Dear Members of the Board,
I hope this message finds you in great health and high spirits! As we close 2024, I am thrilled to share the remarkable accomplishments and progress of the Technical Assistance Partnership of Arizona (TAPAZ).
This has been a challenging year, shaped by economic uncertainties and the dynamic landscape of an election year. Yet, TAPAZ has not just endured – we have thrived. Together, we’ve turned challenges into opportunities, delivering impactful results and creating lasting change in the communities we serve.
Our financial stewardship has been exceptional. Through careful management, we met revenue expectations and ensured every dollar spent aligned with our mission. This success reflects the dedication and focus of our incredible team.
Our campaigns and initiatives have driven powerful outcomes, advancing health and education priorities in ways that directly transform lives. Aligned with the Vitalyst Health Foundation’s mission, our work has left a tangible mark, strengthening communities and empowering individuals.
This year, we deepened connections like never before. Through events, outreach campaigns, and strategic partnerships, TAPAZ amplified its voice and reach. We engaged with more individuals and organizations, sparking collaboration, advocacy, and innovation that fueled our mission forward.
The partnership with the Vitalyst Health Foundation continues to be a game-changer. It has provided opportunities for growth, resources for innovation, and the momentum to think bigger and bolder about our future.
I am profoundly grateful to the TAPAZ and Vitalyst teams, our Board of Directors, and every supporter who made this incredible year possible. Your passion, dedication, and belief in our mission inspire us to aim higher every day.
As we look ahead, we’re energized by the opportunities on the horizon. Together, we will continue to overcome challenges, embrace growth, and make an even greater impact in the communities we serve.
Thank you for being a vital part of this journey – we couldn’t do it without you!
With excitement and gratitude,
Juan Salas – Director of Operations and Accounting.
Estimados miembros de la Junta Directiva:
Espero que este mensaje los encuentre con buena salud y de buen ánimo. Al cierre del año 2024, me complace compartir los logros y resultados de Technical Assistance Parftenship of Arizona (TAPAZ).
2024 fue un año desafiante, marcado por las incertidumbres económicas y el panorama incierto de un año electoral. Sin embargo, TAPAZ no solo ha sido resiliente, sino que ha prosperado. Juntos, hemos convertido los desafíos en oportunidades, obteniendo muy buenos resultados y creando un cambio significativo para la comunidad de Arizona.
A través de nuestra gestión financiera, cumplimos con las expectativas de ingresos y nos aseguramos de que cada dólar gastado estuviera alineado con nuestra misión. Este éxito refleja la dedicación y el enfoque de nuestro increíble equipo de trabajo.
Alineados con la misión de Vitalyst Health Foundation, impulsando prioridades en salud y educación nuestro trabajo ha dejado una marca tangible, fortaleciendo las comunidades y empoderando a las personas.
En 2024, profundizamos nuestras conexiones como nunca antes. A través de eventos, campañas de difusión y alianzas estratégicas, TAPAZ amplificó su voz y alcance, lo que generó colaboración, apoyo e innovación que impulsaron nuestra misión.
La afiliación a Vitalyst Health Foundation sigue siendo un punto de inflexión. Ha brindado oportunidades de crecimiento, recursos para la innovación y el impulso para pensar en grande y de manera más audaz sobre nuestro futuro.
Estoy profundamente agradecido con los equipos de TAPAZ y Vitalyst, nuestra Junta Directiva y todos los seguidores que hicieron posible este increíble año. Su pasión, dedicación y su fe en nuestra misión nos inspiran a crecer más cada día.
Con miras hacia el futuro, nos energizan las oportunidades que se vislumbran en el horizonte. Juntos, continuaremos superando desafíos, abrazando el crecimiento y generando un impacto aún mayor en las comunidades a las que servimos.
¡Gracias por ser una parte vital en este viaje; no podríamos hacerlo sin ustedes!
Con entusiasmo y gratitud,
Juan Salas – Director de Operaciones y Contabilidad.
Last fiscal year, we had 46 fiscally sponsored projects in the TAPAZ program:
- Comprehensive Fiscal Sponsorship: 32 projects
- Grant-Specific Fiscal Sponsorship: 12 projects
- Fiscal Agency: 2 projects
To view all current projects, visit here.
These projects represent nonprofits working across all areas within the Elements of a Health Community wheel. Data gathered from our projects (n=46) shows that 50% of projects work in Social/Cultural Cohesion, and 46% reported working in Social Justice or Educational Opportunity.
While TAPAZ is based in Maricopa County, we’re glad to see that our reach expands across the state, with Sponsored projects based in Coconino, Maricopa, Pima, and Pinal counties. (The map on the left depicts the graphic spread by zip codes.)
