2/20/18 - Historic Fourth Avenue is essential to Tucson’s identity and is currently facing the stark reality of having a development vastly different from the locally owned independent businesses that comprise the avenue.

12/13/17 - Kimber Lanning stands at just 5 feet 1 inch. But in the Arizona economic landscape where she acts as a fierce advocate for local economies, she is a giant.

11/1/17 - The festival features food from many of Arizona’s finest restaurants, a beer and wine garden, booths for local merchants to showcase their wares and live musical entertainment.

7/11/17 - To help hype buying local — though it's a pretty strong movement in the state– LFAZ asked some Arizona-based and bred celebrities to share their favorite spots.

6/30/17 - Local First Arizona has advocated on behalf of Tucson’s locally owned businesses since 2008, when the first Southern Arizona office opened. 

4/6/17 - There are many reasons for this lackluster state economy recovery, but one likely contributor that receives little attention is our collective banking habits.

2/20/17 - [Valley Metro Light Rail's] impact has been transformative,” said Kimber Lanning, executive director of Local First Arizona, a nonprofit organization that encourages small businesses.

2/14/17 - Local First Arizona’s For(u)m returns for 2017 with revamped memberships, programming, and an ever-expanding commitment to a responsible built environment in the Valley.

11/1/16 - In its twelfth year, this event again has moved to a new location this year thanks to growth. The first few years were held in the Duck and Decanter parking lot before the event grew and had to be moved. 

5/6/16 - The Local First Arizona Foundation and the Arizona SciTech Festival partnered to bring Science Happens Here, a new STEM education program, to rural Arizona communities.

2/25/16 - A recent national survey indicated an uptick in revenue for independent businesses nationwide, and in Arizona, those numbers were even higher.

9/16/15 - Head to the Tucson Convention Center this afternoon for the Arizona Farmer+Chef Connection, which pairs the Arizona producers with chefs and restaurant buyers.

8/31/15 - This year’s forum, the ninth, looked at stories of success, including efforts to build a recreation economy in the Verde Valley. Restoring the river has been a collaborative effort that could inspire other communities across the state. 

6/25/15 - Millions of people will be celebrating Independence Day on the 4th of July but others are also taking part in a week-long event that focuses on independents, not independence.

5/9/15 - At a time when the fire department was facing budget cuts and layoffs, the idea that spending money at a local business would help keep more money in the community was a revelation for Gaudioso. 

2/5/15 - The Source AZ program includes a free audit to look at where a business’s biggest expenditures are. The group then uses its database to try to find similar products sold by Arizona companies. 

1/27/15 - One organization, Local First Arizona (LFA), is committed to advancing that bottom-line narrative. 

10/21/14 - Kimber Lanning, executive director of Local First Arizona, was awarded the Citizen Leadership Award by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) for her extraordinary commitment in promoting economic development.  

12/13/17 - Kimber Lanning stands at just 5 feet 1 inch. But in the Arizona economic landscape where she acts as a fierce advocate for local economies, she is a giant.