The Santa Fe Community Foundation Turns 40
Our 40th Anniversary
Today, the Santa Fe Community Foundation turns 40. In 1981, a small group of Santa Feans came together with a vision: to create a nimble, responsive Foundation that would meet the ever-evolving needs of its community. Although our beginnings were modest — operating out of City Hall and making grants of just $50 — the vision of our founder and the support of our community have carried us forward.
Today, we're proud to be the largest nonprofit funder in New Mexico, partnering with hundreds of individuals and organizations to improve health and wellbeing, education, and food and income security across northern New Mexico.
Of course, at the heart of our anniversary milestone and growth as an organization is our community: the people who have given their time, talent, and vision to ensure we have thrived through good times and bad; the nonprofits who have informed our work and used our grants to touch the lives of countless people in our communities; and our supporters who have made our initiatives possible. Thank you for being part of our shared history, present reality, and the collective dreams we have for our region's future.
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In honor of our 40th Anniversary and with the help of many supporters, we created a Community Resiliency Fund focused on New Mexico's capacity to recover from difficult, sweeping events, dismantle systems of oppression, and protect our land — today, tomorrow, and for future generations.
We are incredibly pleased to announce $185,000 in first-round grants from our Community Resiliency Fund:
- Native American Advised Fund
Led by an Advisory Committee whose members reflect the diversity of our 23 pueblos, tribes, and nations, the Native American Advised Fund at the Santa Fe Community Foundation supports Indigenous-led and serving organizations and programs to enhance Native lifeways now and for future generations.
- Con Alma Health Foundation
— Community Rebuild Post COVID-19 & Vaccine Rollout
Con Alma Health Foundation’s 21-month vaccine rollout and community rebuild post Covid-19 strengthens its previous Covid-19 relief and recovery efforts to advance health equity for children, families, and communities in New Mexico. Con Alma is collaborating with the New Mexico Health Equity Partnership (NMHEP), an initiative at the Santa Fe Community Foundation, for this project.
- Santa Fe Mutual Aid
The Santa Fe Mutual Aid Network is a grassroots-led effort comprised of community volunteers working to support one another, friends, and neighbors to meet each other’s basic survival needs. - Lutheran Family Services
— Refugee & Asylee Program
Luthern Family Services Rocky Mountains’ Refugee & Asylee Programs help people who have been uprooted by persecution and violence work toward self-sufficiency through essential resettlement services. They are currently supporting Afghan Refugee resettlement. - New Mexico Economic Relief Working Group
Guess who also turned 40 in 2021? In honor of both our anniversaries, the Albuquerque Community Foundation and the Santa Fe Community Foundation awarded a joint grant of $40,000 to the Economic Relief Working Group to support inclusive COVID-19 Recovery. The Group is made up of five community-based and advocacy organizations: New Mexico Voices for Children, El CENTRO de Igualdad y Derecho, Partnership for Community Action, Comunidades en Acción y de Fe (NM CAFé), and Somos Un Pueblo Unido.
2024 Piñon Awards: Event Recap
On Tuesday, October 8, 2024, the Santa Fe Community Foundation presented its 38th Annual Piñon Awards, which honor northern New Mexico's vital nonprofit sector. We invite you to relive this magical evening by browsing photos and videos from the event.
Dollars4Schools: Recent Support for Local Schools
The Santa Fe Community Foundation is committed to contributing to school betterment and student well-being in northern New Mexico. One integral way we enhance outcomes for young learners is through our Dollars4Schools program, which supports Santa Fe public school teachers and classrooms. Recently, this program has been honored to support GLAD (Guided Language Acquisition Training), the 2024 SFPS Bilingual Conference, and the SFPS Safe Routes to School efforts...
Q&A with Bettye Kearse
In celebration of Black Philanthropy Month, we are honored to speak with Dr. Bettye Kearse, an esteemed author whose book "The Other Madisons - The Lost History of a President's Black Family" has shed light on the untold stories of African-American history. As one of the inaugural committee members of the Santa Fe Community Foundation's Empower! Black Futures Community Fund, Dr. Kearse is at the forefront of efforts to uplift and support Black communities through targeted philanthropic initiatives.