Local First Arizona receives $90,000 Thunderbirds Charities grant
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Charlotte Shaff
602-418-8534
Local First Arizona receives $90,000 Thunderbirds Charities grant
The investment supports business accelerators for Latino and Black entrepreneurs
PHOENIX, Ariz. (March 2, 2026) — Thunderbirds Charities has awarded $90,000 to Local First Arizona to support and expand business education and accelerator programs serving entrepreneurs who face persistent barriers to capital, credit and business training. The funding sustains Local First’s flagship programs, Fuerza Local Acelerador de Negocios, Fuerza Local Nivel Ejecutivo and We Rise, which provide culturally relevant business education, financial literacy and access to fair-market capital for Latino and Black entrepreneurs across Arizona. Since 2017, Thunderbirds Charities has invested more than $620,000 in Local First Arizona’s entrepreneurship programs.
“Access to capital remains the single biggest barrier facing the entrepreneurs we serve,” said Kimber Lanning, founder and CEO of Local First Arizona. “When participants enter the Acelerador de Negocios, the average interest rate they are paying is 48%. Our programs are intentionally designed to replace this type of predatory lending with education, credit-building and fair-market financial tools that allow entrepreneurs to grow sustainable businesses.”
Fuerza Local Acelerador de NegociosFounded in 2013, Fuerza Local Acelerador de Negocios is a six-month, Spanish-language business accelerator serving Latino micro-entrepreneurs. The program combines hands-on business training, financial literacy and a required savings-based microfinance model that helps participants build or repair credit and move away from predatory lenders. Entrepreneurs save $1,000 through monthly deposits, which is matched upon graduation and reinvested into their businesses through an approved business plan. Since its launch, the Acelerador de Negocios has graduated more than 1,400 businesses, helped launch more than 1,175 new businesses and created over 1,575 jobs.
Fuerza Local Nivel EjecutivoFuerza Local Nivel Ejecutivo provides advanced business education and coaching for entrepreneurs who are ready to move beyond launch and into sustainable growth. While entry-level programs focus on foundational skills, Nivel Ejecutivo emphasizes strategic financial planning, leadership development and preparation to access larger sources of capital. The program supports established business owners seeking to strengthen internal systems, increase revenue and compete for larger opportunities.
We RiseLaunched in 2020, We Rise is a business accelerator for Black entrepreneurs focused on financial literacy, business planning and long-term sustainability. Serving up to 40 entrepreneurs annually, the program uses a savings-based model similar to Fuerza Local Acelerador de Negocios to support credit building and access to fair-market capital. To further reduce barriers, Local First also operates the We Rise Incubator, which prepares aspiring entrepreneurs for the accelerator. To date, 31 individuals have participated in the incubator, with 19 advancing into the We Rise Business Accelerator. Local First will host its third We Rise Demo Day, a pitch competition with cash prizes, in June 2026.
About Local First ArizonaEstablished in 2003, Local First Arizona is a non-profit organization fiercely dedicated to driving inclusive community and economic development throughout Arizona. Our work shapes the future of Arizona by advocating that every individual and community deserves the opportunity to thrive, and that entrepreneurship is at the core of any lasting economy. In rural, Tribal, suburban and urban communities across our great state, Local First is delivering resources to ensure a future focused on economic opportunity for all.
About Thunderbirds CharitiesThunderbirds Charities is a nonprofit organization formed in 1986 to distribute funds raised through the WM Phoenix Open. Its mission is to assist children and families, help people in need and improve the quality of life in the Greater Phoenix metropolitan area. Learn more at thunderbirdscharities.org.
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