Arizona Gives More Than $13.6 Million in Grants

If you want to start a business in Arizona, you will find lots of support from the community, especially from the Arizona Community Foundation. The foundation has given more than $13.6 million in grants and scholarships -- and that's just in its first quarter.

Grant areas of focus

The Arizona Community Foundation (ACF) has 5 priority areas: health innovation, community development, environment and sustainability, arts, and quality education. The largest area is health; the foundation gave $5 million in this category. ACF was established in 1978 as a statewide institution by a consortium of local banks and focuses its giving to match the needs of the community.

Grants are awarded year-round to nonprofit organizations, government agencies and educational institutions. Grant money can be used for general operating support, programmatic support and capacity building. While most grants are made in Arizona, grants may also be made nationally.

In addition, ACF started a new grant competition three years ago, the New Arizona Prize, to promote innovation and prepare the state for tomorrow's challenges. This year's challenge will focus on water consciousness. The Water Consciousness Challenge has a grand prize of $100,000. To read more about this grant competition, visit www.newarizonaprize.org. Registration begins on September 26.

To learn more about the Arizona Community Foundation grants, visit www.azfoundation.org/GrantsLoans/InvestinginourCommunities.aspx

Read more at www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/news/2017/08/09/arizona-community-foundation-first-quarter-grants.html