Project Budget
Budget Period: 2022/2023
For each budget item listed here please provide a narrative description on the following Project Budget Detail page.

Proposed Budget Expense
(list each budget item)
Amount
requested from
GRIC
Amount
requested or
secured from
other sources
In Kind
contributions
Total Budget
1. Salaries

$69,888
$424,372
$0
$494,260
2. ERE
$5,242
$39,786
$0
$45,028
3. Program Supplies
Click here to
enter text.
$23,290
$0
$23,290
4. Printing & Copying
$0
$900
$0
$900
5. Technology/Equipment
$0
$5,744
$0
$5,744
6. Travel Expense
$0
$485
$0
$485
7. Automobile
$0
$24,879
$0
$24,879
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
Total Budget
$75,130
$519,456
$0
$594,586

Gila River Indian Community Grant Application
Grant Cycle 2022

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. Salaries – Three part-time Youth Program Leaders, $16/hr x 28 hours per week x 52 weeks = $69,888
2. Taxes/ERE – FICA/Medicare/SS taxes on wages of three part-time Youth Program Leaders, $69,888 x .75 = $5241
3. Program Supplies – all materials needed to facilicate programs – not included in project ask
4. Printing & copying – costs of printing curriculum, lessons plans, and homework sheets – not included in project ask
5. Technology/Equipment – costs of membership registration software and communication software for parents – not
included in project ask
6. Travel expense – mileage reimbursement for staff who travel between sites. Mileage reimbursed at state rate (.445
per mile) – not included in project ask
7. Automobile – vehicle expenses associated with transporting youth from schools to ICAN facility (includes; registration,
insurance, gas, maintenance for four – 15 passenger vans
8. Click here to enter text.
9. Click here to enter text.
10. Click here to enter text.
11. Click here to enter text.
12. Click here to enter text.
13. Click here to enter text.
14. Click here to enter text.
15. Click here to enter text.
Other explanation: Click here to enter text.
To ensure a complete application and proper submission please refer to the Grant Application Instructions.