Strategic Nonprofit Partnerships Benefit New Mexico’s Underserved
22/07/2009During difficult economic times, collaborations and strategic alliances are more important than ever for nonprofit organizations striving to address the community’s most pressing needs..
Recognizing the increased need to address root causes of the many critical issues facing New Mexico residents, the Community Foundation is serving as a catalyst in important programs which are attracting national grants and federal dollars that will lead to long-term improvements.
New Mexico Collaboration to End Hunger
Nancy Pope, Executive Director, leads a working group that has grown to 67 individuals, corporations, foundations and nonprofits. This summer, the Collaboration is funding Intergenerational food sites addressing two of its goals: eliminating childhood hunger and providing adequate food for seniors.
“It’s critical to feed hungry New Mexicans, however the NM Collaboration to End Hunger is also seeking fundamental change. The Community Foundation recognizes the difference and has supported us with grant dollars, Board support and staff volunteers.” Nancy Pope, Director, NM Collaboration to End Hunger
For more information, please visit: New Mexico Collaboration to End Hunger.
Office of Philanthropic Outreach
The success of the hunger collaboration led the Kellogg Foundation to select the Community Foundation to partner on this new endeavor with the New Mexico Children’s Cabinet and the Office of Lt. Governor Diane Denish. The third such collaboration in the U.S., the office is funded through a grant from the Kellogg Foundation to identify innovative funding partnerships that can be leveraged to fill shortfalls in services to strengthening and connecting resources for New Mexico’s families.
Building on past public/private partnerships, the office will ensure a coordinated effort among state, local and national foundations and nonprofit organizations. “The office is committed to developing collaborative ways of thinking that create innovative outcomes for children, families and communities in New Mexico,” states Robin Brulé, Director.
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Center for Creative Leadership
The Community Foundation was selected to collaborate with in implementing a national fellowship program that will help train the next generation of community health leaders. One of nine cities selected across the country, Albuquerque was chosen because of health care issues arising from a large geographical area being served from primarily one city and the state’s high percentage of poverty.
For more information, please visit: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation or Center for Creative Leadership.
“Despite the battered economy, we’re finding ways to continue to serve the community,” says Vic Chavez, President of the Foundation’s Board. “At a time when many organizations are wrestling with increased expenses, increased needs and actual or threatened reductions in revenue, the Foundation is doing all that it can to increase our outreach to better serve the most vulnerable in our community.”
“In these challenging economic times, we recognized that losses to the Foundation’s endowment would result in fewer grant dollars this year and possibly through 2011,” states Randy Royster, Executive Director; “We began to look for alternative collaborative opportunities to serve the community and have suddenly become a hub for community philanthropy.”
