Gila River Indian Community Grant Si Se Puede Foundation
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Gila River Indian Community Grant Application Grant Cycle 2025 2 21. Geographic area served STEM Center Programming primarily serves our immediate community, encompassing Chandler, Gilbert, and Mesa in a 10-mile radius. That said, robotics teams throughout the state can access the STEM Center at no cost as SSPF is committed to enhancing the STEM ecosystem throughout all of Arizona. Gila River Indian Community Grant Application Grant Cycle 2025 3 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. Built upon the “Si Se Puede! (Yes We Can!)” a movement created by Cesar Chavez to inspire underrepresented individuals to reach their goals, the Si Se Puede Foundation (SSPF) has served the community for 23 years. The organization has built community ties and advocated for underserved communities, initially through programs like Folklorico dance and soccer. In response to community feedback, we shifted our focus to extracurricular STEM education, leading to the establishment of the Si Se Puede Foundation STEM Center in Chandler, Arizona in 2021. Today, our mission is to bridge the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) divide in underserved populations in our communities to prepare them for the 21st century workforce. Since our founding, we have helped hundreds of local youth gain higher education and workforce readiness, while building their competence, self-confidence, and leadership skills in an inclusive, challenging, and creative environment. We have grown to serve 700 youth annually, and with the guidance of dedicated mentors, our students gain resilience and a passion for lifelong learning. To fulfill our mission, SSPF provides free, year-round programming in our 5,200 square-foot STEM Center facility, which boasts a Fabrication Lab, 3D printers, Computer-Aided Design (CAD) computers and software, a video studio, and a classroom. At the facility, we offer students opportunities to explore STEM topics, including building, programming, and competing with robots. We also conduct STEM mobile outreach programming visiting community events throughout Arizona to get youth excited about STEM. Additionally, SSPF contributes to the broader STEM ecosystem by hosting two robotics competitions. Through our STEM programs and outreach, SSPF aims to promote access to STEM enrichment, improve students’ academic outcomes in STEM, and encourage post-secondary attainment and careers in these fields, especially for girls, youth of color, and youth from low-income backgrounds. As the demand for talent in STEM fields continues to grow, our programs will help students develop STEM workforce skills, preparing them to pursue fulfilling STEM careers. 2. To determine eligibility for this grant please select one item in the drop-down below. Non-Profit If Municipal, please go to number 3 below. If Non-Municipal or Non-profit, please describe how the services provided by your organization align with a government service of the supporting municipality. Explain how this project will support that service and describe the municipality’s role in the project if applicable (beyond serving as a pass-through). Gila River Indian Community Grant Application Grant Cycle 2025 4 The Si Se Puede Foundation (SSPF) STEM Center is located in the City of Chandler and proudly serves 100 youth annually on site, most of which reside in Chandler and attend Chandler schools. SSPF’s mission and actions towards the advancement of STEM education and resources align with the goals of the City of Chandler and the long-term economic development of the city. The City of Chandler is known for their commitment to innovation and is proud to be a part of the technology hub of the Southwest. In 2024, the City of Chandler was honored as one of the top ten Digital Cities survey award recipients by the Center for Digital Government (CDG). This survey honors innovative cities that use technology to tackle social challenges, enhance services, and more. Si Se Puede Foundation is focused on enhancing innovation and technology education for underrepresented youth in order to grow the STEM ecosystem. As such, we enjoy opportunities to partner with the City of Chandler. Si Se Puede Foundation has been honored to participate in the Chandler Innovation Fair over the last 4 years, a celebration of the city’s exploration of innovation, and its commitment to youth science education and technology. Our STEM Center also advances the City of Chandler’s interest in providing youth, especially those from low- to moderate-income families, access to high-quality youth programming. We provide youth a safe and productive out-of- school time environment where they can build academic skills and create a community of support. Our organization is proud to provide our services and to be aligned with the values and priorities of the City