Grand Canyon University’s (GCU) approach to economic impact in Phoenix extends beyond traditional measures, according to a recent study conducted by Jim Rounds, president and CEO of Rounds Consulting Group. While universities often commission reports focused on financial contributions, Rounds said GCU’s influence is rooted in its commitment to building community as part of its core mission.
“Part of their mission is to reach out to the community. It’s core to how they manage. It’s core to their overall plan and vision,” said Rounds. “That ended up being a bigger piece of their impact. … We could have written something really simple. But digging into it, it (community) became its own major section of the report. They have a focus on these types of things beyond any other university that I’ve seen.”
Rounds highlighted the concept of inclusive development in his analysis, emphasizing efforts to ensure progress benefits all residents regardless of background or circumstance. He summarized his findings: “If I had to reduce it down to something, it would be that GCU understands how to build an economy by helping to build the individual, the family, the neighborhood and the surrounding community first.”
Community partnerships play a significant role in this strategy. Mariza Barron from Reborn Church described her organization’s collaboration with GCU CityServe, which provides donated goods for vulnerable populations through local faith-based groups. Barron said her small church has been able to help many more people thanks to support from GCU staff and volunteers.
“If it weren’t for GCU, there is absolutely no way that Reborn Church would be able to bless as many people as we do,” Barron said. “We don’t have the funds. We are a tiny church and we don’t have the donors.” She added about CityServe: “It has blessed countless people. Countless. … It’s unbelievable how we’re a little but mighty church because of the help that GCU provides.”
Local business owners Eric and Eileen Bolze also credited GCU for positive changes in their area near 28th Avenue in west Phoenix. After seeing crime increase over several years, they joined forces with other businesses and eventually became involved with 27Collab—a coalition including about 80 neighborhood groups led by GCU.
“We just took the position of, we refuse to accept this as the normal. We thought, what can we do to have an impact? That’s when we pursued GCU,” said Eric Bolze.
The Neighborhood Safety Initiative—an 11-year partnership between GCU and Phoenix—resulted in a nearly 38% reduction in crime along with millions saved annually, according to data cited from FBI statistics and the Rounds study.
A key effort within 27Collab is its Private Security Collaborative, where organizations pool resources for private patrols seven days a week—a move participants say has reduced calls for police intervention.
“That’s what’s great – we don’t have to be (in contact),” Eric Bolze said regarding police calls since patrols began.
Longtime resident Jeff Spellman recalled improvements along 27th Avenue due largely to collaborative efforts among community groups supported by GCU staff like Andrea Northup.
Spellman noted Northup’s approach: “Andrea’s been the glue that’s been able to bring us all together.” He also shared that she told him: “We want it [the work] to still be what the community wants.”
Gwendolyn Relf of Rehoboth Community Development Corp., another partner organization near campus, described positive impacts on youth at her affordable housing facility from regular volunteering by GCU students.
“The impact that GCU is having on just the residents who live in our apartment community, especially the youth, has been tremendous,” Relf said.
Relf pointed out examples such as students’ aspirations shifting after engaging with university volunteers—from working at a doughnut shop toward careers like engineering—and cited broader initiatives such as Learning Lounge tutoring and scholarship programs benefiting K-12 students.
Other projects include home repairs completed through partnerships between GCU and Habitat for Humanity-Central Arizona; Shirley Dieckman described upgrades made possible by these collaborations improving both safety and property values without displacing existing residents.
Luis Cordova from Rounds Consulting noted: “That (the repairs) really helped bring up the property value for those homes without displacing any people who currently live there,” adding wealth directly into households affected by improvements.
According to E2 Innovations’ Eric Bolze and data from the spring release of Rounds’ study, median home values within ZIP code 85017—just south of campus—increased more than eightfold since 2011.
For Jim Rounds, this pattern demonstrates lasting benefit: “It’s what happens off campus…they do have an impact on the community…and it’s not a negative impact…but a positive one: ‘It’s lifting the community.’”
The university supports over 21,000 full-time equivalent jobs locally and across Arizona while generating $1.1 billion in labor income each year. Its operations produce $2.8 billion annually in economic output alongside more than $80 million per year in state and local tax revenues.
