Community-engaged work asks who is at the table, whose voices are heard, and who gets to decide. We ground our approach in the IAP2 Spectrum of Public Participation, a framework that moves community members from being informed to being empowered in decision-making. Across Arizona’s landscape of cultures, languages, and geographies, this stance shapes how we design evaluations, build partnerships, and share what we learn.
Arizona’s Cultural Richness
Arizona is home to a mosaic of culture and community. Meaningful programming reflects the language(s), tradition(s), and lived realities of the people involved.
- Arizona is home to border communities, agricultural communities, retiree populations, and diverse religious and spiritual traditions.
- Within and overlapping Arizona's borders are 22 federally recognized tribal nations.
- Roughly a third of Arizonans are Hispanic or Latino, most of Mexican descent.
- Four urban areas—Phoenix, Tucson, Flagstaff, and Yuma—have populations over 50,000. Beyond that, Arizona is bustling with small cities, towns, and rural & frontier communities, many with fewer than 2,500 residents.
Amplifying Voices
Communities hold expertise about their own lives, cultures, and priorities. We seek to strengthen programs’ use of that expertise through participatory methods, tribal data sovereignty, and co-development with community members.
Examples of Our Work
Fostering Accessibility
Community engagement is easier when people can show up as they are to a welcoming environment. We foster accessibility through multilingual materials (browse our Focus Areas for examples), trauma-informed approaches, and thoughtful design.
Examples of Our Work
Nurturing Partnerships
Partnerships thrive when they're built on trust and serve shared goals. Across Arizona, we work alongside local organizations, community coalitions, tribal partners, schools, and state agencies—offering evaluation expertise, technical assistance, and collaborative planning.
Examples of Our Work