of Chandler. Our Desert WAVE women’s college robotics team has been presented with certificates of recognition by the City of Chandler at city council meetings for placing first in US and third in world in 2019, for placing first in US and fourth in the world, and for placing first in the world in 2024. Degrees of Freedom, our high school robotics team, also received formal recognition from City of Chandler in this manner for qualifying to compete at the world FRC championships in 2024. In addition, City of Chandler recently highlighted Si Se Puede Foundation in their February 2025 State of the City address, which can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KWkcWp1tbA&t=3362s 3. Describe the proposed project, objectives, and your plan to implement. PROPOSAL OVERVIEW: Si Se Puede Foundation’s 5,200 square-foot STEM Center offers free, hands-on STEM enrichment programming to middle school, high school, and college students. The Si Se Puede Foundation humbly requests a donation of $20,000 to advance STEM Center Programming for 100 East Valley youth, supporting the next generation of innovators and leaders in STEM. OBJECTIVES AND PROJECT PLANS: SSPF strives to provide high quality STEM enrichment for youth from underrepresented backgrounds in STEM, including women, gender minority students, youth of color, and students from families with limited financial resources. By offering our programs free of charge, we are working to break down barriers to access and guarantee that every child, no matter their background, has the chance to explore, discover, and excel in STEM fields. In our STEM Center, SSPF has the following unique spaces dedicated to different STEM skills and specialties: ● a MakerBot 3D Printing Certification Center, offering students and teachers a place to hone their 3D printing skills, as well as create custom parts to use in robots and other projects; Gila River Indian Community Grant Application Grant Cycle 2025 5 ● a Creative Studio for filming and producing videos, including greenscreen, lighting and film equipment, and Computer Aided Drafting (CAD) computers and video editing software; ● a Classroom with ample storage space, large configurable worktables, media presentation capabilities, and classroom laptops; ● and the Fab Lab, an open area room that features a range of manufacturing equipment with which students can produce unique pieces out of different materials, including wood and metal, and test their robots. With the most cutting-edge technology at our facility, we offer the following STEM Center Programming: COMPETITIVE STEM & ROBOTICS TEAMS: SSPF offers four competitive STEM and robotics teams, serving a total of approximately 75 youth ages 12-23 annually. Teams meet three to five times weekly at the STEM Center throughout the year. Our robotics teams are student-led and supported by volunteer mentors who provide instruction and support in a variety of areas, such as programming/coding, electrical engineering, circuits, mechanical engineering, metal manufacturing, project management, statistics, physics, and machine learning. ● Degrees of Freedom: Our Degrees of Freedom robotics team is proud to participate in the FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC), a premier STEM-based engineering program for high school students. Through FRC, our students experience excitement similar to top tier college athletics, while developing critical engineering, problem-solving, and teamwork skills. Degrees of Freedom is student-led and is supported by 10-12 mentors. This co-ed robotics team consists of 30 high school students from schools in the Chandler and Mesa public school districts that do not currently offer FRC Robotics programs. Students design and build robots for competition in annual regional and national FRC events. ● Desert WAVE: The Si Se Puede Foundation, in partnership with Arizona State University, supports an innovative robotics team to empower female engineering students, Desert WAVE (Women in Autonomous Vehicle Engineering). This program serves 15-20 college students annually, providing women majoring in engineering a unique opportunity to design, develop, and compete with autonomous underwater vehicles in RoboNation's prestigious International RoboSub Competition. By providing a platform for women to excel in engineering, we aim to inspire the broader community as our participants serve as role models for the next generation of women engineers. ● FIRST Tech Challenge teams Binary Bots Jr. and Da Geese of Freedom: Si Se Puede offers two FIRST Tech Challenge Teams for younger students in grades 7-9: Binary Bots Jr., a co-ed team, and Da Geese of Freedom, a team for girls and gender minority students. These are smaller teams that provide middle school students with an opportunity to collaboratively design and build a robot for participation in regional and national FIRST Tech Challenge competitions under the guidance