Future Fund

Do something about our community’s future today.

In 1997, the Future Fund started when 12 couples decided to get together and pool their money to start an endowment.

They began by contributing $200 a year. Since then it has grown to over 100 members and the endowment has almost $400,000.

This group of young leaders is committed to making our community a better place to live.

The Future Fund’s mission:

"Acquaint younger members of the community with responsive philanthropy, develop community awareness and nurture future leadership."

Click here to download a brochure about the Future Fund.

Members contribute to an endowment fund and participate in grantmaking, educational and social activities. Members learn that pooling their financial resources is much more powerful than giving a single gift individually.

Membership is continually open to those in their 20s, 30s and up to 45 who wish to share in the vision of building Albuquerque’s future and help to make dreams come true.

Over the past fourteen years, the Future Fund has awarded grants totaling $140,000.

	2011 Future Fund Board:
	Abinash Achrekar	Brian Colón
	Chamiza Pacheco de Alas	Ian Esquibel
	Chris Brennan	Billy Gupton
	Danelle Brennan	Renee Gwyther
	Cathy Cavanaugh	Rebecca Lujan
	Joe LiRosi
	Future Fund Liaison: Lissa Blaschke

"The Future Fund of the Albuquerque Community Foundation provides an excellent avenue to give back to the community. Membership is not only affordable, but it also provides an incredible value to young leaders committed to making a positive impact on our community. I’m a banker, so I was most impressed by the return on investment. Where else can a $200 contribution be turned into $15,000+ worth of grant money in the same year?! Not only have I become better educated about the power of philanthropy, but I have also had the privilege of meeting and working with remarkable individuals who are dedicated to making a positive, lasting, and significant impression on our community for generations to come." - Danelle Brennan

“Working with the Future Fund has given me a great opportunity to work with other young leaders in this community to help those who are less fortunate. My small donation every year is allowing me to be part of a much larger endowment that grants out over $10,000 a year to local nonprofits. The Future Fund has been a cornerstone to this community for over 14 years and with your help we hope that we can continue that tradition for another 14 years.” - Billy Gupton

Future Fund Summer Soiree

2011 Future Fund Grants Total: $15,500

Below are deserving organizations that were considered and after careful thought and much debate, designations were as follows:

Playworks New Mexico - $7,750
Playworks is a nationwide program that has launched in seven Albuquerque elementary schools this year. Playworks seeks to engage students in additional recess time, and to place them with coaches who teach them games and emphasize the value of play. The program costs each school $23,500, and additional support is provided by Americorp and community sponsors. Funds will be used to help schools provide the cost match required for participation.

Saranam - $7,750
Saranam is a 2-year housing and education program for homeless families in Albuquerque, NM. Saranam offers a comprehensive range of services to assist families in transitioning beyond homelessness. They work with homeless families who have a desire and the motivation to change their lives to end their homelessness.

2010 Future Fund Grants Total: $15,000

$3,500 to the New Mexico Collaboration to End Hunger
This grant marks Future Fund’s final grant to the Collaboration, thus completing our 3 year commitment. In the past three years, the Collaboration has successfully moved New Mexico from being the worst in the country according to the USDA Food Insecurity Report to 45^th, partners with over 70 organizations, both public and private, to distribute food across our state, and has fed more than 7,000 hungry New Mexican children in the 2010 Summer Intergenerational Food Program.

$10,000 to La Familia Placement Services
For funding to add an occupational therapist to the team to strengthen and expand the effectiveness of our Sensory Based Parent Child Attachment Groups and for the OT to train staff and parents. Rather than partially funding a grant as in years past, our Committee made the decision to fully fund a proposal. Without fully funding this proposal, the program could not exist. La Familia has a great reputation and had a very strong proposal. A site visit for Future Fund to learn more about this organization will be scheduled for early 2011.

$1,500 to Watermelon Mountain Ranch (WMR)
The Animal Outreach Program for Teens at Risk. This is a juvenile detention diversion program that pairs youth offenders with companion animals at the ranch. The program teaches job and life skills while fostering the bond between the participants and the animals they care for. The Grant Committee was very interested in learning more about WMR and is committed to supporting the organization by providing volunteers. Future Fund will be partnering with WMR in a variety of volunteer capacities for 2011 and a site visit will be scheduled for our members interested in participating.

2010 Future Fund Annual Luncheon

Future Fund members gathered at the old Hiland Theater June of 2011 for their Annual Luncheon. Future Fund members were treated to a sneak peak hard-hat tour of the old theater building that will soon become the new home for New Mexico’s National Dance Institute. Future Funders were also given the opportunity to hear from the three organizations who were awarded grants from the Fund in 2010 - La Familia, Watermelon Mountain Ranch and the New Mexico Collaboration to End Hunger. In just 14 years the Future Fund has granted approximately $200,000 to 60 nonprofit organizations and the members have grown their endowment to more $400,000 + !

Grantees

2009 Future Fund Grants Total: $14,300

Bosque School
to provide transportation for students from public schools, stipends for UNM Interns for school group support and supplies/equipment for field research in the Bosque Ecosystem Monitoring Program, $1400

Working Classroom, Inc.
to support 36 weeks of acting classes, academic tutoring, mentoring, cultural excursions and performance opportunities for 32 low-income middle school student in a theater program for student artists and actors from the poorest neighborhoods, $5400

New Mexico Mesa, Inc.
to support implementation of "Engaging our City's Future Engineers and Scientists" project for middle and high school students in 22 Albuquerque schools - $4000

NM Plan to End Hunger
to support ending hunger in our state, $3,500

2008 Future Fund Grants Total: $21,240

New Mexico Conference of Churches
to support the Parole Empowerment Partners Project (PEP), a nondenominational mentoring program for paroled youth to assist the youth in successful completion of parole requirements and achieve personal positive goals, $3,440

Parents Reaching Out
to support parent engagement program in collaboration with UNM Family Development, for vulnerable families to improve health and learning for young children by covering costs of child care, food and materials, $5,500

NM Plan to End Hunger
to support ending hunger in our state, $3,500

Art in the School, Inc.
to support after-school program for 300 low income elementary school children at three schools with UNM Art Education students assisting to learn from practical experience and better prepare them for teaching careers, $4,800

New Mexico Media Literacy Project
to provide support for five multimedia trainings on media education and literacy for Title 1 APS middle and/or high school students, educators and university students including 40 Media Literacy Toolbox DVD-ROMs, $4,000

Membership Levels

$200 Basic Membership - benefits include invitations to the annual membership party, happy hours, annual review committee and the annual Grant Awards & Donor Appreciation Luncheon. Members are included in the Foundation’s annual report, an annual newspaper ad, and website. 100% of the above contributions will be added to the Future Fund endowment.

$500 Gold Membership - includes the above and an invitation to the Foundation’s holiday donor event. 100% of the above contributions will be added to the Future Fund endowment.

$500 Future Fund Board Membership - includes the above and inclusion on the FF Board to participate in future planning and policy making. $200 of the Board Contribution will be added to the Future Fund endowment, $300 is applied to Future Fund operating expenses.

$1,000 Alumni Membership - this membership is for those in their mid forty’s who would like to continue to support the Foundation and enjoy the Future Fund and other social opportunities. An alumni member will receive all of the above benefits as well as an invitation to additional Foundation activities. These members will be recognized in all marketing materials as a Future Fund alumni and a Partner in Philanthropy. $500 of this contribution will be added to the Future Fund endowment and $500 will be added to the Foundation’s Administrative Operating Endowment

Click here to make your membership contribution and join the Future Fund today.