The new episode of Project Greenprint focused on Conservation by Social Television Network is available on the free STN App starting November 3rd. In this episode, host Kristen Keogh introduces several advocates for conservation in Arizona who offer opportunities to get involved and speak up for our few remaining wild spaces.

We are excited to announce the latest businesses to become certified through the Arizona Green Business Program. Read on to discover Local First Arizona members SWIYYAH, LLC and Wok This Way; two businesses whose sourcing and operating standards prioritize clean air, zero waste, water conservation, and sustaining livable communities for generations to come.

In late July 2021, Local First Arizona’s Rural Development team held a meeting with the US Forest Service to discuss potential volunteer opportunities to address the devastation of the Telegraph fire in Superior. With the recent merger of Local First Arizona and Keep Arizona Beautiful, this was the perfect opportunity to engage in rural Arizona.

Water – Plant It Wisely is your handy resource to provide landscaping guidance, advice, and ideas on what to plant. What you plant affects more than your yard; it helps create a more sustainable future. By selecting low-water-use plants, you help conserve our precious water supply for generations to come.

We Rise’s business model development curriculum features two modules that helps participants attain these skills: introduction to business model development and understanding your value proposition and target customer. By the end of both modules, participants have refined their respective business models to ensure maximum product-market fit, in collaboration with their mentors, instructors and fellow entrepreneurs.

This month, we began hosting capacity-building workshops for Gila Valley producers starting with a ‘Funding for Farmers’ workshop. Hosted at the Eastern Arizona College Discovery Park Campus with a beautiful backdrop of Mt. Graham, community members gathered in the early morning to learn about funding opportunities to start an agriculture business or improve their existing business. Speakers from the USDA, Small Business Development Center, Arizona Economic Recovery Center, Graham & Greenlee Microloan program, University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, Prestamos CDFI, Graham County Government, and Farm Credit West delivered short rapid-fire presentations to the crowd before transitioning to individual tables as community members walked around to network and find out more about different organizations. 

The business finance portion of the We Rise Accelerator Program focuses on three main topic modules: personal finance; debt, equity, and grant financing; and understanding credit and creditworthiness. The purpose of these modules is to expose entrepreneurs to different financing options for small businesses -- including the less familiar ones like equity and grants -- and to come together to develop strategies to improve both their personal and business creditworthiness.

The We Rise business plan curriculum guides participants through identifying effective ways to communicate their voice from paper to action. Once finished, the participant can successfully use the plan as a blueprint for day-to-day operations, obtaining funding, and overall growth.

Blanca Abarca es una orgullosa mexicana del estado de veracruz, graduada como enfermera profesional por la facultad de enfermería de la universidad veracruzana y orgullosa residente de Sur Phoenix por más de 20 años.

Su pequeña empresa Blanca 's Alterations & Creations LLC nació para dar formalidad a todas sus ideas y proyectos que ha realizado desde hace muchos años, con la intención de poder extenderlo y que la comunidad pudiera conocer más de su trabajo y labor.

The Sustainability Team at Local First Arizona is committed to connecting local businesses to more advocacy opportunities and to telling the stories of those across the state who are advocating for beneficial environmental policies. Read about some of the ways LFA has gotten involved in environmental advocacy.

The Florence Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with Local First Arizona and the Arizona Office of Tourism, gathered local residents and business owners to collectively create a community brand. This brand will represent the Florence business community and be utilized to promote events and other local activities. Community members who were a part of the meetings were there to be the most authentic voice for Florence. The group provided invaluable information about the history of the region, what makes Florence so special, colors that best represent their town, and more. This input helped to ensure that the final brand outcome would be representative of the community, its residents, and its businesses.

El Mes de la Herencia Hispana se celebra entre el 15 de septiembre y 15 de octubre porque celebran su independencia países hispanos como Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, México y Chile. Durante este mes se hace honor a las personas de origen hispano en Estados Unidos, festejando el 12 de octubre el Día de la Hispanidad.

Es por ello que contaremos la historia de dos representantes hispanos, graduados del programa Acelerador de Negocios de Fuerza Local y líderes en la comunidad de Sur Phoenix, Arizona.

Carlos Castillo originario de Indaparapeo, Michoacán y Erika Castillo originaria de Los Ángeles, California, con 8 años de casados dejaron sus profesiones para no solo ser dueños de su restaurante sino también para poder ayudar a su comunidad y generar empleos en Arizona con Chino-Mex, un restaurante con un encuentro de culturas gastronómicas muy especial.

Local First has a comprehensive and easy-to-use directory not only for local businesses but also for farms, community-supported agriculture (CSA) and all things food. It’s important to shop local and support your community and this directory makes it simple.

The overall goal of the Tribal Food Sovereignty Series is to provide a space for ongoing conversations that encourage exchange between food partners and tribal food practitioners and enhance networks and collaborations for improved coordination and stronger regional and inclusive food systems.

This summer has brought a much-needed monsoon season to quench our parched ecosystems and communities across the state. Luckily, more and more businesses across the state have made conserving water and other sustainable practices a part of the way they do business. This month, three new businesses have become certified through the Arizona Green Business Program. Steady Glow Digital, Ivan Martinez Photography, and The Nile Theater + Coffee Shop.

Due to their dedication to support the San Carlos Apache community, NDC has been a close partner with United Food Bank, distributing hundreds of food boxes to San Carlos families in need during the pandemic. Local First Arizona’s Good Food Film Series captured this partnership in the ‘Farm to Food Bank’ film released in May. The film is accessible through February 2022, so don’t miss your chance to watch it!

We are also gearing up for a second volunteer engagement for our LFA staff - NDC’s first fall fair this October. This will be a family-friendly event and will feature a film screening, farmers & artisans market, Apache food cooking demonstrations, live art, and a fashion show. There will also be plenty of youth activities, including a pumpkin patch and carving station, beading, and archery. We will celebrate NDC’s hard work this year and honor the food traditions and resilience of the San Carlos Apache community.

The Local First Arizona Sustainability team is now accepting applications for the next four cohorts starting in September 2021, November 2021, January 2022, and March 2022 from businesses and nonprofits seeking to develop the knowledge and skills to implement a sustainability project that reduces their impact, benefits their community, and gets them recognized for building a vibrant, inclusive, and sustainable local economy in Arizona.

Earlier this month, nearly 220 rural stakeholders, leaders, and advocates convened for the 14th Annual Rural Policy Forum, hosted by the Arizona Rural Development Council (AZRDC). Representatives from all 15 counties traversed the state for the two-day conference in the Sahuarita and the Green Valley area, eager to seek new solutions for building resilient, more inclusive rural economies across Arizona.

Natural buildings are becoming a popular alternative to traditional construction. Local First Arizona sat down with a diverse group of local experts and professionals to get an in-depth perspective.

Aken Online Marketing es una empresa de Arizona y miembro de Fuerza Local dedicada a ofrecer servicios de marketing, redes sociales, fotografía y video profesional en todo el valle que abrió sus puertas en marzo de 2015.

Aken Online Marketing nació de conocer las grandes necesidades de manejar correctamente los negocios a través de las redes sociales y volverla una herramienta más rentable para la comunidad hispana, y de esta forma eliminar el rezago en comparación con otras comunidades en Arizona.