When data meets action, transformation happens. That’s exactly what Teniqua Broughton, CEO of The State of Black Arizona (SBAZ), has been championing—using data to drive change and ensure that Black communities across Arizona have a voice in shaping policy, business opportunities, and community development.
As SBAZ approaches its 10th anniversary in 2025, they are preparing to launch The Arizona Black Business Database, a monetized platform designed to ensure the long-term sustainability and impact of their work. This geographic information system-based, subscription-driven database will serve as a powerful research tool, offering localized insights that support policymakers, investors, academics, and community organizations in advancing Black entrepreneurship and economic equity.
But even visionaries need support. That’s where skills-based volunteering made a difference. Through a collaboration with Common Impact and a corporate partner, SBAZ received strategic insights from skilled volunteers who helped refine the database’s impact and explored ways to enhance engagement, sustainability, and long-term growth. Their fresh perspectives sparked new ideas and provided actionable strategies that are now shaping the database’s future.
Teniqua shares the mission-driven work of amplifying Black voices through data, and how Common Impact’s skills-based volunteering program and corporate volunteers helped take a powerful initiative to the next level.
I’m grateful for the partnership with Common Impact and corporate volunteers. Experiences like this remind us of the power of community-driven work. Real change happens when organizations, businesses, and individuals come together with a shared commitment to equity.
SBAZ has been a critical voice in advancing data and insights for Arizona’s Black community. What inspired the creation of SBAZ, and what are some of the key outcomes the organization has achieved so far?
We knew that to drive meaningful change, we needed to provide reliable data and insights. In our first five years, we focused on collecting data to understand whether our community was represented and worked to disaggregate that information. Our goal was to share data in a way that could shape policy, programs, and opportunities for the community.
Since our inception, we’ve made significant progress across our five focus areas: economics, education, infrastructure, healthcare, and civic life. One key achievement in the economic sector was our State of Black Business report, developed in partnership with the Greater Phoenix Economic Council (GPEC). GPEC plays a major role in bringing businesses to Arizona and has access to data that we don’t. By working together, we identified and reported on key needs that would lead to real impact. These included the development of accelerator programs led by Black entrepreneurs, increased access to capital through banks and community development financial institutions, and a better understanding of the technical assistance needs of Black business owners. Because of this, we’ve been able to solve problems more effectively, ensuring that voices from the margins are included at the center.
What motivated SBAZ to develop The Black Business Database, and how do you envision it transforming economic opportunities for Black entrepreneurs in Arizona?
While there are various business directories, we realized that many incredible Black-owned businesses across the state lacked visibility. Through our research, we found decisions were often made without data-driven insights or an understanding of the lived experiences of Black business owners. We wanted to change that. The Black Business Database became a research tool that allowed us to create a localized approach to offering real-time insights into the state’s Black business ecosystem.
Many economic reports rely on lagging data—information often years old, pulled from sources like the census, which updates every few years. While these reports are valuable, they don’t always reflect the current landscape. The Black Business Databa allows us to track businesses in real-time. For example, we will now be able to identify how many Black-owned businesses exist in Chandler, assess their longevity, and measure their economic impact on the local community.
The Black Business Database is more than just a directory; it’s a tool for connection, collaboration, and growth. It bridges the gap between Black-owned businesses and industries, traditional banks, nontraditional lenders, and alternative financing sources. By creating this database, we’re leveling the playing field and fostering economic mobility for Black entrepreneurs across the state.
Describe your experience working with Common Impact and corporate volunteers to strengthen the launch of The Black Business Database. What stood out to you about their approach, and what insights did you gain from working with them.
Working with corporate volunteers was refreshing. We needed an outside perspective from people who weren’t already in our inner circle of developers, analysts, and other key stakeholders. They came in to truly listen, learn, and contribute in a heartfelt and thoughtful way.
They evaluated the database’s current state and how we were working to scale it. At the time, we were about seven weeks away from completing the rebuild, so we had to present it in the context of where we wanted it to go. They helped us think through critical aspects—how data input translates into valuable insights, how that could feed into a potential subscription model, and ultimately, how our business model could generate revenue.
The volunteers brought fresh ideas, drawing from their own experiences and external research. One standout insight was considering audiences we hadn’t previously thought of, such as university students conducting research or needing access to community data. The volunteers also helped us explore different pricing structures for a yearly subscription, which we’re actively working on refining based on the database’s attributes and future growth.
They considered who we are as an organization, our role as a data provider for the community, and how the database fits into our broader mission. Most importantly, they recognized that while there are many research tools available, nothing quite like this exists: a localized database built through community partnerships and designed with a unique, relationship-driven approach.
Are there specific ways your team is implementing the recommendations that have come out of this Common Impact program?
One of the biggest takeaways was streamlining our internal processes. In nonprofit work, there’s often so much focus on getting things done that we don’t always pause to ensure we operate efficiently. The volunteers helped us think about impact in a sustainable way—how to balance building something impressive while ensuring it remains viable long term.
They also helped us improve how we track engagement, manage data, and communicate our impact. Initially, we were just strategizing how to market the database itself, but the volunteers helped us see that this is an opportunity to market who we are as an organization. That was a big shift in perspective.
What do you think makes skills-based volunteering uniquely valuable for nonprofits like SBAZ compared to traditional volunteering?
Skills-based volunteering takes volunteerism to another level. It allows organizations and the people they serve to access high-level expertise they might not otherwise afford or even know they need.
While we were conceptualizing building a database, we became insular in our thinking—sticking with what and who we knew. Working with skills-based volunteers, even while we were in the early stages, helped clarify our vision. Now that we have developed our database, the process is much easier because we have incredibly valuable insights on database management, governance, efficiency, marketing, and pricing.
Having professionals donate their time and skills in marketing, business development, and data analysis was a game-changer. It wasn’t just about extra hands. It was about strategic guidance and long-term impact. While it was only a one-day project, the knowledge and tools we gained are going to grow and sustain our work. As a leader, it made me feel reassured. I don’t have to have all the answers. Seeing different perspectives, especially from people outside our organization who weren’t emotionally tied to the project, was invaluable.
Is there anything else you’d like to share about your experience with skills-based volunteering or the impact of SBAZ in the community?
I’m grateful for the partnership with Common Impact and corporate volunteers. Experiences like this remind us of the power of community-driven work. Real change happens when organizations, businesses, and individuals come together with a shared commitment to equity. SBAZ is dedicated to advancing equity, opportunity, and prosperity for Black communities across Arizona. Through research, advocacy, and collaborative partnerships, the organization provides critical insights and actionable data to inform policies and initiatives that address systemic barriers. Skills-based volunteering collaborations like this strengthen our mission and extend our reach.
Ready to learn more about skills-based volunteering? Reach out.
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