Founding Partners
Arizona State University
A comprehensive public metropolitan research university enrolling more than 60,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students on four campuses, Arizona State University is a federation of unique colleges, schools, departments, and research institutes that comprise close-knit but diverse academic communities that are international in scope. ASU champions intellectual and cultural diversity, and welcomes students from all 50 states and more than one hundred nations across the globe.
ASU has a vision to be a New American University, promoting excellence in its research and among its students and faculty, increasing access to its educational resources and working with communities to positively impact social and economic development.
Arizona Community Foundation
The Arizona Community Foundation and its 13 Affiliates are a statewide philanthropy and partnership of donors, staff, volunteers, nonprofit organizations and the community working together to empower and align philanthropic interests with community needs and build a legacy of giving.
Founded in 1978, the Arizona Community Foundation manages 885 component funds, including 30 supporting organizations, with endowment and trust assets exceeding $556 million.
Composed of local leaders with diverse backgrounds, ACF's dedicated Board of Directors guides the Foundation's community partnerships and its endowment.
The important work of a community foundation is a process of gathering, growing, giving and galvanizing.
Arizona Department of Commerce
Through leadership and collaborative partnerships, The Arizona Department of Commerce has a mission to create vibrant communities and a globally competitive Arizona economy. Workforce and Business Development supports entrepreneurs, small businesses, minority and women-owned enterprises and industry sectors. Marketing and Business Attraction promotes Arizona as a premier location for business expansion and location. The Energy Office encourages energy efficiency and renewable energy deployment, provides energy information and policy advice, and supports reduced utility costs and improved comfort for Arizona's low-income residents. Strategic Investment and Research serves as the state's clearinghouse for economic information and strategic research related to Arizona's economy. Community Development focuses on local capacity-building by providing technical and financial assistance to cities, towns, counties, and tribal communities on land use planning, economic development, downtown revitalization, public involvement, smart growth best practices, military land use compatibility, and the complexities of zoning.
The Arizona Republic
The Arizona Republic is Arizona’s leading provider of news and information and continues to be the state’s most trusted, read newspaper since 1890. The largest paper in the Southwest, The Republic reaches approximately 1.5 million readers per week.
Over the years, the significant population growth and socioeconomic variety of Phoenix has led The Arizona Republic to become the foundation of a multimedia presence that now includes such products as azcentral.com and La Voz. Standing alone, The Republic is Arizona’s premier source for a breadth of information including hard-hitting news, local coverage, things to do and investigative stories.
The Arizona Republic is owned by Gannett Co., Inc., a publicly held news and information company that operates newspapers and television stations across the U.S. Other Gannett holdings in Arizona include KPNX Channel 12 in Phoenix and the Tucson Citizen.
Community Partners
Valley of the Sun United Way
Valley of the Sun United Way is working to advance the common good by focusing on education, income and health. These are the building blocks for a good life: a quality education that leads to a stable job, enough income to support a family through retirement and good health. The goal of Valley fo the Sun United Way is to create long-lasting and measurable changes that improve the quality of life for struggling individuals, families and children throughout Maricopa County.
First Things First
First Things First has a vision that all Arizona children birth through age five are afforded opportunities to achieve their maximum potential to succeed in school and life. The First Things First mission is to increase the quality of, and access to, the early childhood development and health system that ensures a child entering school comes healthy and ready to succeed. These focuses can be attained through a comprehensive early childhood system that values children as our greatest asset, and recognizes families and communities at the center of decision making.
St. Luke's Health Initiatives
St. Luke's Health Initiatives is a public foundation located in Phoenix, Arizona. SLHI's work is focused primarily in Maricopa County - the greater Phoenix metropolitan area - although the foundation is occasionally engaged in statewide projects. SLHI pursues its mission in four general areas: Arizona Health Futures, community grants, medical assistance, and affiliate organizations.
State of Arizona Department of Education
The mission for the State of Arizona Department of Education is to ensure academic excellence for all students.
State of Arizona Department of Economic Security
The Department of Economic Security (DES) was established by the State Legislature in July 1972 by combining the Employment Security Commission, the State Department of Public Welfare, the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, the State Office of Economic Opportunity, the Apprenticeship Council and the State Office of Manpower Planning. The State Department of Mental Retardation joined the Department in 1974. The purpose in creating the Department was to provide an integration of direct services to people in such a way as to reduce duplication of administrative efforts, services and expenditures.
State of Arizona Governor’s Office for Children Youth and Families
The Governor's Office for Children, Youth and Families creates a brighter future for Arizona by providing resources, promoting citizen engagement and leading innovative projects to strengthen and empower families and communities.
State of Arizona Maricopa Partnership for Arts and Culture (MPAC)
Maricopa Partnership for Arts and Culture (MPAC) was founded in July 2004 at the recommendation of the Maricopa Regional Arts and Culture Task Force. It is a regional nonprofit organization that promotes a vibrant creative community as a critical partner in the economic vitality of Greater Phoenix.
