Bell Bank is among a group of Arizona financial institutions helping support Native American communities through a $15,000 grant awarded to the Native American Advancement Foundation by the Arizona Community Reinvestment Collaborative.

The grant, funded through contributions from ACRC member banks, will help strengthen NAAF’s role as a food and human services distribution hub serving communities within the Tohono O’odham Nation.

Recognizing the growing financial pressures facing Arizona nonprofits, ACRC took a different approach to its 2026 grant program. Rather than requiring organizations to submit new applications, the collaborative reviewed previous grant requests and leveraged members’ collective knowledge of nonprofit partners to identify an organization making a significant community impact.

NAAF, founded by members of the Tohono O’odham Nation’s GuVo District, works to strengthen tribal communities through initiatives focused on education, health and wellness, housing, food sustainability, environmental stewardship, animal welfare and economic development.

The funding will support the organization’s Ruth’s Oidag Food Pantry, which began as a distribution point for community and home gardening efforts and has since been designated an official pantry site by the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona. The designation provides consistent food deliveries, strategic collaboration opportunities and reliable access to fresh foods and essential supplies for families throughout the district.

Evans said the pantry also supports workforce development by providing job-skills training for garden crew members, creating opportunities for local youth while honoring traditional O’odham foods and growing practices.

Bell Bank is one of 16 active financial institution members of ACRC, a coalition that brings together banks, nonprofits, community organizations and government agencies to support community development efforts throughout Arizona. The collaborative pools financial resources, shares knowledge of community needs and nonprofit providers, and works to expand opportunities for low- to moderate-income residents and small businesses.

Founded in 2008, ACRC was created to support neighborhood-based organizations and community-focused initiatives across Arizona. The collaborative relaunched in 2018 with administrative support from LISC Phoenix.