Thanks to the generosity of donors like you, United Way of Northern Arizona (UWNA) has awarded more than $470,000 in grants to 41 programs serving Coconino, Navajo, and Apache counties for the 2025-2026 fiscal year.
These grants were awarded to programs that align with one of our key pillars that guide our mission to ensure that all in northern Arizona can thrive: Healthy Communities, Youth Opportunity, and Financial Security.
The Power of Collective Giving
One of UWNA’s greatest strengths – its superpower, if you will – is the ability to combine individual contributions into impactful, transformative grants. The process of selecting and evaluating programs for these grants reflects the heart of what we do: bringing people together to solve our community’s most pressing challenges.
Applications for funding were carefully reviewed by teams of dedicated community volunteers, who assessed each program’s effectiveness, impact, and alignment with community needs. Their thoughtful recommendations were then reviewed and voted on by the UWNA Board of Directors.
Programs That Make a Difference
The programs funded this year serve our community in diverse and meaningful ways. Here are just a few examples:
Mentoring and Youth Development: These programs support children and teens by helping them develop life skills, financial literacy, and academic confidence. Some focus on increasing literacy rates, while others provide crucial support to young people navigating academic or emotional challenges.
Youth Leadership: Several funded programs help young people and teens build confidence, strengthen decision-making skills, and find their voice—preparing them to step into roles where they can make a positive impact in their schools, workplaces, and communities.
Housing and Homelessness Services: Many programs offer shelter to individuals and families experiencing homelessness. Others assist with the transition to permanent housing or provide safe refuge for survivors of domestic violence.
Basic Needs Assistance: Programs also help people meet essential needs during times of crisis -such as providing groceries or transportation for individuals undergoing cancer treatment or facing other serious health challenges. Food programs focus specifically on alleviating food insecurity, which is an increasingly urgent issue in our region due to the effects of inflation and northern Arizona’s high cost of housing.
United is the Way
Each of these programs plays a critical role in strengthening our communities by providing support when it’s needed most. Your contributions make these grants possible. By giving to United Way of Northern Arizona, you are helping to ensure that resources reach every corner of our region so that all individuals and families have the opportunity to live healthy, stable, and fulfilling lives.
Thank you for being part of this vital work. Together, we are building Healthy Communities, expanding Youth Opportunity, and increasing Financial Security – because United is the Way to ensure that we all thrive.