of volunteer mentors. Our Tech Challenge teams help spark early interest in STEM, encouraging youth to explore STEM topics while building key academic and life skills. Gila River Indian Community Grant Application Grant Cycle 2025 6 SUPPORT FOR SCHOOL ROBOTICS TEAMS: With a goal to ensure all youth in our community have access to the resources they need to excel in STEM, the STEM Center is open to more than 50 schools, giving them access to the necessary technology and resources to run their own robotics programs out of our facility. If a school team has a teacher and students and a place to store their equipment, they can use the STEM Center to design and fabricate their robots. Beyond those that regularly access our facility, we also provide technical assistance to other competitive robotics teams through our “Beak Squad” comprised of mentors and students. EDUCATOR ADVANCEMENT: We offer training and certifications to teachers utilizing the specialized equipment available at the STEM center. After completing the course, teachers receive a free 3D printer for their classroom, extending the learning experience to hundreds of students. In addition to offering programming, the STEM Center serves as a community hub. Building on their common interests and goals, the students develop strong friendships with their peers and connections with the adult mentors and coaches. We support their aspirations by offering college planning courses and even a limited number of scholarships. Beyond academics, youth also have fun planning social activities such as holiday parties, like our annual “Trunk or Treat” Halloween event, contributing to that sense of community. Students also learn to give back to their community through service projects, such as our initiative which modifies toy jeeps to make them fun and functional for youth living with limited mobility. 4. Describe how the proposed project satisfies one or more of the priority funding areas identified by the Gila River Indian Community. Si Se Puede Foundation’s STEM Center Programming fulfills the Gila River Indian Community priority funding areas of Economic Development and Education. SSPF strives to provide equitable access to STEM education ensuring that youth from historically marginalized backgrounds gain the knowledge and skills needed to pursue higher education and enter the workforce prepared for 21st-century careers. By offering free, year-round STEM programming in a state-of-the-art facility, SSPF empowers students with hands-on experience in robotics, 3D printing, video production, and mechanical engineering, fostering both academic success and career readiness. EDUCATION: SSPF enhances educational opportunities by providing experiential learning in STEM fields, addressing disparities in academic achievement, and fostering a love for learning. STEM Center Programming allows students to explore complex STEM concepts in an applied learning environment, enhancing problem-solving, teamwork, and critical thinking skills. Our robotics programs, including Degrees of Freedom and Desert WAVE, provide direct pathways to STEM careers by equipping students with the technical expertise and leadership experience necessary to succeed in post- secondary education and beyond. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: STEM education is a key driver of economic growth, and SSPF contributes to regional economic development by preparing a diverse, skilled workforce ready to meet the demands of Arizona’s thriving technology sector. By fostering interest and proficiency in STEM fields, we help students build marketable skills that increase their employability in high-demand careers such as engineering, coding, and advanced manufacturing. These Gila River Indian Community Grant Application Grant Cycle 2025 7 skills promote and assist with employment, job readiness, economic security, and entrepreneurship. By removing financial barriers to STEM education and offering mentorship from professionals, SSPF ensures that all youth, regardless of socioeconomic status, have the opportunity to contribute to and benefit from Arizona’s growing STEM economy. A grant from the Gila River Indian Community will enable SSPF to continue its work of expanding educational equity and workforce development, ultimately strengthening the local economy by preparing the next generation of innovators, engineers, and community leaders. 