April 2026

We’re proud to share our 2025 Impact Report, highlighting the progress we’ve made together this year to advance The Arizona We Want. From data to action, it shows how we’re driving measurable impact on the issues that matter most to Arizonans.

There’s still time to nominate an outstanding non-elected public servant for the 2026 Gabe Zimmerman Public Service Awards.

Scott's remarks highlight how Arizona’s public servants drive strong, thriving communities across the state. From implementing policies and managing programs to delivering essential services, their efforts strengthen communities, build trust in civic institutions, and improve how government works for all.

Do you know a public servant working to build a stronger and brighter future for our state?

Earlier this month, CFA’s Peter Boyle facilitated "Permission and a Push" for more than 150 education leaders from across Arizona. The session focused on helping leaders move from perceived constraints to actionable innovation through Permission Granted and its two new tools.

	Explore the Tools  Policy Primer   Outlines existing policy flexibilities that can be leveraged to support student success.  Innovation Guide   Details how school systems are using existing policies to increase student success.

In partnership with the Arizona Institute for Education and the Economy (AIEE), we're working to redesign educational systems and increase student success across Arizona.

Engage Your Community
CFA & AIEE will lead regional convenings throughout the state to engage more communities in this transformative work. Fill out this form to bring Permission Granted to your community.

Walmart shares CFA’s commitment to expanding economic mobility and creating pathways for individuals to thrive in today’s economy. Since 2016, Walmart has supported CFA’s work to strengthen Arizona’s workforce by investing in initiatives that connect people to opportunity and help systems work more effectively.

A decade ago, Walmart first invested in CFA to launch RetailWorks AZ, helping position Arizona as a leader in advancing career pathways within the retail sector — now the state’s fourth largest workforce sector and a critical entry point for many workers.

Since then, Walmart’s continued investments and national network have supported efforts that expand access to upskilling, strengthen career pathways, and improve how workforce systems serve Arizona workers. This includes initiatives such as CFA’s Workforce Leadership Academies, in partnership with the Aspen Institute, and the Skills-First Working Initiative with the Burning Glass Institute, and investments in Learning & Employment Records (LER), also referred to as digital wallets, — efforts that help align employers, educators, and workforce leaders around more effective, skills-based approaches.

Through this ongoing relationship, CFA and Walmart continue to contribute to a more connected and effective workforce ecosystem that supports career growth and advances economic mobility across Arizona.

Local policymakers, election officials, academics, and other experts joined CFA in Flagstaff to discuss survey findings around what makes a great election for Arizonans. Dr. Sybil Francis, Chair, President & CEO of CFA, presented research from the Good Elections Project.

Arizona State University’s Mechanics of Democracy Lab concluded its “What Makes a Great Election” series in Flagstaff, convening state and local leaders in partnership with CFA, Northern Arizona University, the Democracy Defense Project, the Burton Family Foundation, and Vitalyst Health Foundation.

Building on earlier convenings, this final session pushed the conversation further — zeroing in on solutions to election challenges and advancing practical, common-sense reforms grounded in what Arizonans say they want from their elections. As a core partner, CFA presented first-of-its-kind survey insights from the Good Elections Project, which anchored the discussion in those priorities.

From there, state policymakers, election officials, academics, and other experts engaged directly with the findings — exchanging ideas, challenging assumptions, and identifying actionable ways to strengthen elections in Arizona ahead of the 2026 election cycle and beyond.

This spring, 37 Arizona high school students completed a 6-week virtual internship coordinated by CFA’s Arizona Pathways to Prosperity initiative in partnership with the Work-Based Learning Alliance.

Interns worked in teams with organizations applying their learning to real projects from marketing to data storytelling. One team developed youth-focused curriculum on extreme heat and presented an implementation plan to the Southwest Center on Resilience for Climate Change at the University of Arizona during a virtual showcase.

Experiences like these help Arizona students build confidence, strengthen communication and collaboration skills, and explore new possibilities for their future.

Funders from across the country gathered at the Flinn Foundation in Phoenix to discuss civic engagement and democratic resilience, with the convening held in Arizona in recognition of the great work advancing across the state.

Arizona is gaining national recognition for advancing a stronger, more connected civic future — showing what’s possible when shared values lead to action. Earlier this month, we joined Philanthropy for Active Civic Engagement’s national spring convening, co-hosted by our partners at Vitalyst Health Foundation, ASU Foundation, and the Flinn Foundation, where organizations from across the country came together to learn from and share efforts building civic engagement and democratic resilience. Director of Civic Health Kristi Tate shared how insights from our statewide public opinion research and Civic Health Progress Meters are strengthening civic health across Arizona. Through the Arizona Civic Life Partnership, in partnership with the Arizona Center for Civic Leadership at the Flinn Foundation, and initiatives like School Participatory Budgeting, our work is creating more opportunities for Arizonans — of all backgrounds — to engage, lead, and strengthen their communities.

As debates over election policy continue, one voice is often missing: Arizonans. In her latest op-ed, Dr. Sybil Francis highlights what voters say matters most, and why it should shape the conversation.

Arizonans know what matters to them, and that should matter to everyone, including our elected leaders, Dr. Sybil Francis writes in her new op-ed for the Arizona Capitol Times.