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EDUCATION FORWARD ARIZONA

PHOENIX, AZ · EIN 202366755 · Form 990 · FY2021 · Medium ($1M-$10M) · educationforwardarizona.org
revenue
$6.3M
expenses
$5.7M
net assets
$17.0M
employees
57
volunteers
15
program ratio
84%
filing since
2020
mission · from form 990

TO SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE THE COLLEGE ATTAINMENT RATE IN ARIZONA, PARTICULARLY FOR STUDENTS WHO... TO SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE THE COLLEGE ATTAINMENT RATE IN ARIZONA, PARTICULARLY FOR STUDENTS WHO OTHERWISE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO ATTEND OR GRADUATE FROM A HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTION.

profile · synthesized from sources

EDUCATION FORWARD ARIZONA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving education outcomes and closing achievement gaps from early learning through postsecondary attainment in Arizona. They advocate for policies and funding, lead innovative programs for low-income and first-generation students, and provide resources to guide students and families through post-high school education and training options.

named programs · 10 · from sources

what they call their work

Action Center
Platform for education champions to advocate for policies and funding that advance education attainment in Arizona, including specific calls to action on legislative issues.
Advocates Network
A coordinated, statewide network of business, education, and community leaders, parents, teachers, and voters who act and amplify their impact for Arizona's students by advocating for education policies.
AskBenji
Bilingual, culturally responsive platform guiding students and families through exploring, preparing for, applying to, and funding education beyond high school
College Knowing & Going
Program supporting students in preparing for, applying to, and transitioning into postsecondary education
College Knowing & Going Program
Program focused on helping students understand and navigate the path to college.
EdVotersArizona.org
Platform featuring student-led interviews with candidates for Governor and Superintendent of Public Instruction on key education issues
Education Explainer
Nonpartisan series breaking down important P-20 education issues for the public
Education Forward Advocates Network
Statewide network of business, education, and community leaders, parents, teachers, and voters advocating for education priorities
Guide To Your Future
Resources and guidance for students and families on exploring, preparing for, applying to, and paying for education or training beyond high school, including planning, discovery, application, and funding steps.
Workforce Development
Initiatives focused on aligning education and training with career and workforce opportunities.
activities · 24

