Local First Arizona Foundation

Mission: To strengthen local businesses and communities by establishing equitable systems that level the playing field for a thriving, inclusive and lasting Arizona economy.

Vision: An Arizona where success knows no boundaries. It's a world where every individual, regardless of their background, discovers fertile ground to sprout, dream and blossom.

Primary Focus Areas:

• Local Business Technical Assistance: Small business education programs in English and Spanish that foster entrepreneurship and increase access to capital. The Foundation provided one-on-one consulting to 3,500 small and under-resourced businesses in 2024, with Business Accelerator programs graduating 168 owners from the greater Phoenix area, Sedona, Cottonwood, Globe, and Miami.

• Food Business Development & Community Gardens: Community kitchen incubation and farm-to-table programs. In 2024, more than 135 food business startups were incubated across community kitchens in Mesa, South Phoenix, and Maryvale, with 85 additional food businesses beginning operations through restaurant start-up boot camp participation.

• Community & Economic Development: Programs building a self-reliant economy with focus on developing entrepreneurship in low-income or under-resourced communities.

• Advocacy & Coalition Building: Harnessing the collective power of the largest local business coalition in the U.S. to advocate for the local business community.