Arizona Community Foundation

Scholarship Season is HERE! One application. Millions in scholarships. Endless possibilities. Complete our simple online application and get matched with scholarships that fit YOU. We've partnered with generous donors to help make your educational dreams possible. Start your journey: https://ow.ly/FLOg50Uyvul https://ow.ly/SHJN50Uyvuj Apply now and take the first step toward your future! #AZScholarships #Education #CollegeBound

🎓 Scholarship Opportunity Alert! Join us at one of our upcoming virtual workshops to work on your scholarship application! 🗓️ ACF Scholarship Application Opens January 1, 2025 Pro Tip: Complete just ONE application and get matched with ALL eligible scholarships in our system! Our scholarship team will be live during these workshops to: answer your questions, guide you through the application process, and help you maximize your scholarship potential. Scholarships are available in a variety of areas, including technical and vocational programs. As Jackson Westfall, a 2024 scholarship recipient learning Aviation and Maintenance Technology noted, "I was never one of those bound for university." Jackson will complete his program this year and is already working on aircraft with the help of his ACF-awarded scholarship. Don't miss this chance to turn your educational dreams into reality! Mark your calendars and get ready to apply. https://lnkd.in/gwnWiaaA

📢 Attention nonprofits supporting Arizona's Deaf and Hard of Hearing community! Grant funding is now available through ACF. Applications for capacity building, scientific research, project support, and capital project planning. Deadline: Jan 6 at 4pm. Ready to apply? Visit our online grant portal https://ow.ly/nM9Y50Uvj1a and review the Grant Guidelines for full details. Questions? Contact our Grants Team: 602.381.1400 #AZGrants #NonprofitFunding #DeafCommunity #HardOfHearing

"The grants from ACF have allowed us to provide more transportation to girls from lower-income families, especially in rural areas. We're so happy to bring these girls to different parts of Arizona, especially because some of the girls have never left Sierra Vista." - Acacia Barnett, MArch, Founder, Hattie B. Black Women In Progress. From Sierra Vista to Prescott, the Girls Confidence Camp is changing lives one empowered girl at a time! Founded by Acacia Barnett in 2016, this incredible program transforms young lives through sisterhood, science, art, and pure determination. Building Confidence Looks Like: - Challenging obstacle courses - Exploring science and art - Creating lifelong connections Rooted in her grandmother Hattie Barnett's legacy of community empowerment, Acacia is continuing a powerful tradition of uplifting Black women and girls across Arizona. Proving that when we invest in our youth, we invest in our future! Click the link to read the full story in our Impact Report on page 5! https://ow.ly/JHGh50Utvqg #CommunityImpact #GirlPower #ArizonaStories

Inspired by community champions like Jones and Brigida Osborn, you can make a lasting impact right where it matters most. The Osborns showed us the power of purposeful giving – creating an endowment fund that continues to support Yuma Parks and Recreation, preserving the natural spaces Jones loved so dearly. Whether you're passionate about education, parks, youth programs, or local community development, we have a fund that can turn your vision into reality. Like Jones Osborn – a veteran, community leader, and newspaper editor – you can create a legacy that lasts and that legacy can transform lives. 📣 TAKE ACTION TODAY: Establish your fund with Arizona Community Foundation and become a community hero! Visit https://ow.ly/nweI50UsY4s to learn more and start your philanthropic journey. Read about the legacy created by the Osborns in our Impact Report on page 10! https://ow.ly/yTt950UsY4t

Transforming Communities, One Wash at a Time: The Social Spin Foundation 🧼 Imagine a nonprofit that does more than just provide services—it restores dignity. Social Spin Laundromat is revolutionizing community support through innovative approaches like free laundry services, food pantries, and health screenings. Their #WashWithCare initiative isn't just about clean clothes—it's about rebuilding hope, one load at a time. From laundromats to community hubs, they're proving that compassion can change lives. Want to learn how one organization is making a massive difference for those experiencing homelessness? Read the full inspiring story in our Impact Report (page 21) via the link below! https://ow.ly/Abo950UqWJi Our generous donors make grants like this possible. Find out how you can make an impact too! https://ow.ly/inpW50UqWJh

Check out this month’s video message from President & CEO Anna Maria Chávez!

What a powerful day at Cochise College's Douglas Campus! Our ACF team came together with incredible local leaders to discuss shared priorities, collaborative opportunities, and increased community impact. Key moments of the day: Abe Villarreal, Dean of Cochise College's Douglas Campus, warmly welcomed us to the campus. Anna Maria Chávez, President & CEO of the Arizona Community Foundation, reaffirmed our commitment to supporting border communities. Nicolas de La Fuente, ACF Senior Community Impact Officer, explored innovative collaborative funding strategies. Rodrigo Sierra Corona and Jordan Sene from Borderlands Restoration Network inspired us with their vision for cross-border philanthropy. Special shoutout to our local leaders who brought incredible insights: Jose Grijalva, Mayor-Elect of the City of Douglas Ana Urquijo, City Manager of Douglas Rita Vargas Torregrosa, Mexican Consul in Douglas Alexandra Boneo, ARIZONA BORDER ALLIANCE Melissa Dye, Arizona Complete Health A huge thank you to the City of Douglas and our neighbors south for showing us what true collaboration can look like! Want to learn more about the exciting work happening in and around Southeast Arizona? Contact Regional Director, Colleen Iuliucci.

Thursday, the Arizona Community Foundation of Cochise, along with donors, board members, and community organizers took a journey into the heart of community transformation in Agua Prieta, Sonora, Mexico as part of the Border Philanthropy Convening. The Border Philanthropy Convening, which began in the early 2000s, bridges communities often separated by geography but united by shared challenges and hopes. This collaboration recognizes the need for innovative, community-driven solutions as these communities face economic instability, migration pressures, and limited resources that cannot be addressed through traditional top-down approaches. The convening brings together local leaders, community organizers, and stakeholders to create meaningful strategies that emerge directly from community voices. Our first stop was DouglaPrieta Trabajan, an amazing women-led collective that's changing lives one garden, one stitch, and one child at a time. These incredible women have created a powerful space where community gardening teaches sustainable living, their sewing room provides economic opportunity, and the children's center nurtures the next generation. We visited Café Justo, a coffee cooperative that’s setting a new standard for fair trade. Their work goes beyond great coffee — they’re building sustainable livelihoods for local farmers. By ensuring fair wages and supporting community-driven production, they demonstrate how thoughtful business practices can strengthen local economies and create meaningful change with every cup. While at Café Justo, Daniel Cifuentes facilitated a tour and we heard directly from the passionate leaders making this work possible, including Mark Adams and Jocabed Gallegos. Their stories of resilience, innovation, and community care are nothing short of inspiring. This is what real community philanthropy looks like — walking alongside communities, listening to their stories, and supporting their vision for a better future. Check out the gallery and stay tuned for day two updates!

ACF December Work Anniversaries! Congratulations to our incredible team members celebrating milestones this month: 🥇 Morgan Bishop Fraser, Vice President, Operations - 10 YEARS 🥈 Ashley Acton, Senior Director, Grants Management - 9 YEARS 🥉 Veronica Shorr, Regional Director, Yuma - 8 YEARS 🌟 Tinsley Andrews, Project Manager, Marketing & Communications - 7 YEARS Your dedication, passion, and commitment make ACF extraordinary. Thank you for being the heart of our organization!