Best Women's Programs in Arizona — 17 resources

About Women's Programs for Women

Women's empowerment programs in the US are funded through a mix of federal grants (Office on Women's Health, Women's Bureau at the Department of Labor, WANTO grants for nontraditional trades) and nonprofit networks like the YWCA, AAUW, and the National Council of Women's Organizations. Services typically include leadership development, financial literacy, entrepreneurship through SBA Women's Business Centers (WBCs), and peer support groups. Dress for Success outfits women re-entering the workforce, and Bottomless Closet and Step Up Network mentor low-income women. State-level women's commissions advocate on policy and refer to local providers. This directory aggregates WBCs, YWCAs, women's commissions, and empowerment nonprofits.

Women's Programs in Arizona

Arizona handles custody (called 'legal decision-making' and 'parenting time') in superior courts across all 15 counties. The Division of Child Support Services operates under DES. Phoenix, Tucson, Mesa, and Chandler are the largest metros. Community Legal Services, Southern Arizona Legal Aid, and the Arizona Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence support women statewide.

17 Resources

1. Arizona Foundation for Women — Free

Statewide grantmaking foundation based at 2400 N Central in Phoenix that funds women-led nonprofits, runs the annual Sandra Day O'Connor Lunch, and supports research like the She Counts Index on women's economic status. Mothers seeking grant-funded services can search the foundation's grantee list. Call 602-965-1094 for current funded programs.

602-965-1094 · 2400 N Central Ave Suite 305, Phoenix, AZ 85004 · Mon-Fri 9am-5pm · Visit Website

2. Dress for Success — Phoenix — Free

The Phoenix affiliate at 2045 W Camelback provides referral-based interview suiting, employment-retention coaching, and the Going Places Network career circles for women returning to work. Bring your referral letter from a partner agency to your first appointment. Call 602-266-1101 to confirm Tuesday-Friday suiting hours.

602-266-1101 · 2045 W Camelback Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85015 · Mon-Fri 9am-4pm · Visit Website

3. Fresh Start Women's Foundation — Free

Founded in 1992, Fresh Start operates from 1130 E McDowell in Phoenix as a single-stop campus offering legal clinic, career counseling, mental-health services, and education classes — all free for women in transition. Walk-ins welcome on clinic days. Call 602-261-4848 to schedule a first-visit orientation.

602-261-4848 · 1130 E McDowell Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85006 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website

4. YWCA Southern Arizona — Free

YWCA of Southern Arizona at 525 N Bonita in Tucson focuses on racial-justice programming, women's economic empowerment, and the Your Sister's Closet thrift program that funds direct services. Call 520-884-7810 to ask about upcoming Money Smart financial-education sessions for women.

520-884-7810 · 525 N Bonita Ave, Tucson, AZ 85745 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website

5. SheStarts Arizona — Women's Business Center — Free

SBA-funded Women's Business Center serving Phoenix-area women entrepreneurs with free one-on-one counseling, business-plan reviews, and microloan referrals. Especially active in helping immigrant and Latina founders navigate Arizona LLC formation. Call 480-731-8720 to schedule an advising session.

480-731-8720 · Phoenix, AZ · Mon-Fri 9am-5pm · Visit Website

6. Arizona Women's Education & Employment — Free

AWEE at 640 N 1st Ave in Phoenix has run job-readiness cohorts for low-income Arizona women since 1981, with strong placement outcomes in healthcare, customer service, and skilled trades. Programs include the Women's Conference and the New Beginnings re-entry track. Call 602-223-4333.

602-223-4333 · 640 N 1st Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85003 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm

7. Girls Inc. of Greater Phoenix — Free

Girls Inc. at 2829 N 24th St delivers after-school and summer programming for girls ages 5-18 emphasizing STEM, financial literacy, and healthy-relationships curricula. Sliding-scale fees with full scholarships available. Call 602-940-1809 for current cohort openings.

602-940-1809 · 2829 N 24th St, Phoenix, AZ 85008 · Mon-Fri 8am-6pm

8. PACE Center for Girls — Arizona — Free

PACE serves girls ages 11-17 in Tucson with an alternative-education model combining accredited academics, counseling, and life-skills coaching. Designed for girls who are struggling in traditional school settings or who have justice-system involvement. Call 520-623-7223 to start the referral process.

