Clint Mabie, CFSA President and CEO
“The Community Foundation for Southern Arizona has never been stronger than it is right now. After considerable deliberation, I have decided that now is the right time for me to retire,” Mabie said. “We have just adopted a new strategic plan and purpose statement to take CFSA’s impact to the next level. We need a CEO who will be here long-term for this new direction.”
“CFSA’s Board of Trustees is grateful to Clint for his leadership and his commitment to responding to the community’s needs over the past ten years,” said Claudia Jasso, chair of the Board of Trustees at CFSA. “Clint’s dedication to our donors and his ability to bring people together from multiple sectors has positioned the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona to take on an even greater role in creating an equitable and vibrant community for all Southern Arizonans.”
Mabie joined CFSA in 2010 and has worked diligently to increase the scope, impact, and diversity of the Foundation’s philanthropic efforts. Under his leadership, the Foundation’s assets have grown from $90 million to nearly $165 million, and the amount granted annually to the community has quadrupled thanks to the generosity of CFSA’s wonderful donors. Prior to joining CFSA, Mabie served as Director of Donor Services and Program Development at the Chicago Community Trust for a decade.
Mabie brought a deep commitment to diversity and inclusivity to the Foundation. Under his leadership, CFSA established and supported the African American Legacy Fund and Latino Community Fund. In addition, grant funding provided by CFSA’s LGBTQ+ Alliance Fund more than doubled over the last 10 years. Mabie also established CFSA’s Civic Leadership Award to honor individuals who demonstrate a commitment to diversity and have helped make Southern Arizona a more inclusive and welcoming place to live.
Guided by Mabie’s belief that community issues can only be solved by all sectors working together, the Foundation significantly increased its presence as a multisector convener and community partner over the last decade. Partnerships established under his leadership include the MAP Dashboard, Pima Alliance for Animal Welfare, Nonprofit Loan Fund (now Growth Partners Arizona), and ELDER Alliance to name a few.
The Foundation also expanded its support of and partnership with Southern Arizona’s nonprofit community during Mabie’s tenure. The Foundation implemented its CORE Grants Program in 2017, advocating for and providing general operating support based on the belief that nonprofit leaders in the field know best how to allocate grant resources to serve their mission. Mabie also created the Buddy Amos Founders Award in 2015 to annually highlight and recognize nonprofit founders in Southern Arizona who have provided inspirational leadership to the community.
The work to support regional nonprofits culminated in the development of the Community Foundation Campus, a unique nonprofit coworking facility, that opened in 2018. The Campus was created in response to feedback from the community that nonprofits needed a central place to convene, learn together, and work collaboratively. Offering free and low-cost training, professional development, and networking opportunities specifically for nonprofit professionals, CFSA’s Center for Healthy Nonprofits launched in 2019.
Under Mabie’s leadership, CFSA has remained responsive to the needs of the community during some of its most challenging times. In response to the January 8th Tucson shootings in 2011, the Foundation established several funds and distributed more than $1 million through that effort to victims, their families and nonprofits that were supporting the community. Most recently, the Foundation established two COVID-19 Response Funds that have provided over $1.5 million in swift and strategic aid to Southern Arizona’s nonprofit organizations during the pandemic. The Foundation has also developed a partnership with the City of Tucson to bring additional funding to Tucson nonprofits in the coming months.
“I would like to thank our Board of Trustees and the staff at CFSA for their tireless support, and our community and nonprofit partners for their dedication to our community,” Mabie continued. “Most of all I would like to thank the committed and caring CFSA donors who have enriched my life and that of the community over the last decade. The impact we have made as a Foundation to improve the quality of life in Southern Arizona would not have been possible without their support. I have every confidence in our current team, and I believe that CFSA has its best days ahead.”
Jasso shared that a search committee will be formed soon to help identify a new President and CEO for the Foundation.
Mabie will remain with the Foundation through the end of 2020 to support the successful transition to a new leader. He will stay in Tucson with his family after his retirement.