5. Identify the needs/problems to be addressed, the target population and number of people to be served by the project. Current research shows that students who participate in STEM enrichment demonstrate improved academic performance and are more likely to pursue STEM careers. However, many schools lack the staffing and funding to support high-quality STEM enrichment. According to the 2023 US News and World Report, Arizona has the highest teacher to student ratio in the nation—23.6 students per teacher, much higher than the national average of 15.9. The impact shows: only a quarter of Arizona students are testing proficient or higher in science, according to the Nation’s Report Card. Out-of-school programs can supplement learning, but costs limit students’ access, especially for students from families with limited financial resources. Moreover, it is difficult for schools and out-of-school time programs alike to obtain and maintain the technology and equipment for robust STEM learning. In our East Valley community, there are currently more than 16,000 students from 13 schools that do not have access to STEM enrichment programs at their schools and lack access to hands-on extracurricular STEM programs like the FIRST Robotics Competitions (FRC). Despite being a rapidly growing area, Phoenix Metro lags significantly behind other areas of comparable size in the number of FRC teams. Michigan, with a population of 10 million and 1,870 high schools, boasts more than 600 FRC teams. In contrast, Arizona, with a population of 7 million and 1,003 high schools, has only around 40 FRC teams. Si Se Puede’s STEM Center works to address these gaps in access, helping to give East Valley youth the tools they need to succeed now and pursue bright futures. Through our STEM Center programming, Si Se Puede Foundation strives to create a supportive, safe, non-judgmental environment where all students can thrive, especially for underrepresented and underserved students who do not have access to quality STEM education. STEM Center Programming directly serves 100 youth and young adults (ages 12-23) on-site annually. Our students represent the highly diverse communities of the East Valley—81% of our Degrees of Freedom high school robotics team are students of color and the majority are underrepresented genders in STEM (43% female, 9.5% nonbinary, and less than 5% agender). All students attend schools that do not have a FIRST Robotics program. The Desert WAVE college program is a women’s only team, and nearly 90% of the participants in Desert WAVE are women of color. By offering students opportunities to explore STEM topics, including building, programming, and competing with robots, we help spark interest in STEM while fostering essential life skills such as teamwork, communication, and leadership. As the demand for talent in STEM fields continues to grow, our programs will help students develop STEM workforce skills, preparing them to pursue fulfilling STEM careers. Gila River Indian Community Grant Application Grant Cycle 2025 8 6. Define the project as a new or continuing program. Has GRIC previously funded this project? This is a continuing program. The Si Se Puede Foundation STEM Center was established in 2021. Our STEM Center Programming has not been funded by the Gila River Indian Community before. 7. Provide a brief timeline including start and finish dates. Indicate if the timeline is flexible. STEM Center Programming is offered year-round. Participants enroll in programming at the start of the school year in August 2025 and programming is ongoing throughout the school year and summer. The timeline for this program is less flexible as it must align with the school district calendar and the robotics competition schedules. 8. Identify other organizations, partners or funders participating in the project and their roles. The STEM Center hosts robotics programming for approximately 13 schools in the Chandler Unified School District, Mesa Unified School District, and Gilbert Unified School District. Sponsors, such as MakerBot and Boeing, donate equipment and funding to our teacher training programming. We also receive grant funding from corporations and foundations to support our STEM Center Programming. While this is one of our first requests for FY26, we anticipate annual funders, such as Boeing, State Farm, onsemi, and others will support programming in the coming year. 9. Would you be able to implement the proposed plan if your organization received partial funding for this project? Si Se Puede Foundation will be able to implement STEM Center Programming with partial funding. Less funding may impact our ability to secure the components and materials our teams need to construct competition-ready robots, as this is one of our highest cost budget items. However, we are committed to securing the funding necessary for students to participate in STEM Center programs free of charge. Full funding is necessary to support all of the various programs we run for different students at the STEM Center, but any level of funding will be deeply appreciated. 