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FLINN FOUNDATION

AZ · EIN 860421476 · $8.6M rev · grantmaker · advocacy · flinn.org
profile

The Flinn Foundation is an Arizona-based foundation that invests in the state’s future through leadership development, bioscience research, and education initiatives. Its flagship program, the Flinn-Brown Fellowship, cultivates a network of public-service leaders across Arizona by providing training, networking, and professional development opportunities. The foundation also supports policy dialogue and civic engagement through events like the annual Flinn-Brown Convention.

activities · 13

what they do

direct service · 4
  • Award Translational Seed Grants Mental Health Research Seed Grants
    Awards $100,000 grants to Arizona-based research teams as part of the Translational Seed Grants Program cohort.
  • Host CivEx panel discussions and webinars
    Hosts CivEx panel discussions and webinars on various topics relevant to Arizona, including civil access to justice, federal Medicaid funding changes, school absence rates, civic language perceptions, and election-year insights.
  • Host the Flinn-Brown Convention
    Annually hosts the Flinn-Brown Convention in Phoenix, Arizona, which includes moderated panels, breakout sessions, skills workshops, art exhibits, and a reception, planned in part by Flinn-Brown Fellows.
  • Recognize high-impact civic leaders Professional and Organizational Achievement Awards
    Presents five annual Flinn-Brown Awards at the Flinn-Brown Convention to recognize high-impact public service leaders across Arizona, including the Jack Jewett Award, Network Builder Award, and three Arizona Champion awards.
advocacy · 1
  • Support public policy and strategic planning for AHCCCS
    Supports public policy and strategic planning efforts at the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) through leadership in federal relations, legislative affairs, and project management.
research · 2
  • Compile interactive art exhibit responses
    Compiles participant responses from interactive art exhibits into reports summarizing themes such as civic participation, collaboration, and inclusivity.
  • Present the Arizona’s Bioscience Roadmap Progress Report Research Dissemination Webinars
    Presents the annual Arizona’s Bioscience Roadmap Progress Report event, a public webinar addressing the state of Arizona's bioscience sector and its long-range strategic plan.
capacity building · 6
  • Advise on Flinn-Brown Fellowship programmatic improvements Education Personnel Recognition Programs
    The Fellows Council advises on programmatic improvements for the Flinn-Brown Fellowship.
  • Convene the Arizona Civic Health Steering Committee Nonpartisan Civic Dialogue Facilitation
    Convenes the Arizona Civic Health Steering Committee to improve civic participation and foster connected communities in Arizona.
  • Facilitates Flinn-Brown Academy sessions with former state legislators and policy experts to encourage dialogue and civic participation.
  • Operate the Arizona Center for Civic Leadership Youth Civic Leadership Training
    Operates the Arizona Center for Civic Leadership, which celebrated its 15th anniversary in 2026.
  • Organize the Arizona Sustainable Economic Development Learning Lab Community Engagement for Public Space Planning
    Organized the Arizona Sustainable Economic Development Learning Lab to help communities integrate sustainability practices and natural resource considerations into economic development.
  • Provide no-cost meeting space Free Meeting Space for Nonprofits
    Provides no-cost meeting space through its Educational Conference Center to nonprofit organizations whose missions align with its areas of interest.
strategies · 4

how they think

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

named programs · 3

what they call their work

Fellows Council
Governing body of Flinn-Brown Fellows that serves as program ambassadors, plans the annual convention, and advises on program improvements
Flinn-Brown Convention
Annual gathering of Flinn-Brown Fellows featuring keynote speakers, panel discussions, and workshops on public service, civic engagement, and policy issues facing Arizona
Flinn-Brown Fellowship
Leadership development program for current and emerging public-service leaders in Arizona, including training, networking, and professional development opportunities
relationships · 83

