Fresh Off Merger with Arizona Grantmakers Forum, Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits Looks to Expand Impact

The newly merged Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits and Arizona Grantmakers Forum have implemented several changes and enhancements in the new year to expand the organization’s impact in the nonprofit community.

In August, the Alliance announced that Kristen Merrifield, previously CEO for Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits, would become the CEO for the newly merged organization and Laurie Liles, previously CEO for Arizona Grantmakers Forum, would become the Chief Public Policy Officer & VP, Arizona Grantmakers Forum.

As the organization prepares to rebrand this year to reflect the merger, it has also made several promotions and staff moves designed to spotlight areas that are a priority for the future. The recent moves include:

• Jennifer Purcell has been promoted to Chief Impact Officer, where they will help guide the organization’s programs, education, membership and development initiatives.
• Angela Palmer has been promoted to Vice President, Organizational Equity and Special Projects, where they will help guide the organization’s increased commitment to diversity, inclusion, equity and accessibility.
• Angelica Hernandez-Williams has been named Director of Rural Programs, where they will help rural nonprofits expand their impact throughout the state.
• Natasha Lopez-Rodriguez has been promoted to Director of Capacity Building & Education, where they will manage all education activities and capacity building programs.
• Erin Owen has been promoted to Director of Corporate & Philanthropy Member Services, where they will manage all membership-related activities, education, and affinity groups for grantmakers.
• Robyn Reyff has been promoted to the Director of Nonprofit & Partner Member Service, where they will manage all membership-related activities and networking for nonprofits and businesses.
• Maria Mejia has been promoted to Senior Marketing Manager, where they will manage all marketing-related activities for the organization.
• Corina Yeh-Hilliard has been promoted to Senior Member Services & Programs Manager, where they will manage the members services and programs teams’ activities.
• Lilly Gonzalez has been promoted to Senior Project Manager, where they will manage the cross-functional projects and ensure the organization is meeting and effectively communicating goals and objectives.
• Colleen Holman has been promoted to Executive Strategy Manager, where they will provide high-level administrative and strategic support to the CEO and Board of Directors.

Additionally, the Alliance is expanding one of its key programs to help support leadership in the Arizona nonprofit community. The ONE program, for Organization of Nonprofit Executives, was created to bring C-Suite nonprofit executives together to network, learn from one another and share experiences unique to their roles. This group had previously been focused in Maricopa County, but has been expanded statewide.

And, the Alliance recently launched a new and enhanced website, as well as a new learning management system to serve as a platform for its educational outreach. The new site and platform are designed to make it easier than ever for nonprofit professionals to make use of the resources provided by the organization.

“We have a lot of exciting initiatives and events coming up in 2023, and we are very pleased to have an exceptional team in place to help expand our impact,” said Kristen Merrifield, Chief Executive Officer. “We have worked diligently to identify the priorities that are most important to the nonprofits that we serve, and are focusing on ways to support them as effectively as possible.”

The Alliance anticipates unveiling a new name and logo in the third quarter of this year. Additionally, plans are underway for the organization’s signature event, the UNITE Conference (formerly the ENGAGE Conference). The conference is the largest convening of nonprofit professionals in Arizona. Last year’s event drew more than 500 people, and the Alliance is expecting a jump in attendance for the 2023 event. More information on the UNITE Conference will be announced in the coming days.

The Alliance is also preparing for the 2023 Arizona Gives Day, which will take place on April 4. The event was started in 2013 to connect people with causes they believe in and build a lasting, stronger spirit of philanthropy. Since its inception, Arizona Gives has raised nearly $36.4 million for nonprofits statewide.

The Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits was founded in 2004 and is a trusted resource and advocate for Arizona’s nonprofit sector. Comprised of more than 1,000 member organizations across the state, both nonprofits and those in the community who support them, the Alliance is dedicated to furthering the common interests of Arizona’s nonprofit community.

Merged in August 2022, the Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits + Arizona Grantmakers Forum will enable more impactful collaborations among philanthropic and nonprofit leaders. Arizona Grantmakers Forum members are part of a network of more than 400 philanthropy professionals from more than 80 member organizations across the state. This merger positions the nonprofit sector as a key partner with the government and business community to drive economic growth and build an equitable Arizona where all people thrive.