Local First Arizona Mission Statement

As the state’s Rural Development Council, Local First Arizona partners with businesses, community leaders, service organizations, economic development organizations, and rural municipalities to work directly in rural communities across the state to help build a rural Arizona economy that is sustainable, resilient, and celebratory of diverse cultures.

The innovative rural development programs improve Arizona's future by driving resources into under-served communities utilizing strategies that enable them to:

• Grow economic opportunity

• Strengthen small businesses

• Retain youth and create jobs

• Develop robust food systems that improve healthy food access

• Increase revenue through tourism

These strategies further empower cities and towns to build opportunities for those that choose, every day, to make rural Arizona their home.