How the Women's Foundation for the State of Arizona Approaches Its Giving

Headquartered in Tucson, the Women's Foundation for the State of Arizona (WFSA) focuses on the needs of women throughout the state. The concept behind WFSA began in 1991 with two women and $20,000. Over 30 years, WFSA has expanded its reach from just the southern portion of the state to all of Arizona and recently launched its Women & Girls of Color Fund.

Here are some essential things to know about WFSA and its approach to women's philanthropy in Arizona.

WFSA’s grantmaking

WFSA engages in community-centered grantmaking to fund local nonprofits and has provided nearly $20 million in its 30 years of operation. There are three grant opportunities at WFSA. Overall, the foundation prioritizes multi-year funding, collaboration, and capacity building through mentorships and technical support.

The Women & Girls of Color Fund, which is new, provides unrestricted general operating support to groups led by and serving women and girls of color in the state. The fund's grant cycle typically opens in the summer, and past grantees include Beyond the Hurt and Black Lives Matter Phoenix Metro.

WFSA also has an annual grants program that provides unrestricted general operating grants of up to $65,000, plus some renewable and multi-year grants. The yearly grant process focuses on nonprofits working in the areas of social change, gender equity, and economic advancement for women and girls.

There’s also the Unidas grant program, which supports social justice issues with $5,000 grants. This program involves community participants who review applications, conduct site visits and select grantees to encourage reform in conventional attitudes and the social climate.

Research work

In addition to making grants, WFSA conducts nonpartisan research in an effort to provide statewide data that can be used to make philanthropic and public policy decisions. A women's committee at WFSA leads this research and focuses its efforts on ways to benefit women and girls in Arizona.

These are some of the top research interests at WFSA:

Women in the workforce
The self-sufficiency of women
The cost of living for working families
Benefits eligibility for families
Childcare for single moms

Advocacy work

This women’s foundation is also involved in advocacy work to level the playing field for Arizona women. It has helped to advance issues with bipartisan support and champion bills to sign into law. Examples include HB 2016, which helps women maintain childcare assistance while pursuing education and training programs, and HB 2111, which supports single moms from pregnancy through their children’s first years of life.

Other WFSA programs and events

In addition to the work described above, WFSA partners with statewide organizations to build leadership skills and promote self-sufficiency among women. One program is Pathways for Single Moms, which helps single mothers prepare for careers in growing and sustainable fields. There's also the Unidas After-School Philanthropy program, which teaches high school-aged women about philanthropy and social justice through community grantmaking.

To learn more about this funder and others that give locally in the state, check out IP’s Arizona grantmaking guide.

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