The Community Foundation for Southern Arizona plans to award $200,000 in grants to local and regional nonprofits working to alleviate poverty and improve the lives of young people.
“Though a total of $200,000 may not seem like much, our hope is that others will join us as we seek out solutions to better the lives of our most vulnerable residents — our children,” Clint Mabie, president and CEO of the foundation, said in a news release.
The volunteer committee that oversees the foundation’s grant process considered local statistics and media coverage before deciding to focus the recent grant round on poverty and its effects on kids.
That includes “Losing Ground,” the Arizona Daily Star’s August series on the high rate of childhood poverty in Tucson, said Barbara Brown, the foundation’s vice president of programs and community initiatives.
“It was on everyone’s mind how important it would be to address this issue,” Brown said. “You look at all the different stories and what’s really underneath that is the impact on children.” Brown said the hope is that by targeting childhood poverty, the grants could have a ripple effect on other social concerns, such as educational outcomes.
Brown said she anticipates applicants from across Southern Arizona, from Yuma to Nogales to Tucson.
A Sept. 27 event will be open to potential grant applicants seeking funding from the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona, as well as groups under its umbrella, like the Women’s Foundation of Southern Arizona. Attendees can seek guidance from representatives from each group about the best way to get funding for their projects.
Last year, the Community Foundation and its affiliates awarded more than $5.4 million to regional nonprofits.
