$29.1 million distributed in third quarter grants and scholarships
ACF and our donors are pleased to announce grant and scholarship distributions for the third quarter of its fiscal year. Between October 1 and December 31, 2022, a total of $29,108,978 was awarded from funds of the Arizona Community Foundation and its six statewide regions in Cochise, Flagstaff, the Gila Valley, Sedona, Yavapai County, and Yuma.
The $29.1 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.
Health Innovations: A total of $11 million was awarded to 1,003 organizations and programs in the areas of health, health care, medical research, and a variety of human services. Among the distributions for the quarter were: $65,000 from the Valley Partnership Charitable Fund to House of Refuge to provide transitional housing and supportive services for families experiencing homelessness and $25,000 from MERI Foundation to the Phoenix Children’s Hospital Foundation to aid families who require additional support and for the PCH nurses.
DONOR HIGHLIGHT:
Valley Partnership is an organization that advocates for responsible real estate development. Each year, Valley Partnership raises funds for a community project that benefits a different charitable organization. The 2022 Valley Partnership Community Project provided $65,000 to House of Refuge to help the organization provide homes and comprehensive wrap-around services for families experiencing homelessness. In addition, more than 200 volunteers joined Valley Partnership for the Community Project Day of Action at House of Refuge where they created a community gathering space to host fall festivals, birthday parties, and other events. Kayla Kolar, President & CEO of House of Refuge, said: “We are honored to be selected as the 2022 Valley Partner Community Project recipient. For a nonprofit such as ours, we rely on the generosity of community partners to be able to help families in need. We thank Valley Partnership for their willingness to dedicate their time and resources to help us better serve our mission.”
Community Improvement & Development: A total of $2.9 million was awarded to 139 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: a total of $75,000 from the Forest Highlands Foundation and Northern Arizona Housing Fund to Housing Solutions of Northern Arizona, Inc. to cover renovation costs at JoJo’s Place and a total of from the Arizona Housing Fund to support four multifamily housing unit building projects across metro Phoenix and in Chino Valley.
DONOR HIGHLIGHT:
The Arizona Housing Fund awarded its first grants to fund four permanent supportive and affordable housing projects that serve the most vulnerable individuals and families earning up to 30% of area median income. Arizona Housing Inc. was awarded $300,000 for new housing at 2900 E. Van Buren in Phoenix, a 50-unit motel project that will be converted to permanent affordable supportive housing. The grant will be used to pay for renovation enhancements as well as the project’s recent material cost escalations. The Society of St. Vincent De Paul Phoenix received $250,000 to build new housing at Ozanam Manor in Phoenix, a 100-bed comprehensive transitional community for people over 50, veterans, and/or with disabilities who are experiencing homelessness. Family Promise of Greater Phoenix was awarded $100,000 for housing at Container Village in Glendale to provide unique, efficient, and livable individual housing for families. The Coalition for Compassion and Justice received $200,000 for new housing at Paloma Village in Chino Valley where the organization will be developing 25 units in a manufactured home park. The grant will fund the first group of manufactured homes, and fully furnish a unit to create a ‘model home’ for partner agencies, community members, and prospective tenants to share the vision for the project.
Environment & Sustainability: A total of $2.2 million was awarded to 168 organizations and programs in the areas of environmental education, renewable resources, conservation, and animal welfare. Among the distributions for the quarter were: $6,000 from the Ingebritson Family Foundation Advised Fund to support storm recovery at the New Dawn Livestock Rescue & Sanctuary and $7,000 from the Greater Sedona Fund for the Environment to support Sedona Red Rock Trail Fund’s A Trail Like No Other.
Arts & Culture: A total of $3.7 million was awarded to 192 artistic and cultural organizations across Arizona. Among the grants were: $13,000 from the Arizona Together for Impact Fund to support a collaboration between Phoenix Girls Chorus and Phoenix Boys Choir; $4,000 from ACF of Yuma to Yuma Community Theater, Inc. to support youth theater education; and $500 from the Vogel Family Charitable Fund to support the magic that is Valley Youth Theatre.
Quality Education: During this quarter, a total of $5.7 million was awarded in scholarships and education-related grants. Among the grants were: $50,000 total matched between the Burton Family Foundation and the Ellis Center for Educational Excellence to the Yavapai County Free Library District in support of its Bring on the Books program and $20,000 total from Real Engagement through Active Philanthropy which granted $10,000 to the Hustle PHX Community Development Loan Fund, $6,000 to Local First Arizona Foundation for the We Rise Business Accelerator, and $4,000 to Lights Camera Discover for its STEAM Workforce Readiness Program.
College scholarships accounted for $526,040 of the quarter’s total and were awarded for the benefit of 214 students pursuing higher education, averaging $2,458 per scholarship. 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, 54 nonprofit organizations with agency endowments managed by the Arizona Community Foundation received their annual distributions during the third quarter of ACF’s fiscal year, accounting for $3,678,764 distributed during the quarter.
The $29.1 million awarded across all categories represents 2,143 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.