Invest in Arizona on AZ Gives Day
Arizona Gives Day has become recognized as a day to reflect on the work that Arizona's nonprofit organizations are doing throughout the state and to collectively support this important work. This year, Arizona Gives Day lands on Tuesday, April 5, and if all goes according to plan, Arizonans will have raised over $1 million for the state's thousands of nonprofit organizations by the end of the day.
While you're searching for your favorite local nonprofits to support, you can invest directly in the prosperity of Arizona by scheduling an Arizona Gives Day donation to the Local First Arizona Foundation, home of Good Food Finder AZ. The sister organization of Local First Arizona, The Local First Arizona Foundation (LFAF) is rooted in three areas of community and economic development work:
Healthy Food Initiatives
LFAF works to build healthy food systems not only by working directly with producers and growers, but also through educating consumers about the importance of eating healthy foods and where to locate those foods when they are fresh and in season. Good Food Finder AZ helps individuals and businesses find local foods in their area, and will even let you know where to find farmers markets that accept SNAP benefits. LFAF also hosts two annual events: the Arizona Food & Farm Finance Forum and Farmer+Chef Connection. These events help food producers and farmers gain the knowledge, skill set, and relationships to run a successful business in Arizona's local food economy.
Schedule your donation to the Local First Arizona Foundation to support the Healthy Local Foods Initiatives.
Fuerza Local Business Accelerator
The Fuerza Local Business Accelerator Program is an education program for aspirational Latino business owners that teaches entrepreneurship and the many facets to building a sustainable and prosperous enterprise. To date, the program has graduated 60 participants who have been awarded a combined $60,000 in seed money. Before graduating from the program, nearly half of participants had no business checking account, but now, graduates have gone on to create an additional 60 jobs in the community and are thriving.
Rural Community and Economic Development
LFAF works to provide rural Arizona communities with the resources that they need to build vibrant, sustainable, and resilient economies. LFAF is the official Rural Development Council for the state of Arizona, hosting the annual Arizona Rural Policy Forum to gather rural stakeholders together to learn best practices and share success stories. LFAF also partners and contracts with rural communities across the state to strategize on economic development plans, train local entrepreneurs on business basics, and consult on programs and initiatives like Science Happens Here. LFAF also works to direct tourism dollars into Arizona's rural communities through specific promotions and weekend getaway packages.
Combined, these three programs work together to build prosperity, self-reliance, and community wealth in areas across Arizona. By contributing to the Local First Arizona Foundation, you'll be supporting these programs and initiatives that are building prosperity for individuals and communities across the state. You don't have to wait until April 5, click here to schedule your donation today!