Neither Aleli nor Brian Colón come from wealth. And yet by opening their home to fundraising efforts and lending their names at community events, they have helped raise millions of dollars for worthy causes. In fact, they joke that they rarely have meals with friends without charging them for seats at fundraising dinners. When the Colóns were starting out, they …
As a painter and muralist, Natalie Voelker investigates complexity and transcendence in seemingly ordinary people. In 2022, the Foundation commissioned her to create a painting that would visually represent capacity building, continued collaboration with community partners, new grant programs and the organization’s development of a five-year strategic plan. “This is such a great organization doing great work, with a mission …
Albuquerque Community Foundation is honored to support the Community Wealth Building Cohort comprising the following members: Black Health New Mexico Burque Against Racism God’s Warehouse International District Economic Development International District Healthy Communities Coalition Los Jardines Institute TenderLove Community Center Together For Brothers Umoja Abq Working Classroom Vizionz-Sankofa In 2021, DEI United, a joint collaboration of the Albuquerque Community Foundation …
In spring 2022, New Mexico experienced the largest and most destructive wildfire in the state’s history. The Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon fire burned more than 340,000 acres between early April and late June in the southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains, in San Miguel, Mora and Taos counties. According to an article from the Albuquerque Journal, Flames scorched about 534 square miles, …
Albuquerque Community Foundation’s scholarship selection committees awarded 94 scholarships from 25 endowment funds in 2022, assisting students with scholarships or financial aid awards for the 2022-2023 school year. Open to New Mexico residents, scholarships and awards were available for in-state and out-of-state, two and four year institutions or trade schools. Some awards were one-time while others are renewable. Individual awards …
The center provides artist studios, gallery spaces, year-round arts education programming for children, youth and adults, a summer arts camp for children, and engagement and community outreach initiatives for all ages. It has been pivotal in the current burgeoning downtown renaissance. In 2022, Harwood Art Center received the Peggy Cavett-Walden and Professor Jerrold Walden Fund for Art and Music grant, …
When the New Mexico Symphony closed its doors in 2011, the Foundation held several funds for the benefit of the former Symphony. One of the many advantages of endowed funds is that they are protected from bankruptcy and can be reallocated to similar groups that continue the mission of the original organization. Today, the Foundation leverages the endowment funds to …
In April 2022, the Foundation held two tax preparation days designed to support access to the federal 2021 expanded child tax credit, which was expiring at the end of 2022. Volunteers from AARP joined us in this effort, and in total we helped 59 community members complete and file their 2021 tax returns. This outreach effort targeted underserved populations who …
The New Mexico Funders Collaborative, a network of statewide funders committed to pooling time, energy and resources for the betterment of New Mexico communities, awarded $55,000 to two organizations in 2022. Recipients of the previous year’s grants were asked to nominate groups they either worked closely with or whose services they were familiar with. The two organizations chosen for the …
In 2022, the owners of Warehouse 505 fulfilled a years-long dream of expansion, acquiring and remodeling a new, larger facility in a historic building in downtown Albuquerque. The youth center, which has been in operation since 2009 (originally called Warehouse 508), spent more than $200,000 on the remodel. “It’s a three-story old hotel building. To make it work, we had …