what they do

direct service · 4
  • Develop and scale programs for low-income and first-generation students College Preparation & Empowerment Programs
    Leads innovative programs that support low-income students, students of color, and first-generation students in accessing and completing postsecondary education, with the goal of closing achievement gaps and advancing Arizona Education Progress Meter goals.
  • Postsecondary Education Access and Completion Support College Transition Mentorship
    Develops and scales innovative programs to support low-income and first-generation students and students of color in exploring, preparing for, applying to, and securing financial aid for postsecondary education or training, including trade schools, community colleges, apprenticeships, military, or universities.
  • Postsecondary Education Access and Support Programs College Transition Mentorship
    Develops and scales innovative programs to support low-income and first-generation students and students of color in exploring, preparing for, applying to, and funding postsecondary education or training, including trade schools, community colleges, apprenticeships, military, or universities.
  • Provide postsecondary planning resources and guidance College Preparation & Empowerment Programs
    Offers comprehensive, bilingual, and culturally responsive resources to help students and families explore, prepare for, apply to, and pay for postsecondary education or training, including tools for college applications, financial aid (e.g., FAFSA workshops), scholarship searches, and career pathway options like trade schools and apprenticeships.
advocacy · 14
  • Advocacy for Education Policy and Funding Public Education & Secular Advocacy
    Advocates for improved education outcomes and a stronger talent pipeline in Arizona by influencing policymakers on key education issues, including opposing school vouchers and legislation that would decrease teacher pay or lower educator standards, and supporting sustained funding for public education systems, community colleges, and early childhood education.
  • Advocate for equitable and sustainable education funding Education Policy Advocacy & Mobilization
    Advocates for sustained, stable state funding for public education, including support for community colleges, dual enrollment expansion, FAFSA completion, state scholarship programs like Arizona Promise, and long-term solutions to expenditure limits; supports renewal of Proposition 123 and increased funding for early childhood education.
  • Build statewide advocacy networks and civic engagement
    Operates the Education Forward Advocates Network—a statewide coalition of business, education, and community leaders, parents, teachers, and voters—and hosts monthly Education Power Hours to inform advocates and mobilize action on key education issues.
  • Education Advocacy Network and Information Dissemination
    Operates the Education Forward Advocates Network, a statewide network of business, education, and community leaders, parents, teachers, and voters, and produces the "Education Explainer" series and "Education Power Hours" to inform and mobilize advocates on P-20 education issues in Arizona.
  • Education Advocacy Network and Information Dissemination
    Operates the Education Forward Advocates Network, a statewide network of leaders, parents, teachers, and voters, and produces the Education Explainer series to provide nonpartisan explanations of P-20 education issues. The organization also hosts monthly Education Power Hours to inform advocates about state education issues and ways to take action.
  • Education Explainer Series Policy Research & Public Education
    Produces the Education Explainer series, which provides nonpartisan explanations of important P-20 education issues to inform the public and advocates.
  • Education Forward Advocates Network
    Operates the Education Forward Advocates Network, a statewide network of business, education, and community leaders, parents, teachers, and voters, to support education advocacy efforts.
  • Education Policy Advocacy Education Policy Advocacy & Mobilization
    Advocates for education by elevating its importance to policymakers, weighing in on key education issues, and mobilizing supporters to influence legislation and policy decisions in Arizona. This includes advocating for sustained public education funding, expanding post-high school education access, and ensuring transparency in education spending.
  • Education Policy Advocacy Education Policy Advocacy & Mobilization
    Advocates for education by elevating its importance to policymakers, weighing in on key education issues, and mobilizing supporters to influence legislation related to school funding, teacher standards, school choice, and the alignment of workforce and education efforts in Arizona.
  • Education Voter Engagement Policy Research & Public Education
    Engages voters on education priorities through initiatives like EdVotersArizona.org, which features student-led interviews with political candidates, and conducting polls to identify voter education priorities.
  • Elevate student and voter voices in education policy Policy Research & Public Education
    Launched EdVotersArizona.org, a platform featuring student-led candidate interviews for Governor and Superintendent of Public Instruction, to engage youth and voters in education policymaking.
  • Oppose policies undermining education quality and equity
    Organizes advocacy campaigns against legislation perceived to weaken education standards or equity, including opposition to universal school vouchers (ESAs), bills lowering teacher qualifications, school takeovers, and reductions in teacher pay funding.
  • Publish strategic action plans for education improvement
    Published the Achieve60AZ Action Plan to guide stakeholders in prioritizing and advancing essential education reforms and improvements across Arizona.
  • Voter Education Initiatives Policy Research & Public Education
    Launches initiatives like EdVotersArizona.org, featuring student-led interviews with political candidates, to inform voters about education priorities and candidates' stances.
research · 3
  • Conduct research and inform public understanding of education issues Policy Research & Public Education
    Conducts voter polling on education priorities and produces the nonpartisan Education Explainer series to increase public understanding of key P–20 education issues in Arizona.
  • Education Priorities Polling Policy Research & Public Education
    Conducts polls of Arizona voters to identify their education priorities, informing advocacy and program development.
  • Education Research and Polling Policy Research & Public Education
    Conducts polls of Arizona voters to identify education priorities and inform advocacy efforts.
capacity building · 3
  • Partnership and Coalition Building Career Pathways Development & Workforce Alignment
    Partners with educators, employers, and communities across Arizona to improve education outcomes and strengthen the state's talent pipeline, and was formed through the merger of three established education nonprofits with support from over 50 partners.
  • Partnership and Coalition Building Career Pathways Development & Workforce Alignment
    Partners with educators, employers, and communities across Arizona, and collaborates with over 50 partners from education, business, philanthropy, and nonprofit sectors, to improve education outcomes and strengthen the state's talent pipeline.
  • Strengthen cross-sector partnerships for education and workforce alignment Career Pathways Development & Workforce Alignment
    Partners with educators, employers, and communities across Arizona to improve education outcomes and align talent development with workforce needs, launched with support from over 50 partners across education, business, philanthropy, and nonprofits.
strategies · 26

how they think

Theories of action extracted from this org's own source material. Click any approach shared with other orgs to see the full field.

