There are many public, non-profit, private and community-based organizations working in the Rio Reimagined study area. Many of these organizations collaborate to advance the work of revitalization in communities along the river corridor. For more information on these partners, visit our PARTNERS webpage.

To help support and steward the collective work of the partnership, a multi-organizational leadership team is working together to advance the structural, programmatic, and financial sustainability of the regional initiative.

In early 2018, former Senator McCain and the Rio Reimagined communities asked Arizona State University (ASU) to serve as an independent facilitator and convener of the regional Rio Reimagined initiative.  ASU’s role as steward and catalyst for Rio Reimagined is in sync with its institutional Charter as an institution committed to excellence, access, and impact, “assuming fundamental responsibility for the economic, social, cultural and overall health of the communities it serves. ”  The ASU University City Exchange office, a component of the President’s Office of University Affairs, provides a full-time professional team pro bono to support the success of the Rio Reimagined initiative.

Greater Phoenix Leadership (GPL) is an organization of leading CEOs in the greater Phoenix region, aligning leadership and resources at the intersection of the business, education, philanthropy, and public policy sectors to improve economic vitality and quality of life. Through its members, GPL works to push forward initiatives, public policy, and projects that will strengthen the future of Arizona.   

Many other urban river revitalization initiatives across the United States have included as part of their governance and organizational structure, a social impact non-profit or “friends of” organization. GPL has been involved with Rio Reimagined since its inception in 2018 and has had an interest in furthering the goals of the initiative through establishment and support of a new regional social impact non-profit organization for RIO. This is not a new endeavor for GPL, which has historically incubated non-profit organizations such as Valley Leadership, TGEN, Science Foundation Arizona, and more. GPL is currently in the process of incubating a Founding Board for a new Rio Reimagined social impact organization, which will establish its vision, mission, and key objectives. 

The Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG) is the Metropolitan Planning Organization and Council of Governments for the greater Phoenix region, encompassing a planning area of approximately 10,600 square miles. MAG Member Agencies include 27 cities and towns, 3 Native Nations, Maricopa County, portions of Pinal County, and the Arizona Department of Transportation.   

With nine of the ten RIO signatories as member agencies, MAG has been supportive of Rio Reimagined since its inception, and as the regional planning agency, assists with coordination among the local governments and Native nations. MAG is currently leading the development of an Active Transportation Planning Study, which will serve as the first corridor-wide plan for RIO. In addition to leading development of this regional plan for the river corridor, MAG hosts the funding and supports activities related to the Rio Reimagined Ambassador role. This role is co-funded by federal and local partners that serves as a local liaison to the Urban Waters Federal Partnership program and provides valuable professional support to the communities and local and tribal governments located along the Salt and Gila River corridor. 

For more information about organizations engaged in Rio Reimagined, check out our Partners page.