Arizona nonprofits can begin applying for Community Thrives grants on June 1

Roxanne De La Rosa, Arizona Republic

Starting June 1, nonprofits working to help struggling Arizonans can apply for grants up to $100,000 through this year’s A Community Thrives initiative.

The 6-year-old giving-back program is organized by the Gannett Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Gannett Co., Inc., which owns The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com. Nationally, $2 million is expected to be awarded.

Last year, 16 Arizona nonprofits shared more than $330,000 in A Community Thrives grants. Among them,The Be Kind People Project, which received a $10,000 grant to teach students valuable life-skills through music, urban dance and spoken word performances. 

“The Be Kind People Project used every dollar of the grant funding from A Community Thrives to provide social, academic, health, emotional wellness, and character education for Arizona youth,” founder Marcia Meyer said.

“Kids have needed extra support – from academics, to interpersonal relationship skills, to coping and personal wellness, to maintaining healthy habits  – during the pandemic changes in education and even post-pandemic transitions.”

The largest grant, $25,000, went to Tempe-based Lily’s Pad, which received $20,000 to help build a hyperclean play facility for children with autoimmune disorders, cancer and heart defects. 

Generally, grants are broken into two categories:

• National grants of $25,000, $50,000 and $100,000 are awarded for specific projects themed around community building. These are decided by the Gannett Foundation’s national board of directors. 
• Local operating grants can be used for specific projects or for operational costs In Phoenix, local operating grant applications will be considered by some of the same dedicated Republic employees who review Season for Sharing grant applications each year. One distinction between the two grant-making programs: crowdfunding. For final consideration, A Community Thrives asks nonprofits to do some independent crowdfunding.

A Community Thrives 2022

Timeline: 

• June 1-30 — Application period.
• July 18-Aug. 12 — Crowdfunding by qualified nonprofits.
• Grants will be announced on Oct. 5

Nonprofits can find more details about A Community Thrives and, beginning June 1, apply at: gannettfoundation.org/act

Link to full article here.