 Supervisors Approve $427,500 in Outside Agency Funding for FY 2026-27
PIMA COUNTY, June 24, 2026 – The Pima County Board of Supervisors at its June 23 meeting voted 5-0 to approve a combined $427,500 for Outside Agency Funding through the Attractions & Tourism Department for FY 2026-2027.
Twenty-four nonprofit organizations will receive funding for events, programming, and exhibits over the next 12 months. Among the organizations receiving funds are Perimeter Bicycling Association of America, Inc., which hosts the annual El Tour de Tucson; the African American Museum of Southern Arizona; the Tucson City of Gastronomy’s Pueblos del Maiz Festival; La Frontera Mariachi Conference, Inc.; the Tucson Bird Alliance’s annual Southern Arizona Birding Festival; and the Tucson Symphony Society concert series.
Many of the events are extremely popular with residents and tourists alike, often drawing thousands of visitors to the region.
"Pima County is a region where residents can enjoy a diverse range of activities that celebrate our community throughout the year. By collaborating with local non-profit organizations, we are dedicated to offering various attractions and events for everyone here in Pima County," said Diane Frisch, Director of Attractions and Tourism.
Outside Agency funds are available on a two-year funding cycle. For FY 2025-2026, Attractions & Tourism requested proposals via the ZoomGrants online application system. Per the two-year process, the 2026-27 fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, will be considered the off-cycle year where agencies do not re-apply for funding. Still, the committee reviews the progress of all funded programs and invites agencies to make presentations if there are any special issues that need to be addressed.
Recommendations for funding come from the Outside Agency Citizen Review Committee, a six-member panel appointed by the Board of Supervisors and County Administration. The committee held two open meetings in April and May 2025 where agencies made presentations to the committee to discuss the progress of their new or existing programs and to review their respective budgets and contractual obligations.
For more information about the program, please visit the Outside Agency Transparency webpage.
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