The Arizona Community Foundation (ACF) and its donors are pleased to announce grant and scholarship distributions for the first quarter of its fiscal year. Between April 1 and June 30, 2025, a total of $36,874,565 was awarded from funds of the Arizona Community Foundation and its six statewide regional offices in Cochise, Flagstaff, the Gila Valley, Sedona, Yavapai County, and Yuma. This year’s grant and scholarship distributions significantly surpass the previous year’s first quarter, adding $11 million in impact.

ACF and its donors distributed more than $36.8 million across 1,672 grants.

Both foundation-directed and donor-advised grants and scholarships were awarded in five areas of philanthropic impact: Health Innovations, Community Improvement & Development, Environment & Sustainability, Arts & Culture, and Quality Education.

• Health Innovations: A total of $9.2 million was awarded to 707 organizations and programs in the areas of health, healthcare, medical research, and various human services. This stands as particularly timely given the upcoming changes to Medicare and Medicaid from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
• Community Improvement & Development: A total of $3.6 million was awarded to 187 programs in this category, which includes housing, community and neighborhood development, financial literacy training, legal assistance, and crime prevention programs.
• Environment & Sustainability: A total of $1.2 million was awarded to 108 organizations and programs in the areas of environmental education, renewable resources, conservation, and animal welfare. Recent action in this area of impact has led to a partnership with the City of Phoenix and others for a cooled water fountain installation in the park of a community hit particularly hard by extreme heat.
• Arts & Culture: A total of $8.5 million was awarded to 157 artistic and cultural organizations across Arizona.
• Quality Education: During this quarter, a total of $11 million was awarded in scholarships and education-related grants.

“I almost broke down in tears at work. I didn’t even tell anyone that night. It was the day before my birthday. I thought, finally. I get to make a choice. I don’t have to settle,” said scholarship recipient Mario Ortega Ocampo when he was notified of his scholarship to ASU.

College scholarships accounted for $209,043 of the quarter’s total and were awarded for the benefit of 141 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. ACF continues to be the largest independent provider of scholarships in Arizona.
In addition to these grants, 61 nonprofit organizations with agency endowments managed by ACF received their annual distributions during the first quarter of the fiscal year, accounting for $3.4 million distributed during the quarter.
The $36.8 million awarded across all categories represents 1,672 grants and scholarships. Some grants are awarded at the discretion of ACF 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.

Learn who else is making a difference in the Quad Cities with more stories from Community Connections on Signals A Z.com!

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