  • Coalition-Based Advocacy and Capacity Building coalition-based_advocacy unique to this org
    The organization builds and leverages a statewide advocacy network of diverse stakeholders, providing them with resources, tools, and timely information to effectively engage in education advocacy and advance shared priorities.
  • Coalition-Based Advocacy and Public Will Building coalition-based_advocacy unique to this org
    The organization builds public and political will for education by engaging diverse stakeholders across sectors in a statewide advocacy network, providing them with tools and information to effectively advocate for education priorities and advance goals outlined in the Arizona Education Progress Meter.
  • Cross-Sector Collaboration and Coalition Advocacy cross-sector_collaboration unique to this org
    Builds broad-based support for education reform by uniting diverse stakeholders—including business, education, and community leaders—through coalitions and partnerships to amplify advocacy impact and drive systemic change.
  • Culturally Responsive Postsecondary Guidance culturally_responsive_support unique to this org
    The organization provides personalized, step-by-step guidance for postsecondary planning, utilizing bilingual and culturally responsive tools to ensure accessibility and effectiveness for students and families.
  • Culturally Responsive Postsecondary Guidance culturally_responsive_guidance unique to this org
    The organization supports students and families through the postsecondary planning process using a step-by-step framework, enhanced by bilingual and culturally responsive tools and personalized guidance to increase accessibility and effectiveness.
  • Data-Informed Advocacy and Public Will Building data_informed_advocacy unique to this org
    The organization uses data, specifically the Arizona Education Progress Meter, to inform and align its advocacy efforts, build public and political will, and mobilize communities to support policy and funding changes that improve educational outcomes and close achievement gaps.
  • Data-Informed Policy and Advocacy data_informed_advocacy unique to this org
    The organization drives policy and funding changes by aligning advocacy efforts with the Arizona Education Progress Meter, using data to inform public engagement and support initiatives that improve educational outcomes.
  • Data-Informed and Coalition-Based Policy Advocacy data_informed_advocacy unique to this org
    The organization drives policy and funding changes by leveraging data from the Arizona Education Progress Meter, mobilizing diverse community stakeholders, and building a statewide advocacy network to create public and political will for education priorities.
  • Data-Informed and Metrics-Driven Advocacy data_informed_advocacy unique to this org
    Guides policy advocacy and public will-building efforts using the Arizona Education Progress Meter, ensuring that initiatives are grounded in measurable outcomes and aligned with state education goals.
  • Early and Postsecondary Learning Prioritization early_learning_focus, postsecondary_attainment_focus unique to this org
    Targets key leverage points in the education pipeline—early learning and postsecondary attainment—as foundational strategies to improve long-term outcomes and economic mobility, aligned with state goals like Achieve60AZ.
  • Innovation and Scaling for Achievement Gap Closure innovation_and_scaling unique to this org
    The organization employs an innovation-focused approach to develop and scale programs specifically designed to target low-income students and students of color, aiming to close achievement gaps and advance state education goals.
  • Innovation and Scaling for Achievement Gaps innovation_and_scaling unique to this org
    The organization employs an innovation-focused approach to develop and scale programs specifically designed to target low-income students and students of color, with the goal of closing achievement gaps and advancing state education goals.
  • Nonpartisan Public Education and Advocacy Capacity Building nonpartisan public education, advocacy capacity-building unique to this org
    Strengthens civic engagement and advocacy effectiveness by providing nonpartisan information on education issues and equipping advocates with tools, messaging, and training to influence policy and funding decisions.
  • P-20 Education Continuum Approach P-20_education_continuum unique to this org
    The organization advances education attainment by focusing on the entire P-20 (preschool through postsecondary) education continuum, ensuring equitable opportunities and improving outcomes from early learning through postsecondary attainment.
  • P-20 Education Continuum Strategy P-20 education continuum unique to this org
    Advances equitable education outcomes by addressing the full spectrum of learning from preschool through postsecondary, ensuring alignment and coherence across all levels to close achievement gaps and support long-term student success.
  • Partnership-Driven Access Expansion partnership-driven access expansion unique to this org
    Expands access to high-quality education and training opportunities leading to high-wage, high-growth careers by leveraging strategic partnerships across sectors.
  • Personalized Postsecondary Guidance step-by-step_student_guidance_model unique to this org
    The organization provides step-by-step, culturally responsive, and bilingual guidance to students and families throughout the postsecondary planning process, covering exploration, preparation, application, and funding to increase accessibility and effectiveness.
  • Strategic Action Planning for Stakeholder Coordination strategic_action_plan unique to this org
    Uses a strategic action plan to align stakeholders around common goals, ensuring coordinated efforts to improve student outcomes and advance statewide education priorities.
  • Strategic Innovation and Scaling for Equity innovation_and_scaling unique to this org
    Develops and scales innovative programs specifically designed for low-income students and students of color to address systemic inequities and accelerate progress toward state education attainment goals.
  • Strategic Partnerships for Access Expansion partnership-driven_access_expansion unique to this org
    The organization forms strategic partnerships to expand access to education and training, particularly for high-wage, high-growth careers, and to develop and scale innovative programs for underserved student populations.
  • Student-Centered Postsecondary Guidance Model step-by-step student guidance model, culturally responsive and bilingual support model unique to this org
    Supports students and families through a structured, step-by-step process for postsecondary planning—including exploration, application, and funding—enhanced by bilingual, culturally responsive tools and personalized assistance to improve access and success.
  • Transparency and Fiscal Accountability in Education transparency and accountability unique to this org
    Promotes public trust and effective resource use by advocating for mandatory financial and academic reporting requirements in public education.
  • Workforce-Aligned Education Advocacy workforce-aligned_education_advocacy unique to this org
    The organization advocates for education and training programs that are strategically aligned with current and future workforce needs to enhance economic mobility, improve quality of life, and strengthen the state's economy.
  • Workforce-Aligned Education Advocacy workforce-aligned education advocacy unique to this org
    Advocates for education and training programs that are directly aligned with labor market demands to improve individual quality of life and strengthen Arizona’s economy through better employment outcomes.
  • Workforce-Aligned Education and Training workforce-aligned_education_advocacy unique to this org
    The organization advocates for and expands access to education and training programs that are strategically aligned with workforce needs, aiming to improve quality of life and lead to high-wage, high-growth careers for Arizonans.
  • Workforce-Aligned Education and Training workforce-aligned_education unique to this org
    The organization advocates for and expands access to education and training programs that are strategically aligned with current and future workforce needs to enhance economic mobility and quality of life.
financials · form 990 · fy2021

