Statewide nonprofits received almost $28 million in grants from the Arizona Community Foundation.

The $27.4 million in both discretionary and advised grants and scholarships were awarded in five strategic priority areas: health innovations, community improvement and development, environment and sustainability, arts and culture, and quality education.

The Foundation, located at 2201 E. Camelback Road, Suite 405B, in Phoenix, awarded the grant and scholarship distributions for the first quarter of its fiscal year, between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31.

• Health Innovations: A total of $11 million was awarded to 933 organizations and programs in the areas of health, health care, medical research, and a variety of human services.
• Community Improvement & Development: A total of $2 million was awarded to 175 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 199 organizations and programs in the areas of environmental education, renewable resources, conservation, and animal welfare.
• Arts & Culture: A total of $3.8 million was awarded to 177 artistic and cultural organizations across Arizona.
• Quality Education: During this quarter, a total of $5.1 million was awarded in scholarships and education-related grants.

College scholarships accounted for $411,553 of the quarter’s total and were awarded for the benefit of 104 students pursuing higher education. College scholarships are awarded to Arizona students to attend a wide range of colleges, universities, and technical schools in the state and across the U.S.

In addition to these grants, 27 nonprofit organizations with agency endowments managed by the Arizona Community Foundation received their annual distributions during the second quarter of ACF’s fiscal year, accounting for $4.3 million distributed during the quarter.

The $27.4 million awarded across all categories represents 1,924 grants and scholarships. Some grants are awarded at the discretion of the Arizona Community Foundation 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

Established in 1978, the Arizona Community Foundation is a statewide family of charitable funds supported by thousands of residents. With five regional offices serving communities across Arizona, ACF is among the top 25 community foundations in the nation with more than $1.3 billion in trust and endowment assets and is certified under the National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations.

Since inception, ACF has awarded more than $1.3 billion in grants, scholarships, and loans to nonprofit organizations, schools, tribal entities, and government agencies.

Visit azfoundation.org.