African American Legacy Fund Grants

501(c)3 nonprofit organizations serving the Black and/or African Americans in Southern Arizona are invited to submit grant requests up to $10,000 in unrestricted operating support to provide flexible working capital and maximize the impact of their missions. This fund provides multi-year, unrestricted, funding.

Eligibility Requirements

• Organizations must have Black and/or African American representation on an executive leadership OR board level. PLEASE NOTE: If there is only one staff or board member fitting this requirement, that individual can NOT be a member of the African American Legacy Fund Advisory Board.
• The organization’s programming must directly benefit the Black and/or African American community living in Southern Arizona.
• The applicant must be a 501(c)(3) in good standing, conducting charitable work in Southern Arizona. Grassroots groups that have identified a 501(c)(3) that will act as the fiscal agent may be eligible to apply.
• The applicant must have local leadership in the form of a board of directors or advisory committee, local financial support, and local program management and accountability. In the case of nationally sponsored organizations, no portion of the grant can be used to support the national, state, or regional entity.
• The application must clearly speak to organizational involvement or programming within the Black and/or African American community in Southern Arizona.
• Organizations may request up to $10,000 in funding for the first year of the award cycle. The Grants Committee makes recommendations regarding second-year funding based on satisfactory progress toward grant goals, receipt of required reports, and availability of funds. An agency cannot apply for funding until all reports required for previous awards have been received.
• Only one application can be submitted by any agency.
• Grants are generally not made to individuals, for-profit organizations, government entities, capital fund drives, agency endowments, individual schools, or for sectarian purposes.
• Awards made by the foundation’s various grant panels support organizations that do not discriminate in their employment practices, volunteer opportunities, or delivery of programs and services based on Race, Religion, Gender or Gender Identity (including gender nonconformity and status as a transgender individual), Gender Expression, Sexual orientation, Age, Ancestry, Citizenship, Ethnicity, Familial Status, Socioeconomic Status (economic circumstances), Color, Creed, Sex (including pregnancy), Phases of Parenthood, National Origin, Marital Status, Veteran Status (past, current or prospective service in the armed forces), Genetic Information, Physical Characteristics or Appearance, Mental or Physical Disability, Any other status prohibited by applicable law.

Grantmaking Priority

• General Operating Support: Mission-based operations investing in the Black and/or African American community in Southern Arizona
• Nonprofits in Southern Arizona are invited to submit grant requests that are reflective of the role that they play within the Black and/or African American community in Southern Arizona. Applicant organizations will be reviewed according to their overall programming, investment within and awareness of the community and its needs, as well as organizational stability.
• Applications must fall within established guidelines, and funding priorities and are limited to a maximum of $10,000 per application.

Documents Required

• Annual Operating Budget (Current Fiscal Year) – A template will be available when the application opens
• Supporting Material – A document of choice highlighting the organization’s mission (pictures, report, brochure)

The next applications will open in March 2025!

All applications must be submitted through an online process with Common Grant Application. We strongly encourage you to review the tutorial video, which contains important information on how to register/log in and submit an application.  To view the video: click here.

• First-time users of the Common Grant Application, click here to register for an account.
• If you have already applied for a grant using the Common Grant Application, you should have an account. Returning users click here.

African American Museum of Southern Arizona University of Arizona

Books for Classrooms

• Grant made possible with support from Tucson Electric Power

Diversity in Dentistry Mentorships, Inc.

Dunbar Coalition, Inc.

Hattie B. Black Women in Progress

Tucson Educational Empowerment for Minorities (TEEM)

• Grant made possible with support from Joe Bourne Music, Art, and Entertainment

African American Museum of Southern Arizona

Barbea Williams Performing Company

Books for Classrooms

Diversity in Dentistry Mentorships

Sickle Cell Foundation of Southern Arizona

Tucson Educational Empowerment for Minorities (TEEM)

African American Museum of Southern Arizona: A Learning Journey

Barbea Williams Performing Company: Kuumba in AfriKan Arts

Books for Classrooms

Diversity in Dentistry Mentorships: Diversity in Dentistry Youth Summit

Sickle Cell Foundation of Southern Arizona: Rooting Out Health Disparities: A Critical African American Sickle Cell Disease Intervention

Tucson Educational Empowerment for Minorities (TEEM): Historical Black College Tours: High School and Middle School, 2022-2023

Barbea Williams Performing Company: Kuumba in AfriKan Arts, S.T.E.A.M and Professional Development

Books for Classrooms: Books for Title 1 Schools With High Concentrations of African American Students

Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson: Alpha Genta + Boys & Girls Clubs of Tucson

Educational Enrichment Foundation: Greatness Academy STEM Program

I Am You 360: Your Hair is Your Crown

LPKNC: LPKNC Positive Ways

Sustainable Tucson: Building Sustainable Communities Through Green Infrastructure

Tucson Educational Empowerment for Minorities (TEEM): Saturday Academy Summer Academic Foundation for Enrichment Program

Alpha Phi Alpha Tucson + Barbea Williams Performance Company
Program: Engage, Enrich, Encourage: Alpha BWPC

Arizona’s Children Association + Dunbar Barber Academy
Program: Naturally Me

Books for Classrooms + Tucson Educational Enrichment for Minorities
Program: Books for Classrooms TUSD Pilot Project

I Am You 360 + Tucson Boys and Girls Club
Program: Removing the Band-Aid

Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation of Southern Arizona + Sickle Cell Foundation of Arizona

Culture of Peace Alliance + Our Family Services

Goodwill of Southern Arizona + Grad Solutions/SMART Schools

Tucson Educational Empowerment for Minorities (TEEM), sponsored by Raytheon

Blair Charity Group + Boys and Girls Clubs of Tucson
Program: Tucson Synergy

Goodwill of Southern Arizona + Calvary Missionary Baptist Church
Program: The African American Youth Village Initiative,

Culture of Peace Alliance + Our Family Services
Program: Youth Leadership Project

Thrive Generations + Tucson Spartans Basketball
Program: CHOICES 

Southern Arizona Black College Community Support Group + Garden Youth Development Project
Program: Summer Academic Foundation for Enrichment – Saturday Academy