the money

revenue
Total revenue$6.35M
Contributions & grants$5.11M81%
Program service revenue$126K2%
Investment income$1.11M17%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$5.74M
Program expenses84%
Admin / overhead12%
Fundraising4%
Salaries & benefits$2.41M
Grants paid out$1.52M
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$19.04M
Cash$8.68M
Investments$8.51M
Liabilities$2.06M
Net assets$16.98M
Liquid reserves35.9 mo
2 years on record · 2020–2021 · YoY revenue +28.4%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2021

who runs it

paid leadership · 3
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
RICH NICKEL PRESIDENT & CEO 40 $286K
RICHARD DANIEL EXEC VP & COO 40 $185K
ERIN HART SR VP & CHIEF OF POLICY 40 $140K
board members · 15
  • CHARLES MONTY ROESSEL — DIRECTOR
  • CHEVY HUMPHREY — DIRECTOR
  • DARCY RENFRO — DIRECTOR
  • DEANNA SALAZAR — DIRECTOR
  • GONZALO DE LA MELENA — DIRECTOR
  • JOHN FEES — TREASURER
  • KATE HICKMAN — DIRECTOR
  • PATRICIA WELBORN — SECRETARY
  • PAUL KOEHLER — VICE CHAIR
  • RON BUTLER — DIRECTOR
  • SCOTT VANDERPOOL — DIRECTOR
  • SHELLEY WATSON — DIRECTOR
  • STEVE SELEZNOW — DIRECTOR
  • TRACY BAME — DIRECTOR
  • VINCE ROIG — CHAIRMAN
relationships · 21

who they work with

  • Achieve60AZ Partner — Collaborates on the Achieve60AZ Action Plan to advance education goals in Arizona.
  • Achieve60AZ Partner — Collaborates with Achieve60AZ to increase postsecondary attainment in Arizona.
  • Achieve60AZ Partner — Merged with College Success Arizona and Expect More Arizona to form Education Forward Arizona.
  • Arizona Community Foundation Funder — Invested $1 million or more since February 2021.
  • Arizona Education Progress Meter Network — Aligns organizational efforts with the goals outlined in the Arizona Education Progress Meter.
  • Arizona Education Progress Meter Partner — Uses the Arizona Education Progress Meter as a framework for guiding collaborative efforts to advance education goals.
  • Arizona First Advised Fund Funder — Invested $1 million or more since February 2021.
  • Arizona GEAR UP Funder — Invested $1 million or more since February 2021.
  • Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona Funder — Invested $1 million or more since February 2021.
  • Center for the Future of Arizona Partner — Collaborated on a voter poll about education priorities, complementing the Arizona Voters’ Agenda.
  • College Success Arizona Partner — Merged with Achieve60AZ and Expect More Arizona to form Education Forward Arizona.
  • Education Progress Meter Network — Uses the Education Progress Meter as a framework to guide and support education initiatives.
  • Expect More Arizona Partner — Merged with Achieve60AZ and College Success Arizona to form Education Forward Arizona.
  • Freeport-McMoRan Foundation Funder — Invested $1 million or more since February 2021.
  • Maricopa Community Colleges Funder — Invested $1 million or more since February 2021.
  • National College Attainment Network Funder — Invested $1 million or more since February 2021.
  • Northern Arizona University Funder — Invested $1 million or more since February 2021.
  • Season for Sharing, The Arizona Republic Funder — Invested $1 million or more since February 2021.
  • The University of Arizona Foundation Funder — Invested $1 million or more since February 2021.
  • Valley of the Sun United Way Funder — Invested $1 million or more since February 2021.
  • askbenji.org Partner — Collaborates to provide online tools and resources for postsecondary planning, with embedded links to their platform for planning, discovery, application, and funding support.