Arizona Western receives $150,000 grant
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - Arizona Western College’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC) received a $150,000 grant awarded through a partnership between Avenir Financial Credit Union and the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco.
The funding will support the delivery of 20 no-cost, intensive bilingual workshops designed for adults and youth. The workshops aim to strengthen small business formation, promote entrepreneurship, and encourage job creation throughout the community.
Crystal Mendoza, director of the AWC Small Business Development Center, said the workshops are intended to help individuals who may be unsure where to begin when starting or growing a business.
“Sometimes we could potentially be unsure of where to start, where to go, and what resources to obtain,” Mendoza said. “These workshops will be able to help our community feel that they’re being supported.”
“One of my main responsibilities is making sure that we’re impactful in the community,” said Chris Bolin, vice president of Avenir Impact and Engagement. “We recognized long ago that the best way to do that is to support organizations like the SBDC.”
Arizona Western College was selected for the grant from a pool of more than 400 applicants. This marks the second time the SBDC has received the award, further solidifying its role as a key resource for aspiring entrepreneurs and small business owners in the region.