who they work with

  • ABC15 Partner — Garrett Archer, data analyst for ABC15, was a panelist.
  • Activate Food Arizona Partner — Elyse Guidas, a Flinn-Brown Fellow, is the executive director of Activate Food Arizona.
  • Ann Morton Partner — Artist who displayed work from the Violet Protest series at the 2022 Flinn-Brown Convention.
  • Arizona Agenda Partner — Rachel Leingang, journalist at the Arizona Agenda, was a panelist.
  • Arizona Border Counties Coalition Partner — Teresa Bravo, a Flinn-Brown Fellow, staffed the Arizona Border Counties Coalition.
  • Arizona Cardinals Partner — Recognized a Flinn Foundation representative as an Inspired Changemaker.
  • Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting Partner — Maria Polletta, an investigative reporter for the Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, moderated an afternoon breakout panel.
  • Arizona Community Foundation Partner — Supported the Arizona Sustainable Economic Development Learning Lab, which was organized by the Flinn Foundation.
  • Arizona Department of Environmental Quality Partner — Donated swag for the 2021 Convention.
  • Arizona Department of Public Safety Partner — Jesse Galvez, a Flinn-Brown Fellow, is a Lt. Colonel with the Arizona Department of Public Safety.
  • Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System Partner — Hosts Flinn-Brown Fellow Kyle Sawyer in a leadership role focused on public policy and strategic planning.
  • Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Partner — Alberto Olivas, a Flinn-Brown Fellow, previously served as Vice President of the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
  • Arizona Lottery Partner — Donated swag for the 2021 Convention.
  • Arizona Luminaria Partner — Dianna Náñez, executive editor of Arizona Luminaria, was a panelist.
  • Arizona Mirror Partner — Jim Small, editor of the Arizona Mirror, was a panelist.
  • Arizona PBS Partner — Adrienne Fairwell, general manager of Arizona PBS, was a panelist.
  • Arizona Republic Partner — Jen Fifield, Maricopa County reporter for the Arizona Republic, was a panelist.
  • Arizona State Parks and Trails Partner — Sarah Rose Webber, a Flinn-Brown Fellow, serves as deputy director of Arizona State Parks and Trails.
  • Arizona State University Partner — Alberto Olivas, a Flinn-Brown Fellow, is adjunct faculty at Arizona State University and the founding executive director of the Congressman Ed Pastor Center for Politics & Public Service at Arizona State University.
  • Arizona State University Partner — Alesia Ash, a Flinn-Brown Fellow, holds a Bachelor of Science from Arizona State University.
  • Arizona State University Partner — Mi-Ai Parrish is managing director of media enterprise and Sue Clark-Johnson professor for media innovation and leadership at Arizona State University. Also, Fernanda Santos is a professor of practice at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at ASU. Arizona State University also donated swag.
  • Arizona State University Partner — Two research teams from Arizona State University received $100,000 grants from the Flinn Foundation.
  • Arizona Western College Partner — Lorraine Stofft, a Flinn-Brown Fellow, is the Vice President for Advancement and Executive Director of the AWC Foundation at Arizona Western College.
  • Arizona’s Family (3TV/CBS5) Partner — Dennis Welch, political reporter for Arizona’s Family (3TV/CBS5), was a panelist.
  • Babbitt Center for Land and Water Policy Partner — Donated swag for the 2021 Convention.
  • Ben’s Bells Project Partner — Donated swag for the 2021 Convention.
  • Beth Kohler Partner — Co-facilitated a Flinn-Brown Academy session in 2025 as CEO of the Arizona Association of Health Plans.
  • Bill Gates Partner — Co-facilitated a Flinn-Brown Academy session in 2025 as Director of the ASU Mechanics of Democracy Laboratory.
  • CBS News Partner — Kris Van Cleave, a congressional correspondent for CBS News, was the morning keynote speaker.
  • Center for the Future of Arizona Partner — Co-convenes the Arizona Civic Health Steering Committee with the Flinn Foundation
+ 53 more