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. Si Se Puede Foundation secures grants from a variety of corporate and foundation funders to sustain our programming. We are looking to expand this revenue stream in the coming year. 11. Describe your plan to document progress and results. Gila River Indian Community Grant Application Grant Cycle 2025 9 Si Se Puede Foundation collects and analyzes data to evaluate student engagement, STEM skills and knowledge, behavior and character in competition with their peers, and educational and career trajectories. To measure success in achieving the above outcomes, Si Se Puede Foundation will: ● Track number of students served and student attendance to measure and evaluate our reach and participant engagement ● Conduct pre- and post-program surveys measuring students’ self-assessments of STEM skills and knowledge gained while participating in a STEM Center program ● Observe and track student attitudes and behaviors during robotics and STEM competitions to measure growth in social, professional, and life skills ● Administer post-engagement surveys to track STEM Center participants’ interest and engagement in STEM post-secondary education and careers long-term. The feedback our students share about their experiences in our STEM Center programs highlights the impact Si Se Puede’s STEM Center enrichment has on their confidence and future paths. About her time with Si Se Puede Foundation, Elizabeth Seaton said: “Si Se Puede has given me access to the magic of STEM and has caused me to fall in love with it…I feel more confident due to…like-minded peers and inspirational mentors who have guided me, encouraging me on my path of becoming a Controls System Engineer, which I wouldn't have even heard of without this program!” We anticipate the following outcomes for FY26 STEM Center Programming: ● 80% of students will demonstrate engagement in STEM programs as measured by consistent attendance ● 100% of students will demonstrate increased knowledge about STEM topics and new STEM skills by program end, such as computer aided design (CAD), 3D printing, metal machining, electronics, and programming ● 100% of students will demonstrate improved teamwork, professionalism, sportsmanship, and critical thinking skills by the end of the program ● 90% of students will report increased interest in STEM careers and/or pursue degrees/careers in STEM fields Gila River Indian Community Grant Application Grant Cycle 2025 10 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. Si Se Puede Foundation has not received awards from another tribe. Gila River Indian Community Grant Application Grant Cycle 2025 11 Project Budget Budget Period: Projected FY26 (July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026) For each budget item listed, please provide a narrative description on the following Project Budget Detail page. Column 1 Column 2 Column 3 Column 4 Column 5 Proposed Budget Expense (list each budget item) Amount requested from GRIC Amount requested or secured from other sources In Kind or matching contributions Total Budget 1. Programs $10,000 $124,000 $0 $134,000 2. Salaries and Payroll Tax $5,000 $160,000 $0 $165,000 3. Rent $2,000 $71,200 $0 $73,200 4. Utilities and Building Maintenance $1,000 $11,000 $0 $12,000 5. Insurance $0 $4,000 $0 $4,000 6. Office Supplies $2,000 $13,000 $0 $15,000 7. Professional Fees $0 $25,000 $0 $25,000 8. Printing & Advertising $0 $5,000 $0 $5,000 9. Vehicle – Gas, Maintenance $0 $3,000 $0 $3,000 10. AZ Unemployment Insurance Tax $0 $3,300 $0 $3,3000 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 $20,000 $419,500 $0 $439,500 Gila River Indian Community Grant Application Grant Cycle 2025 12 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 attained. 1. Programs $134,000: Travel and robotics competition entry fees ($40,000); and supplies/materials/equipment/tools/spare parts/machinery for STEM Center Programming ($61,000), Scholarship program ($10,000), Beak Squad technical support ($3,000), National Underwater Robotics Competition ($10,000), workshops and toy hacks for disabled children ($10,000). 2. Salaries and Payroll Tax $165,000: 1 full-time and 4 part-time staff responsible for planning, coordinating, and facilitating STEM Center programs 3. Rent $73,200: Facility rent $6,100/month 4. Utilities and Building Maintenance $ 12,000: Utilities and maintenance for STEM Center facility 5. Insurance $4,000: non-profit liability insurance, business owner’s insurance, worker’s comp 6. Office Supplies $15,000: Printing supplies, cleaning supplies, building improvements, etc. 7. Professional Fees $25,000: Allocation of expense for professional accounting and grant writing services 8. Printing & Advertising $5,000: Marketing materials, publishing annual reports, publishing robotics teams’ engineering notebooks, team apparel, and costs of outreach events. 9. Vehicle: gas and maintenance for SSPF’s 15-passenger van and cargo trailer 10. AZ Unemployment Insurance Tax $3,300: required tax for state of AZ 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. Gila River Indian Community Grant Application Grant Cycle 2025 13 Other explanation: Click here to enter text. To ensure a complete application and proper submission please refer to the Grant Application Instructions.