A Decade of Showing Up

More than $20 million. More than 900 partnerships. But the bigger story is what local organizations and communities have made possible.

Twenty million dollars is a big number.

So are 900 partnerships.

But numbers alone don’t show you what community impact looks like.

Since 2016, Resolution Copper has invested more than $20 million through more than 900 partnerships supporting rural Arizona communities.

Those partnerships span education, health and wellbeing, culture and heritage, environmental stewardship, business development, recreation and community economic development.

But the organizations and people doing the work are the real story.

Helping students find their next step

Over the past decade, Resolution Copper has supported 195 education partnerships, ranging from scholarships and STEM programs to robotics, career and technical education and classroom resources.

At Superior Unified School District, a long-term partnership has supported technology, career and technical education, student programs and other priorities identified by the district. In Globe, students have had opportunities to design, build, troubleshoot and compete through a robotics program Resolution Copper has supported for more than a decade.

And for students preparing for life after high school, scholarships can help make the next step a little more attainable. In 2026, Resolution Copper awarded $51,000 in scholarships to 20 students from communities across the region. Since the scholarship program began in 2002, more than $952,000 has been awarded to more than 280 students.

Different programs, different students. The same idea: creating more ways for young people to build their futures.

Learning a trade closer to home

For years, someone in Superior interested in skilled-trades education had limited options close to home. That began to change with the Superior Enterprise Center. Through collaboration involving Rebuild Superior, the Town of Superior, Central Arizona College, CVIT, Resolution Copper and other partners, for-credit welding education returned to Superior after roughly 24 years.

The Enterprise Center reports that more than 45 students participated in its welding program during its first three semesters, with additional skilled-trades programs planned. That’s what economic development can look like on the ground. A welding booth. A student learning a new skill. And another pathway for someone who wants to build a career without having to leave their community to begin.

Helping put food on the table

Some community needs are even more immediate. Resolution Copper has supported the Superior Food Bank since 2007, with employees also volunteering their time to help prepare and distribute food. That longstanding local relationship is now complemented by a multi-year partnership with United Food Bank supporting food-security efforts across the Copper Corridor, Tribal communities and other parts of the region.

Giving kids new ways to discover the desert

At Boyce Thompson Arboretum, partnership looks completely different. A three-year collaboration is helping expand educational programming and create new opportunities for children, families and teachers to learn about the desert around them. That work includes redevelopment of the Children’s Garden and Discovery Trail, educational outreach and STEM resources for educators.

Resolution Copper employees have also volunteered alongside Arboretum staff, helping with hands-on stewardship work. Sometimes community investment looks like a new educational program. Sometimes it looks like gloves, work clothes and a stubborn patch of invasive grass. Both matter.

Together, the work helps connect another generation with the landscape they call home.

Creating opportunity close to home

Community strength also depends on local businesses. Across the Copper Triangle and surrounding region, locally based contractors and businesses provide services, employ local people and keep more economic activity closer to home. Companies such as Superior Environmental Solutions and Apache-owned 4Winds Contracting are part of that story. Behind each company are employees, families and people who live in the same communities where the work is happening.

Supporting local isn’t simply about where something is purchased. It’s about creating opportunities for local businesses to grow, compete and be part of the region’s future.

Making room for community

Not every meaningful outcome happens in a classroom, workshop or jobsite.

Sometimes it happens on a basketball court. Through partnerships such as the Native American Basketball Invitational, young people come together around sports, education, culture and opportunity. Other partnerships support recreation, trails, community events, cultural programs and spaces that give people reasons to gather.

They may look very different from one another. That’s because communities aren’t built around a single need.

900+ partnerships. 900+ different stories.

Since 2016, Resolution Copper’s community investments have included over 200 education partnerships, 130+ focused on health and wellbeing, 100 supporting culture and heritage, 120+ focused on community economic development, 70 supporting business development, 40+ environmental partnerships and over 60 supporting social and recreational programs.

Those numbers help show the scale, but they still don’t capture everything.

They don’t capture the student striking an arc in a welding class for the first time or the volunteer loading food. The local business owner creating another job. Or the organizations that keep showing up long after an event, grant or program ends.

“Over the years, we’ve learned that lasting impact starts with listening and partnering with people who know their communities best. I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished together, from helping students succeed and supporting local businesses to expanding workforce opportunities and strengthening community programs. I’m even more excited about what these partnerships can achieve in the years ahead.” Bryan Seppala, Principal Advisor – Economic Development & Social Investment

That’s the story behind more than a decade of partnership. And the work isn’t finished.

Resolution Copper will continue listening to local organizations, building relationships and looking for opportunities to support community-led work across rural Arizona.

Because strong communities aren’t built by one company, one organization or one investment. They’re built by people who keep showing up.

MORE FROM THE COMMUNITY

Meet more of the people and organizations behind the work.

More Than a Game: How Baseball Became a Classroom

What started with baseball grew into STEM, teacher training and youth programs across Arizona. Read the story.

Meet the 2026 Resolution Copper Scholarship Recipients
Twenty local students. Nine communities. One big next step toward college, skilled trades and future careers. Meet the students.

Working Together to Address Food Insecurity
A multi-year partnership with United Food Bank is helping support food access across the Copper Corridor, Tribal communities and beyond. See how the partnership works.

See our latest scorecard → for a current look at community partnerships, investment, volunteering and other work happening across the project.