Tempe outlines $1.61 million in internal requests for tribal gaming grants, sets March council action

Tempe’s government relations office briefed the council on Feb. 12 about the city’s requests for tribal gaming grant funds that are distributed to local governments and nonprofits under a statewide revenue‑sharing arrangement.

“Tribes statewide are now required to share 12% of their gaming revenues with local governments and nonprofit organizations,” Jonathan Sheffield, Tempe’s government relations director, told the council, explaining the program’s pass‑through role for local applications. Sheffield said the city consolidated 19 internal requests from two departments totaling $1,610,643 (12 requests from Health & Human Services and seven from Community Services).

Sheffield outlined the administrative timeline: internal and external grant recommendations will be finalized and returned to council as resolutions at the March 5 regular meeting; staff will submit applications to tribes by each tribe’s deadline (which vary — some as early as March 31, others later in the summer), and tribes typically announce awards in the fall and winter when distributions are issued.

Council members asked clarifying questions about whether tribal shares have increased with gaming revenue and requested that staff share revenue trends where available. Sheffield said he would research statewide revenue changes and provide any available data.