At the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona, we are committed to reducing two of the most significant barriers to a vibrant Southern Arizona – environmental risks and inequity. This year, CFSA’s Environmental Sustainability Impact Fund and Nonprofit Solar Project directly connected nonprofit organizations with solar technology that saves them dollars and reduces their environmental impact.
The Nonprofit Solar Project launched in 2022 to help local community service organizations meet a significant portion of their energy needs through solar power. Funded primarily by an anonymous donor, the project also received generous support from other partners such as Tucson Foundations, Tucson Electric Power, Wells Fargo, and other CFSA donors.
In the last two months, we have celebrated the completion of two solar projects at Edge High School and The Drawing Studio. Two additional projects are nearing completion and will be announced soon. The impact of a dedicated solar array installation for our grantees and community is twofold: it reduces the grantee’s energy costs and carbon footprint, and those funds can then be reinvested into programming and infrastructure.
The completion of the solar installation at The Drawing Studio and Edge High School is an excellent example of what can be accomplished when individuals, businesses, and nonprofits come together to create a better – and more sustainable – Southern Arizona.
The Drawing Studio Goes Solar
The Drawing Studio inspires people of all ages and backgrounds to embrace art practice as a pathway to personal growth and a healthy community. They offer affordable fee-based and free classes and workshops to the community, host events and exhibits, and foster awareness of the positive effects of creativity on individuals.
Frank Velásquez Jr., Board President of The Drawing Studio, shared, “This installation is particularly meaningful for us at The Drawing Studio, a nonprofit that brings art and the benefits of creating art to the entire community. By significantly reducing our electricity costs, we can redirect our financial resources towards expanding our programs, like our Be R.E.A.D.I classes, which bring art to youth who don’t otherwise have access to art classes. This installation lights a path forward—not just for us, but for other nonprofits seeking sustainable solutions that enable greater investment in their core missions. Thank you once again to everyone who made this installation possible. Your support not only powers our facility—it energizes our entire community.”
Learn more about The Drawing Studio at thedrawingstudiotds.org