For its 85th anniversary, Desert Financial gave an additional $8,500 to all 26 organizations

In 2024, Desert Financial proudly supported Arizona communities with $320,000 in grants to local charities. In honor of the credit union's 85th anniversary, each nonprofit also received an additional $8,500 surprise gift, during an in-person Grant Recognition ceremony on August 16, totaling $541,000 in giving.

This 2024 grant cycle is the largest to date for Desert Financial. With the special anniversary gifts, grant funding this year increased 80% over 2023 and more than doubled the amount awarded in 2022.

"Our team is passionate about supporting local nonprofits that focus on education, youth and workforce development in Arizona," said Ron Amstutz, Desert Financial Credit Union executive vice president. "It's a great honor for Desert Financial to celebrate 85 years in business and sharing that success with the community isn't just an honor–it's the right thing to do."

This year's grant recipients, receiving amounts from $7,500 to $15,000 each plus the additional surprise gift of $8,500, are dedicated to making a difference in education, youth and workforce development across Arizona. These nonprofit partners were selected through a formal application and review process.

Charitable organizations receiving grants from Desert Financial in 2024 include:

• A New Leaf – $15,000 for early childhood education for low-income children in Phoenix Metro

• Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Arizona – $15,000 for STEM programs for ages 6-17 in Prescott and Prescott Valley

• Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale – $15,000 for workforce training for teens in Phoenix and Scottsdale

• Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley – $15,000 for academic programs in Phoenix and Yuma

• Candelen – $15,000 for childhood caregiving support in Phoenix Metro

• Catholic Charities Community Services – $15,000 for tutoring or tuition for unaccompanied refugee minors in central Phoenix

• Society of St. Vincent de Paul in Phoenix – $15,000 for the Workforce Opportunities program in Phoenix

• Jobs for Arizona's Graduates – $15,000 for career and college readiness programs

• Laptops 4 Learning – $15,000 for laptops for students in Phoenix Metro

• Earn to Learn – $15,000 for a matched savings scholarship program in Maricopa County and rural Arizona

• Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center – $15,000 for an inclusive preschool program for children with autism in Phoenix, Tempe, and Scottsdale

• Tynkertopia – $15,000 for mentoring youth from low-income families in Flagstaff

• Yavapai Big Brothers Big Sisters – $15,000 for expanding youth services in Yavapai County

• Lowell Observatory – $12,500 for STEAM education for 4th-8th graders on Navajo, Hopi, and Apache nations

• Save the Family Foundation of Arizona – $12,500 for children's services to halt homelessness in East Valley

• The Launch Pad Teen Center – $12,500 for workforce development for 16-24-year-olds in Prescott

• Billy's Place, Inc. – $10,000 for school-based grief support in Maricopa County

• Live and Learn – $10,000 for financial literacy training for women in poverty or domestic violence in Maricopa County

• Native American Connections – $10,000 for after-school and summer programs in Phoenix

• Southwest Human Development – $10,000 for early education for 180+ children and support for their families in Phoenix

• The Be Kind People Project – $10,000 for the Be Kind curriculum in Title I schools in Arizona

• Children's Museum of Phoenix – $7,500 for free/reduced-price STEM field trips and books for children in need in Phoenix

• Free Arts for Abused Children of Arizona – $7,500 for arts programs for children who experienced trauma in Maricopa County

• Future for KIDS – $7,500 for mentorship programs in Phoenix, Tempe and Mesa

• Literacy Volunteers of Coconino County – $7,500 to improve reading skills for K-1 students in Flagstaff

• McDowell Sonoran Conservancy – $7,500 for field trips for 3rd-4th graders in Title I schools in Maricopa County

Also new this year, Desert Financial instituted a two-year grant cycle. Grant recipients who fulfill the requirements of the grant in year one will not have to reapply to receive the same amount in grant funding in 2025, enabling partners to focus on making an even bigger impact for Arizonans. As part of its mission to share success, Desert Financial has provided more than $2 million to Arizona nonprofits through grants in the past decade.