$22.7 million distributed in second quarter
The Arizona Community Foundation and its donors are pleased to announce grant and scholarship distributions for the second quarter of its fiscal year. Between July 1 and September 30, 2022, a total of $22,677,850 was awarded from funds of the Arizona Community Foundation and its six statewide regional offices: Cochise, Flagstaff, the Gila Valley, Sedona, Yavapai County, and Yuma.
“We continue to be thankful for our donors’ generosity,” said ACF President & CEO Steve Seleznow. “Their commitment to supporting communities across our state and beyond is a constant source of inspiration.”
The $22.7 million in both discretionary and advised grants and scholarships were awarded in five strategic priority areas: Health Innovations, Community Improvement & Development, Environment & Sustainability, Arts & Culture, and Quality Education.
Of that total, $161,760 was dedicated to supporting 26 small businesses and nonprofit organizations impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. These grants were funded through ACF’s ongoing partnerships with Maricopa County and the cities of Phoenix and Goodyear to deliver COVID-19 relief.
Health Innovations: A total of $6.8 million was awarded to 548 organizations and programs in the areas of health, health care, medical research, and a variety of human services. Among the distributions for the quarter was a $24,100 grant from the Thurston Family Foundation to the Fresh Start Women’s Foundation to help provide training for the nonprofit’s growing mission.
Kim McWaters, President & CEO of Fresh Start Women’s Foundation, said: “The training helped our organization gain greater clarity into what we need to do, the goals we hope to achieve, and how to align ourselves accordingly. The training was customized for our organization so we can immediately begin moving forward with using the tools, resources, and technology that will help us be successful.”
Community Improvement & Development: A total of $1.8 million was awarded to 140 programs in this category, which includes housing, community and neighborhood development, financial literacy training, legal assistance, and crime prevention programs. Among the grants awarded this quarter were: $10,000 from the Jean and Betty Fairfax Memorial Fund to Trudy J. Ware Grant Writer Inc., to support a program that provides small grants to assist low-income refugees over 60 who are pursuing U.S. citizenship and $19,900 from the Tempe Community Foundation Endowment in Memory of Annette Voth to the Tempe Library to cover acquisitions of books, movies, and music.
Environment & Sustainability: A total of $1 million was awarded to 112 organizations and programs in the areas of environmental education, renewable resources, conservation, and animal welfare. The quarter’s distributions included a $1,500 grant from the Reiter Fund to the Desert Botanical Garden to support staff initiatives and/or publications. Mrs. Reiter and her niece had a very informative behind the scenes tour that inspired the grant. A $500 grant was also made from the Elsie & Paul MacMillan Charitable Fund to the Friends of the Sierra Vista Animal Shelter for general support.
Arts & Culture: A total of $1.2 million was awarded to 113 artistic and cultural organizations across Arizona. Among the grants were: $1,000 from the McCutcheon/Dougherty Historical Preservation Fund to the Sunnyslope Historical Society to support a 1940s house renovation and $24,360 from the Sally A. Hough Family Fund to the Preservation Trust of Vermont Inc. to support the East Peacham Schoolhouse restoration project.
Quality Education: During this quarter, a total of $9.9 million was awarded in scholarships and education-related grants. Distributions in this area included a $1,000 grant from the Sports Fund of Arizona to the Tempe Union High School Education Fund for the Mountain Pointe High School Girls Flag Football program.
College scholarships accounted for $3.3 million of the quarter’s total and were awarded for the benefit of 855 students pursuing higher education. College scholarships are awarded to Arizona students to attend a wide range of colleges, universities, and technical schools in Arizona and across the United States.
In addition to these grants, 30 nonprofit organizations with agency endowments managed by the Arizona Community Foundation received their annual distributions during the second quarter of ACF’s fiscal year, accounting for $1.7 million distributed during the quarter.
The $22.7 million awarded across all categories represents 2,075 grants and scholarships. Some grants are awarded at the discretion of the Arizona Community Foundation with input from board committees and diverse community panels, while others are awarded through donor advice. All grants are approved or ratified by ACF’s Donor & Community Engagement Committee whose members include ACF board representatives and other community leaders.