From May to July 2023, Local First Arizona will work with Tucson retailers to solve one environmental challenge ― moving beyond the plastic retail bag.

The Bring Your Own Bag pilot will debut in two American cities, Tucson and Denver, as part of a larger “Beyond the Bag” initiative.

The goal is simple ― to enable a broader cultural shift towards shoppers bringing their own bags from home.

Tucson yoga teacher Jameela Hill gained confidence to expand her business through Local First Arizona’s We Rise program.

“I've had the confidence to go after opportunities that I would've never considered before,” Hill says.

The no-cost, 6-month accelerator empowers Black Arizona entrepreneurs and nonprofit leaders to grow and prosper, with mentors to guide their progress.

Tucson business owners are encouraged to visit an info session April 13 and apply.

“Thanks to our partnership with the Maricopa Career Institute, starting today, D Squared Homes for the Homeless has space in Phoenix for volunteers to come to help us create sleeping mats for the homeless community,” says the CEO of D Squared Homes for the Homeless, Juan Te Dailey.

After meeting through Local First Arizona’s We Rise Accelerator, two local businesses, The Maricopa Career Institute and D Squared Homes For The Homeless, decided to pool their resources and have entered into a partnership with a common goal of continuing to uplift underserved populations.

This February, Local First Arizona partnered with the Arizona Office of Tourism to organize a planned itinerary to showcase Lake Havasu’s greatest tourist attractions. WeekendZona attendees only needed to show up, mingle with their fellow travelers and be ready for adventure.

“So many doors have opened for me,” says soap maker Veronica Cruz about graduating from Local First Arizona’s Fuerza Local Business Accelerator. Sales have increased eightfold, and she even has shipped internationally. “This program was a little push that I needed.”

As the largest coalition of of locally-owned businesses in the nation, you are part of a movement that elevates the voices of Arizona’s independent, locally-owned businesses – connecting people, communities and resources for meaningful actions that build a diverse, inclusive and prosperous Arizona. Join us in celebrating new and renewing business coalition members.

En el mes de la Historia de la Mujer 2023, conoceremos la historia de Claudia Carreño, empresaria, instructora y sobre todo una mujer poderosa que está dejando huella en la comunidad empresarial hispana en Arizona.

Claudia Carreño es orgullosamente originaria de Santiago Papasquiaro, Durango, México y dueña de Carreño Services LLC una empresa local que brinda servicios de contabilidad/bookkeeping, recursos humanos y administración a pequeñas empresas, además de ser la actual coordinadora de la segunda y tercera generación del programa Nivel Ejecutivo de Fuerza Local.

From selling 50 tamales on the first day they opened to 10 million a year now, the owners of Tucson Tamale Company say one key to success was choosing a local bank.

“The decision-makers are local, and they are invested in our success.”

We Rise participants Mission 2 Transition and McKnight Educational Consulting for College Admissions (MECCA) partnered to teach youth about the college admission process at the Urban Experience Conference hosted by the Youth World Education Project on February 18.

Mission 2 Transition facilitated an interactive mock-admission simulation for students and parents. The purpose of the simulation was to create awareness of the many factors considered in college admission decisions. MECCA followed up the simulation by providing students and parents with grade-level-specific checklists of the actions students and parents should be taking to be prepared for the transition out of high school.  

On February 28, 2023, Local First’ We Rise businesses, current and alumni, met for the first quarterly We Rise Mixer of the year.

The We Rise business accelerator meets virtually every other Wednesday for six months. At the request of the alumni, the We Rise program holds quarterly mixers to strengthen the sense of community and foster collaboration.

A panel of top food critics and journalists from around the country personally tasted 70 dishes and beverages at the 2023 Devour Culinary Classic, scoring on taste, presentation, degree of difficulty and creativity. A new award, the Heritage Medal, recognized the best dishes with indigenous, heirloom, locally sourced or desert-adapted ingredients.

Local First Arizona is proud to announce the winners of the 14th annual Devour Culinary Classic, a showcase of Arizona’s top chefs hosted Feb. 25-26 at Desert Botanical Garden. The two-day event was the first in-person celebration since 2020.

As the largest coalition of of locally-owned businesses in the nation, you are part of a movement that elevates the voices of Arizona’s independent, locally-owned businesses – connecting people, communities and resources for meaningful actions that build a diverse, inclusive and prosperous Arizona. Join us in celebrating new and renewing business coalition members.

Far from a typical business conference or networking event, the Arizona Good Business Summit is a meeting of the minds of the most dynamic, socially conscious, creative and forward-thinking leaders and businesspeople from Arizona and across the country. Attendees eager to form relationships and create lasting impact will be inspired to collaborate across industries and move conversations into action.

The summit features a wide variety of workshops, business trainings, panel discussions, networking opportunities and presentations from guests and keynote speakers, in addition to a walking tour of Mesa’s thriving business core.

Although it’s good news that more Arizonans are employed than ever before, the demand for workers has been challenging for small businesses to keep up with, particularly in rural areas.

Local First is working with rural employers to understand their staffing needs, opportunities and challenges to find solutions.