ACF of the Gila Valley

The Harvey C. Dietrich Fund, a component fund of the Arizona Community Foundation, has awarded more than $1.8 million to nonprofit organizations across the state over the last two years.

The Gila Watershed Partnership was one of the organizations selected in the first year of funding, receiving $45,000 in unrestricted support. The organization strives to protect and improve the overall health of the Upper Gila Watershed in Arizona. The grant supported general operations, providing flexibility for the organization to fulfill its mission based on where the funds are needed most.

Harvey Dietrich, known as Arizona’s last Jewish cowboy, made a name for himself in the cattle industry. Upon his passing in 2020, revealed a profound act of generosity: $20 million his estate was entrusted to ACF. His legacy gift was invested and endowed to create the Harvey C. Dietrich Fund which generates around $900,000 in grantmaking every year, forever.

Harvey provided ACF with broad guidelines for deciding how grants from the fund created in his name should be distributed. In consultation with his widow Marnie Dietrich, ACF has honored Harvey’s philanthropic wishes by identifying organizations and community needs that aligned with his values of individualism, honesty, humility, and integrity.

ACF has been connecting donors like Harvey with organizations like the Gila Watershed Partnership for more than 45 years. The organization provides charitable funds for donors to make lifetime or legacy gifts that benefit communities across the state today and into the future.