Who we are:

With a strong commitment to racial justice, the Arizona Racial Justice Initiative is driven by the guiding principle that "those closest to the problem are closest to the solution."

Through engagement with leaders of color who are at the forefront of the fight for justice in Arizona, a recurring concern was expressed: Black and Native communities in the state face significant resource disparities. This reality serves as our charge.

The Arizona Racial Justice Initiative is a 5-year (2023-2027) philanthropic initiative co-created with and for Black and Native leaders and communities. In order to join the fight against all forms of racial injustice–especially anti-Blackness and anti-Indigeneity–this initiative launched in 2023 with the goal of strengthening racial justice efforts in Arizona led by and for Black and Native communities. 

We achieve this by offering flexible funding, establishing and expanding capacity building supports, offering connection and relationship-building opportunities, and activating additional funding and funder collaboration. Our aim is to:

• Strengthen Black and Native-led organizations.
• Cultivate Black and Native leaders through personal and professional development, and physical, mental, and spiritual well-being support.
• Facilitate collaborations aimed at advancing the priorities of Black and Native communities.

By taking on this work, we disrupt business as usual. We embrace a participatory approach where community leaders have decision-making power on where funding goes. We embrace experimentation, exploration, and adaptation in order to determine the most effective ways to contribute to this work.

As a time-limited 5-year initiative, we are spending out all our resources and sunsetting at the end of 2027. Our final grant application closed on July 22, 2025.