Arizona’s landscapes tell our story — from desert trails and riverbanks to neighborhood parks and small-town main streets. Keeping those places clean, healthy and accessible doesn’t happen by accident. It happens because communities show up to help clean up.

That’s where Keep Arizona Beautiful comes in.

Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) play a critical role in filling gaps left by conventional banks, particularly in rural, tribal, and historically underbanked communities — many of the same places Local First focuses its work. When CDFIs are supported, small businesses can launch, grow and serve their communities. When they’re under threat, the ripple effects are immediate — and deeply personal.

From Tucson to Phoenix to the rural corners of our state, Arizonans are showing up and showing out to remember Dr. King and carry his work forward.

When local governments buy everyday essentials — from classroom supplies to janitorial goods — those seemingly incidental decisions can have a big impact on shaping the entire economic landscape. They determine which businesses survive, which communities thrive and whether public dollars circulate locally or feed the coffers of corporate monopolies.

Every month, we highlight the businesses that keep Arizona strong. This month’s members show what choosing local looks like in action. Women opening a new hub for wine and art in Cottonwood. A regenerative grower turning a backyard into a micro-farm that inspires connection. A historic Tucson landmark that has been welcoming families for more than sixty years. Their work strengthens our communities one project, one bouquet, and one family outing at a time.

Arizona’s story has always been written by its people — by the growers, the builders, the small business owners and the changemakers who call this state home.

Last minute doesn’t mean no thought. It just means the calendar is running at a faster pace than you can keep up with, and that’s okay, because there are so many ways to keep your gift giving local even as time runs out. If you still have some shopping to do, and even if you haven’t even started yet, we have some judgement-free options on how to keep your holiday spending local while completing your last-minute list. 

This GivingTuesday, December 2, we’re inviting you to stand with the entrepreneurs who power our communities by donating, volunteering or amplifying the work of Local First Arizona.

Every month, we celebrate the local businesses building a stronger Arizona from the ground up. This lineup shows what real local impact looks like across our state: skilled construction teams improving our neighborhoods, organizers helping households run with more ease, and wellness practitioners supporting individuals and families through meaningful care. From Phoenix to Oro Valley to Camp Verde, these members represent craftsmanship, creativity and a deep commitment to the communities they serve.

It takes effort to find the perfect gift for someone. That’s why it would be nice if the gift had a little staying power, too. If the gift itself could give or somehow give back. When you shop locally, you’re already checking one “give back” box by keeping money in the local economy.

And when you shop locally at a business that reinvests its profits in people, the planet or the community, you’re making sure you’re giving gifts with even more impact. If this is the way you’re approaching your holiday shopping season, you’re in luck, because Arizona is a hotspot for mission-driven businesses that are creating social, environmental or cultural ripples with every sale. 

If you’re looking to gift like you mean it this year, by wrapping up gifts that create a lasting impact, here are a few local options you might want to consider. 

Buying local keeps money circulating in Arizona and strengthens communities from Bisbee to Flagstaff. Here are five easy ways to make your holiday shopping meaningful, memorable and 100% Arizona.

Holiday shopping shouldn’t feel like a sprint through corporate sameness. This year, skip the predictable and give local. Shopping with personality types in mind makes your gifts unforgettable, and every purchase from an Arizona-owned business keeps more money right here at home, fueling jobs, creativity and community. Here’s how to shop local, letting your recipients’ personalities be your guide.

The holidays are here, and while most of us are thinking about gifts and celebrations, Local First is also focused on fairness. Because the movement to “shop local” isn’t just about warm fuzzies — it’s about leveling a playing field that’s long been tilted against small businesses.

For most growing companies, raising capital means giving up control — and often, giving up local roots. But Cartel Roasting Co., the Arizona-born coffee company known for its fiercely independent streak, is taking a different path: growing through community investment.

Cuando conoces a la Chef Carmen Pérez, es imposible no notar su energía y alegría. Su personalidad brillante y contagiosa, llena de fuerza y optimismo, es lo que la define y lo que finalmente inspiró el nombre de su negocio: Chispita Catering.

Con una sonrisa constante y una determinación inquebrantable, Carmen ha convertido su chispa personal en el motor de un negocio que lleva comida deliciosa y de alta calidad a celebraciones y eventos en todo el Valle.

PHOENIX Oct. 9, 2025) —  Local First’s Northern Arizona Good Jobs Network (NAGJN) has officially entered its final phase of implementation. Starting in 2022, this regional program developed new training initiatives in the food services, healthcare and social assistance, construction and manufacturing sectors. Now those training programs are open for enrollment with many of them free or discounted, with financial incentives available to employers who use the programs to hire and upskill. NAGJN’s goal is to build a rural workforce ecosystem that connects people to good jobs, creates more local talent pipelines for rural businesses and supports employers in operating by “Good Jobs Principles” to attract and retain skilled workers.