Vantage West Partners with FHLBank San Francisco to Award $150,000 in AHEAD Program Grants to Arizona Non-Profits

Posted by Alyse Knudsen on October 28, 2025

Vantage West Credit Union, in collaboration with the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco (FHLBank San Francisco), will deliver $150,000 AHEAD Program grants to Groundswell Capital, Pascua Yaqui Development Corporation, and Sahuarita Food Bank in support of their efforts to drive economic growth, enhance workforce development, and create equitable opportunities for underserved communities throughout Southern Arizona.

“Vantage West is committed to making a lasting impact in the communities we serve, and these AHEAD Program grants are a powerful way to drive meaningful change,” said Jon Bruflat, VP of Community Impact at Vantage West. “Together with our members and other partners, we are making the communities we serve more vibrant, equitable, and resilient.”

Vantage West applied for the grant in partnership with these non-profits. After a competitive selection process, the three nonprofits were awarded the AHEAD Program grants to fund the critical work they do in the community:

Groundswell Capital — Juntos: Microenterprise Job Training and Loan Fund
Groundswell Capital’s mission is to eliminate barriers to entry into Arizona’s skilled trades for aspiring contractors. The Juntos program will support this mission by providing high-quality job training and education, along with zero percent interest microloans. Bolstered by microlending expertise, deep bilingual outreach, and trusted community partnerships, this expansion will empower a new generation of contractors with the tools, training, and support to succeed. AHEAD funds will support the organization’s revolving loan fund and employee wages.

Pascua Yaqui Development Corporation’s (PYDC) — Career Pivot Center – New Pascua Project Facilities
PYDC works to develop successful businesses that will diversify and strengthen its Tribal economy. The purpose of this project is to establish essential utility infrastructure at a job training site with a welcoming and professional environment. AHEAD funds will enable contractors to establish a fully equipped training site to support long-term skills development and workforce readiness for the Pascua Yaqui community.

Sahuarita Food Bank — Project VERDE: ag Driven
Sahuarita Food Bank and Community Resource Center’s mission is to find innovative and resourceful ways to mitigate hunger. Project Verde will create a demonstration project to grow food using a large-scale hydroponic system in the challenging environment of the Southwest desert. Using off-the-shelf materials, this initiative aims to show that hydroponic farming can be affordable, create jobs, and generate surplus food for lower-income clients. It is designed to be scalable, documenting construction and operation processes to enable replication by others. AHEAD funds will help build the container farm and support staff salaries.

“As the grants landscape continues to become more competitive, we were excited to secure these awards for our business members,” added Bruflat. “Successive wins since 2019 demonstrates the strength of our partnerships and our commitment to regional development.”

AHEAD grants enable FHLBank San Francisco members, including Vantage West, to boost local economic development programs and projects that directly address the needs in low-to-moderate-income communities.

“In this year’s highly competitive application cycle, we received 400 AHEAD grant proposals, underscoring the widespread need for support to drive local economic vitality across our district,” said Eric Cicourel, Community Investment Officer at FHLBank San Francisco. “We are proud to partner with Vantage West in awarding these grants to Groundswell Capital, PYDC, and to the Sahuarita Food Bank and Community Resource Center, recognizing the important work they do in their community. AHEAD is a voluntary grant program and a benefit of FHLBank San Francisco membership that reflects our broader mission to be a dependable source of liquidity for community lenders and a catalyst for housing and economic development in the communities we serve.”

For those interested in applying for the AHEAD Program in 2026, please contact Vantage West Credit Union or visit the FHLBank San Francisco website to learn more.

Posted in Arizona, Community Impact, Regional Member News.