Arizona Coyotes Foundation

OVERVIEW: The PICOR Charitable Foundation supports programs for disadvantaged youth and STEM education in Tucson and the broader Southern Arizona area. 

IP TAKE: This is a good funder for Tucson nonprofits that often get overlooked by the big foundations, especially if your organization works with youth and education. Applications are accepted once a year, in September, with grants distributed the following November. This is an accessible funder, so reach out with questions and ideas at any time.

PROFILE: Established in 1994, the PICOR Charitable Foundation is the grantmaking arm of the commercial real estate company C&W/PICOR. The company was founded in 1985 and is licensed in Southern Arizona and Sonora, Mexico. It is a member of the Cushman & Wakefield Alliance, the largest privately held commercial real estate services firm in the world. The foundation seeks to “reach out to those charities benefiting disadvantaged youth where our modest grants will make a significant difference.” In addition to its grants for youth, the foundation awards a single STEM education grant each year.

The foundation originally aimed to step in for the Tucson-based Kiwanis Club, which held fundraising events for local charities. Today, the foundation’s big annual event is a pancake breakfast in October. Company employees have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars through the breakfast, with all proceeds going to charities. The PICOR Charitable Foundation awards modest grants to charities who work with disadvantaged youth. The funder seeks to support groups that do not receive as much funding as other organizations. The grant money largely comes from individual and business donations to the foundation. In 2013, PICOR established a STEM grant in honor of a founding member of PICOR named Ken Nickel, who passed away that year. He was an active and involved member of the foundation board and with the pancake breakfast event. Past grantees include Arizona Friends of Foster Children Foundation, Arizona Theater Company, Special Olympics Arizona, Tucson Girls Chorus, Tucson Jewish Community Center – Special Needs Services, and Tucson Soccer Academy.

Youth grants are available for Tucson-area organizations and range from $500 to $2,500. The maximum award is $3,000. Review the funder’s tax records to learn more about past grantees. Grantmaking is typically limited to organizations in Southern Arizona.

PICOR accepts unsolicited grant applications from local nonprofits. To apply for a PICOR grant, download the application from their website. Organizations in Southern Arizona can apply for both a youth grant and a STEM grant for the same grant cycle, if applicable. The standard application deadline is September 30, and grants are distributed in late November of each year.

PEOPLE:

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