TEP gives $100,000 to expand Pima County preschool access

Tucson Electric Power contributed $100,000 to United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona’s effort to expand access to Pima County preschool assistance. United Way described the gift as the first corporate contribution to its Supercharging PEEPs effort. The contribution was presented at United Way’s Tucson office on Oct. 15, 2026.

United Way said the donation uses company resources, not customer rates. Its announcement did not say how the money would be divided within Supercharging PEEPs or how many additional scholarships or placements it might support.

PEEPs serves children through several programs

The Pima Early Education Program Scholarships, known as PEEPs, connects families with preschool classes in school districts, Quality First scholarships and extended-day Head Start programming. Many scholarships are available to income-eligible families with children ages 3 or 4; some 5-year-olds who are not in kindergarten may also qualify, according to Pima County.

United Way reported that PEEPs directly served 1,489 children in fiscal year 2025–26. When combined with other public preschool investments, the programs served 4,939 children—about 38% of an estimated 13,032 income-eligible children.

Pima County Supervisor Rex Scott told Arizona Public Media that more than 600 children were on the PEEPs waitlist. Scott also said the county had allocated $40 million to the program over six years. The waitlist figure describes demand for the program; the announced donation does not establish how many children will receive additional assistance.

United Way also reported that Pima County’s number of high-quality providers grew from 199 in 2021 to 316 in 2026. The county lists the Pima County Library District, the Town of Marana and participating school districts as PEEPs funding sources, with donations to United Way complementing those contributions.

United Way sets private fundraising goal

United Way CEO Vanecia Kerr told Arizona Public Media that the organization aims to raise $1 million from the private sector for PEEPs in 2026. That fundraising goal is separate from the specific details announced for TEP’s contribution; no scholarship count or placement schedule for the $100,000 gift was stated.