Additionally, many of our projects reported providing services across the state. Those who don’t serve statewide reported focusing on particular geographic areas, typically more focused on the communities where they are located.
We continued our Stewardship Plan, which is created to provide additional capacity building support to projects with an emphasis on relationship-building.
In our 2023-2024 Fiscal Year, we hosted our first-ever Annual TAPAZ Meetings for our projects. These meetings provided the opportunity to engage with projects and encourage networking, review available fiscal sponsorship services and the Stewardship Plan, as well as highlight a nonprofit resource with a guest speaker.
We also spent some time out of the office last year visiting partners. Events and site visits included:
- The Human-Animal Connection’s “Finding Peace with Donkeys” event in Tucson.
- City of Phoenix – Office of Arts and Culture’s December event that highlighted the results of the latest Arts and Economic Prosperity Study.
- Rehoboth CDC’s Open House event.
- Achieving My Purpose’s Celebration, honoring Dr. Linda Groomes and the work of AMP. After ten years of serving young women of color, the organization closed its doors.
- Regenerating Sonora’s community event at Leo’s in Superior, AZ.
- A Tucson day trip to visit Taproot Collaborative, Electromagnetic Safety Alliance, and Southern Arizona Trauma Informed Network.
- A Flagstaff trip to visit Northern Arizona Community Dental Days Collaborative and Transintimate.
- 14th Annual Statewide Symposium hosted by the Arizona Coalition for Military Families.
“TAPAZ has played such an important role in the journey of Melabiz Community Hub. Without their support, we wouldn’t have been able to turn our vision into reality and open our doors to serve the community. From offering essential guidance to ensuring that our operations remain sustainable, their impact has been truly invaluable. A special shout-out to Juan, who has gone above and beyond to provide personalized support and has been incredibly helpful in making sure we have everything we need to succeed. His dedication and patience have made all the difference. We are so grateful for the TAPAZ team’s commitment to our mission and their role in helping us create something that will serve our community for years to come. Their partnership has laid the foundation for our success, and we’re excited to continue working with them!” -Nesha Higgins, Founder and CEO of Melabiz Community Hub
Melabiz Community Hub was founded in 2023 with a mission to empower and uplift individuals who have historically been marginalized and underserved, particularly people of color, by providing them with the resources, tools, and guidance they need to achieve their goals and improve their economic well-being. Melabiz opened its doors to provide a physical space for the community in September 2024. TAPAZ is excited to continue to deepen the partnership with Melabiz into the new fiscal year!
“Taproot Collaborative’s remarkable success over the last two years could not have been possible without the expert support of TAP AZ. When we set out, we were a small group with a passionate vision. We knew what we wanted to accomplish. But we didn’t understand the intricacies of running a non-profit. From payroll to grant reporting, fundraising to bookkeeping, promotion to assistance in hiring new employee, TAP AZ’s staff has consistently been there to advise and guide us. On top of that, they’re fund to work with. To any group starting out, I highly recommend Roy, Juan and the team they’ve built.” Scotty Johnson ~ Founder and Director of Taproot Collaborative
Taproot Collaborative was founded to undertake Earth regenerating projects that offset climate change, restore biodiversity, and foster resilient people, communities and environments. The current focus is on restoration of forests, springs, and streams in the Sky Islands of Southern Arizona. This past year, TAPAZ staff visited with Scotty and Carrie in Tucson, and we look forward to continuing to support the essential work of Taproot for years to come.
“Working with TAPAZ has been incredibly supportive of our organization’s growth and sustainability. We were a small operation with minimal capacity, and TAPAZ offered us a suite of invaluable supports for our budgeting, workshops, grant writing, grant interview preparation, accounting, payroll, insurance, and many more services. Our organization staff is confident in the programming we offer, but we lack knowledge of the administrative acumen necessary to create long-term, sustainably financed programming. TAPAZ fills this gap with technical assistance to continue to do what we do best: offer our services. They always valued our questions, even those we were embarrassed to ask. TAPAZ staff have gone out of their way to respond quickly and supportively. It is clear that they care about our mission and adapt to our organization’s needs. We have quadrupled the programming we offer in this last year; it would have been impossible without their support.” – Dylan Quinn, Founder of Transintimate
Transintimate is based in Flagstaff, Arizona and serves Northern Arizona, providing care, mentorship, and referrals to foster resilience for transgender and gender-diverse people in everyday challenges and crisis situations. Transintimate has a vision for communities where people of all gender identities thrive. This past year, TAPAZ staff visited with Transintimate staff in Flagstaff. We’re amazed by the incredible work they are doing to fill support gaps in Northern Arizona, and we look forward to seeing their great work as our partnership continues!
