Amazon Foundation records
Collection area: Arizona Queer Archives
Collection dates: 1990-2002 bulk (bulk 1998-2002)
Papers, 1990-2002 (bulk 1998-2002). This collection contains the papers of the Amazon Foundation documenting its involvement in grant giving in Southern Arizona including Tucson. The bulk of the documents are grant files which contain the foundation's documents on each of their grantees. Included in these files are grant inquiries, proposals, approvals and rejections, programs, photographs, and correspondence. Also included are administrative documents such as financial forms and statements, informational materials about Amazon Foundation programs, and internal organizational documents such as committee notes and by laws. Photographic materials are also included in the collection and document foundation and grantee functions and activities. Most of the collection is in English with some Spanish documents. This collection is part of the Arizona Queer Archives (AQA), a community focused archive through the Institute for LGBT Studies at the University of Arizona. It was transferred to Special Collections in 2003.
The Amazon Foundation is a feminist organization that provided grants to promote progressive social change and the betterment of the lives of girls and women in Southern Arizona as well as women and girls of color, lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender individuals and people with disabilities. The Amazon Foundation was founded in the 90s by philanthropist Kristie Graham who wished to use her wealth to effect social change. The foundation refined its mission in 2001 to focus their grant efforts on activist organizations with the hope that by targeting the root of social injustice much of the problems of equal access, economic justice, and violence would be solved. Direct-service programs in the borderlands area were retained due to a lack of services in that region. After founder and funder Kristie Graham relocated from Tucson in 2002 the Amazon Foundation closed its doors.
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