Supporter Spotlight: Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community

Center for the Future of Arizona (CFA) was established as a nonpartisan, nonprofit to focus on the long-term future of our state. From the beginning, our commitment as a self-defined independent “do tank” is to take promising ideas and put them into action by combining research with collaborative partnerships and initiatives that serve the public interest and the common good.

Our work requires long-term planning and consistent effort, successful execution, and most importantly, the active and continued involvement of Arizonans. It requires sufficient resources and persistence to continuously nurture and implement data-driven ideas and mobilize an alliance of supporters around them.

We are deeply grateful for generous funding partners who make our long-term strategic work possible and sustainable. Like us, they know there’s a very high pay-off when people who care about mobilizing positive change have the resources to act on data and insights. They understand consistent financial support enables CFA to do our best work in service of the public good.

One of our valued funding partners is the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community (SRPMIC), a tribal nation located in the metropolitan Phoenix area. The Community operates as a full-service government and oversees departments, programs, projects, and facilities. The Community shares common borders with the cities of Scottsdale, Tempe, Mesa, and Fountain Hills and is an integral part of the East Valley economy. As such, the SRPMIC is committed to improving the quality of life of Arizonans through its partnerships with organizations that provide critical services. For example, the SRPMIC has generously contributed to CFA’s work every year for the last 16 years through its 12% local revenue sharing funds. A prime example of committing to sustainable outcomes, SRPMIC first invested in the idea of Beat the Odds School Leadership Academy (BTO Academy) back in 2006 and supported its success through critical phases of evolution and growth over the years since then, amounting to over $1 million in funding.

CFA’s 2006 Beat the Odds research study explored the conditions needed to ensure excellent results in low-income schools and revealed promising solutions. In short, leadership is one of the most important factors impacting student outcomes. And to become great leaders, educators must be supported through a continuum of training and development. Thanks to foundational and ongoing support from SRPMIC and other key partners, CFA transformed this set of research results into the impactful, and now well-known BTO Academy.

Now serving 52 school districts in seven Arizona counties, BTO Academy has trained and coached more than 370 district and school leaders, primarily serving in low-income communities, helping them create better quality schools and improve outcomes for students.

Some notable milestones of BTO Academy made possible by SRPMIC over our 16-year partnership:

• Continued expansion to reach more education leaders serving low-income and minority student populations in Arizona's urban, rural, and tribal communities
• Support for leaders from tribal communities in becoming BTO Academy trainers/facilitators
• Developed a Coaching Model to support participants’ successful implementation of skills and systems to improve student achievement

Want to help us build a stronger and brighter future for Arizona? There are many ways to partner with CFA and promote our mission. Partner with us today.