The Policy Project

The Policy Project grant provides flexible funding for organizations to use dollars as they see fit to address emerging or existing public policy issues, helping to lead our community to a healthier, safer, and more innovative future.

The Community Foundation for Southern Arizona, with the generous support of The Melody S. Robidoux Fund, is launching The Policy Project.

This unique funding opportunity provides non-profit 501(c)3 organizations with an opportunity to impact their community by increasing their public policy and public advocacy efforts over the course of up to three (3) years. The Policy Project is rooted in mutual trust, with the philosophy that grantees understand their unique needs and can demonstrate and achieve impact.

The next applications will open in the spring of 2027!

Questions? Contact our Community Impact Team at community@cfsaz.org or by phone at 520-770-0800.

Application Information

Applicant Criteria

Organizations may apply individually or as part of an advocacy-based coalition. Funding may be used to advance advocacy and public policy efforts via increasing or retaining current staff members, purchasing technology or other advocacy-related equipment, or other necessary items to allow for the expansion of quality advocacy efforts in our community.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicant must be a 501(c)3 in good standing and have been operating for at least 2 years or apply using a fiscal sponsor.
If applying with a fiscal sponsor, the fiscal sponsor must be a 501(c)3 in good standing, located in Southern Arizona (with the exception of the Technical Assistance Partnership of Arizona (TAPAZ).
Applicant must be based in Southern Arizona (we welcome applicants from all counties south of the Gila River, including Cochise, Graham, Greenlee, Pima, Santa Cruz, Yuma, and relevant areas of Pinal County).
Applicant must be current in all reporting to CFSA.
Applicant must have an annual operating budget over $100,000 or apply using a fiscal sponsor.
Grants are not made to individuals, for-profit organizations, government entities, capital fund drives, agency endowments, debt reduction, individual schools, religious organizations for sectarian purposes, or pure sports teams.

Grantmaking Priority

The Public Policy Project grants are scored according to a rubric representative of the following characteristics.

Systems Change: Applicant demonstrates the ability to create lasting systems change efforts that meet a present or emerging need in the community.
Educational Awareness: Applicant demonstrates the ability to increase the education and involvement of their consistency, clients, or the general public in order to advance their public policy goal or agenda through collaborations, coalitions, or other partnerships with community-based organizations and groups.
Organizational Sustainability: Applicant possesses a business model that provides ongoing financial support and stable governance for their organization.
Results: Applicant utilizes different methods of evaluation and data collection to inform decision-making, as well as develop appropriate services to the community.
Effective Advocacy/Public Policy Efforts: Applicant can clearly speak to the importance of the policy goal in relation to their organization’s mission, programs, and strategic plan. The organization’s advocacy goals must be achievable within the timeframe of the grant period.

In addition to meeting the Public Policy Project values, organizations applying for these grants must meet all the criteria below. Organizations will be screened for basic eligibility criteria by staff at the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona to ensure they meet the criteria before advancing to committee review.

Other Important Information

The Public Policy Project is a three-year grant cycle. First-year awards will be made via a competitive application process, with noncompetitive renewal processes to take place in subsequent years. The maximum grant award per year is $30,000 per year.
Awards made by CFSA’s various grant committees 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 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, or any other status prohibited by applicable law.

Important Dates

The next applications will open in the spring of 2027!

To Apply

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.

Policy Project Past Grant Recipients

2024

Thanks to the generous funding from the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona, the Florence Project can now advance crucial advocacy initiatives to realize our vision: a world where all immigrants facing removal have access to counsel, understand their rights, and are treated fairly and humanely. This funding will specifically support our Advocacy Program, which focuses on reclaiming the immigration narrative, amplifying immigrants’ rights, and pursuing universal representation for all immigrants facing deportation. Our Advocacy Program's activities will include amplifying immigrants' voices, educating the public on the impacts of immigration laws and policies, appealing unjust immigration cases, building strong partnerships with local and national stakeholders, identifying plaintiffs for impact litigation, and engaging in strategic media outreach. We are deeply grateful to the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona for empowering us to more strategically pursue our advocacy goals through this Policy Project grant. Thank you!
— Jessica Hess, Grants Coordinator at Florence Immigrant & Refugee Rights Project

This funding allows us at Children's Action Alliance to expand our advocacy work further into the rural areas of Arizona. We are excited to listen, learn and mobilize parents and childcare providers to speak with lawmakers about how they can better address the child care crisis affecting Arizona families.
— Michelle Crow, Southern Arizona Director at Children's Action Alliance

The CFSA policy project grant is an exciting opportunity to fully engage in public policy and advocacy work. We can direct our resources to advancing our mission secure in the knowledge that the S. AZ community as a whole recognizes the value of social and economic justice work. We are thrilled beyond words! We can't wait to take on powerful corporate interests and work with our coalition partners to interrupt cycles of generational poverty through good governance and sound public policies.
— Kelly Griffith, Executive Director at Southwest Center for Economic Integrity