520-623-7223 · Tucson, AZ · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website

9. Arizona Commission for Women — Free

The Governor's Commission for Women, housed at 1700 W Washington in Phoenix, advises the governor on policy affecting Arizona women and runs the annual Hall of Fame induction. Mothers can submit policy concerns to the commission and follow their public meetings. Call 602-542-1755.

602-542-1755 · 1700 W Washington St, Phoenix, AZ 85007 · Mon-Fri 8am-5pm · Visit Website

10. AAUW — American Association of University Women — Free

AAUW has active Phoenix, Tucson, Flagstaff, and Yuma branches running scholarship programs for adult women returning to college and STEM camps for middle-school girls. Members also lobby Arizona's legislature on pay-equity and Title IX issues.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

11. National Organization for Women (NOW) — Free

NOW Arizona chapters in Phoenix and Tucson focus on reproductive rights, equal-pay legislation, and Violence Against Women Act reauthorization. Local chapters run rapid-response actions when Arizona's legislature considers women's-rights legislation.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

12. League of Women Voters — Free

LWV Arizona has chapters in Greater Phoenix, Greater Tucson, Greater Verde Valley, and Northwest Maricopa County running voter-registration drives, candidate forums, and ballot-issue education events. Free to attend; nonpartisan by charter.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

13. YWCA USA — Free

Connects Arizona mothers to the YWCA network: YWCA Metropolitan Phoenix, YWCA Southern Arizona, and YWCA of Sedona-Verde Valley offer everything from senior nutrition to early childhood programs and racial-justice trainings.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

14. Women's Funding Network — Free

Coalition that includes the Arizona Foundation for Women and the Women's Foundation for the State of Arizona. Aggregates national giving data and best practices that inform Arizona's women-focused grantmaking.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

15. Junior League — Free

Junior Leagues of Phoenix and Tucson are 100+ year-old service organizations that train women as community volunteers and lead local projects on child welfare, women's health, and education. Membership is open to women of all backgrounds.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

16. Soroptimist International — Free

Soroptimist clubs across Arizona — including Phoenix, Tucson, Yuma, Lake Havasu, and Sedona — run the Live Your Dream Awards giving cash grants to women heads-of-household pursuing education, and the Dream It Be It career-support program for teen girls.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

17. Zonta International — Free

Zonta clubs in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tucson, and Yuma fund women's-empowerment scholarships, anti-trafficking projects, and the Amelia Earhart Fellowship for women in aerospace engineering. Service-club model open to professional women.

Nationwide · Online · Visit Website

Frequently Asked

How many women's programs resources are in Arizona?
Women's Corner tracks 17 women's programs resources for women in Arizona.
Are women's programs resources in Arizona free?
17 of the 17 listed women's programs resources in Arizona are explicitly free or low-cost.
Which cities in Arizona have women's programs resources?
Listings span cities including Phoenix, Tucson.
What are some examples of women's programs resources in Arizona?
Featured entries include Arizona Foundation for Women, Dress for Success — Phoenix, Fresh Start Women's Foundation, YWCA Southern Arizona, SheStarts Arizona — Women's Business Center.
Do these listings include phone numbers?
9 of 17 Arizona women's programs listings include phone numbers.
What do women's empowerment programs actually offer?
Most combine peer support groups, financial literacy and credit-building classes, job training, GED prep, leadership development, and help navigating benefits and legal systems. Many include free childcare during sessions. Programs like Dress for Success, Bottomless Closet, and YWCA chapters serve women rebuilding after divorce, abuse, or job loss.
Are there programs for single moms specifically?
Yes. The Life of a Single Mom (TLSM) operates in 30+ states with peer groups and crisis grants. Helping Hands for Single Moms funds college for single mothers. Modest Needs gives short-term emergency grants. Many United Way 211 calls connect single mothers to local single-mom funds for rent, car repair, or childcare.
Do these programs cost money?
Almost all empowerment programs are free for income-qualifying women, often funded through HHS Office of Family Assistance, state TANF dollars, or private foundations. Many include free meals, transportation stipends, and childcare. Bring ID, proof of income, and any benefits letters when you enroll.
Can I get help starting a business as a woman?
Yes. The SBA's Office of Women's Business Ownership funds 140+ Women's Business Centers nationwide offering free training, mentorship, and loan readiness. SCORE provides free women-mentor pairings. Grants like the Amber Grant (
0,000/month) and Cartier Women's Initiative target women founders. Many states have additional women-owned business certifications that unlock contracts.