ROOTED TOGETHER
TOGETHER WE GIVE. TOGETHER WE GROW.
On a crisp, sunny afternoon in October, nearly 200 people gathered for a downtown block party at the Foundation to celebrate StreetVision Housing Strategies (formerly East Central Ministries), as the first grantee of Rooted Together, the Foundation’s new community-led grantmaking initiative. A gathering that was years in the making, the event marked the beginning of a different approach to grantmaking rooted in community voices, long-term investment, and transformative local impact.
“Rooted Together is about bold, placebased investments and going deep in one
neighborhood, on one initiative, with the goal of sparking something bigger,” says Khia Griffis, Community Impact and Leadership Senior Director at the Foundation. “That means bringing together residents, nonprofits, businesses, and donors to focus on what matters most to them. Our partners need time and resources to grow their capacity and build something that endures.”
StreetVision is transforming Albuquerque’s International District through innovative, community-driven housing and land use solutions. Their housing development project, ID Rising, includes two properties that will provide 23 permanently affordable rental homes in the historically underserved neighborhood.
With support from the Rooted Together initiative, StreetVision will continue to expand community engagement through
neighborhood partnerships that elevate local voices and respond to emerging opportunities within the greater International District.
“StreetVision takes a different approach than most low-income housing efforts,” says Founder and Executive Director John Bulten. “Grounded at a street-level view in the International District, we are driven by an authentic commitment to meet the real needs of our community with low-cost, permanent housing solutions. Our work is rooted in collaboration, not just advocating for neighbors but working with them to ensure no one is overlooked or left behind. When rooted together, we can create new models and housing solutions to address these critically unmet needs.”
StreetVision’s work reminds us that change is possible. But it takes time, persistence,
and trust. And most of all, it takes seeing people not as problems to fix, but as partners in shaping the solutions.
“The Foundation is honored to partner with StreetVision and support their work through Rooted Together,” says Marisa Magallanez, incoming President and CEO. “Thanks to generous donations from corporate partners and individual donors, we’re already halfway to our fundraising goal of $200,000. We know change takes time, but requires commitment and action. We hope our two-year investment will inspire others to get involved.”
Stay tuned for more opportunities to support StreetVision through Rooted Together in 2026! Learn more at abqcf.org/rootedtogether.
Support StreetVision
To make a donation to support StreetVision, visit: go.abqcf.org/streetvision.
THANK YOU CORPORATE PARTNERS
Rooted Together would not be possible without the generous support of our incredible Corporate Partners. Thank you for investing in communityled solutions and transformative local impact.
FAREWELL LETTER
RANDY ROYSTER, PRESIDENT & CEO
My 20-year journey with the Foundation has been remarkable. In 2005, the organization looked vastly different: assets under management were $39.2M, grants were $1.7M, the Board comprised 14 members, and the staff of five included two part-timers.
By the end of this year, the Foundation will manage over $185.2M in assets and award an estimated $15.4M in grants. To accommodate this extraordinary expansion, the staff has grown to 20 full-time employees and the Board to 24 Trustees. The Foundation’s growth builds on the commitment and leadership of the staff and Board who shaped its early years and mission. Over time, a team that once reflected a narrower range of ages and backgrounds has evolved into an intergenerational group representing varied identities, experiences, and perspectives. Likewise, a Board previously centered around seasoned leadership now includes voices from across professions, cultures, socio-economic perspectives, interests, and age groups, with balanced gender and generational representation. Today, grounded in the strong foundation created by those who came before, the organization reflects the multiplicity of Albuquerque and the state we serve.
The donor base has similarly expanded beyond a small dedicated group to encompass a broader spectrum of the community. Confirming that anyone can be a philanthropist by sharing time, talent, and resources, our donors today represent a wide range of giving levels and passions. The Foundation’s role as a community connector and convener wouldn’t be possible without their generosity and commitment.
One of my early goals when hired was achieved in 2012 with the donation of the historic Champion Building by the Marianetti family and the extraordinary community support for its renovation to secure a permanent, central location for the Foundation’s offices. My second objective was
to expand the Foundation’s presence, ensuring philanthropy played a key role in community betterment. Twenty years later, the Foundation’s voice and participation are integral to almost every major community initiative. We are leaders, especially in economic and workforce development, by proactively assembling government, industry, and other philanthropic organizations. This leadership has extended to the state, region, and national levels, too, as other community foundations have followed our example.
A final highlight for me was establishing the New Mexico Community Trust in 2019 to serve and support areas without a local community foundation, acting as a conduit for federal and national funds into the state.
Looking back, I cannot adequately express my heartfelt gratitude for the staff, board members, and volunteers who have dedicated time, skills and resources over the years. Throughout these two decades, the Foundation has weathered recessions, natural disasters, and a pandemic. Donor and volunteer support remained steadfast and even grew, to my eternal wonder and appreciation.
Looking ahead, I’m inspired by the promise of what’s next. The achievements of my successors and the bright path they’ll forge will carry the Foundation’s legacy forward.
With gratitude and pride in all we’ve accomplished together, I bid farewell as President and CEO, eager to cheer on the next chapter of the Foundation.
Randy Royster President & CEO
RANDY ROYSTER’S
LEADERSHIP & LEGACY
For two decades, Randy Royster has been a transformative leader at Albuquerque Community Foundation, guiding its growth and expanding its impact across New Mexico. When he became CEO in 2005, the Foundation managed $39.2M in assets. Today, assets total over $185.2M and annual grantmaking exceeds an estimated $15.4M.
Randy’s commitment to collaboration strengthened civic engagement, economic development, and the Foundation’s national presence during his tenure. As he prepares for retirement, Randy leaves a legacy of vision, integrity, and an unwavering dedication to the power of philanthropy in building a stronger community.
Institutional Growth & Leadership
Secured a Permanent Home
Acquired the historic Champion Building, giving the Foundation a lasting and visible downtown presence.
Expanded the Board of Trustees
Added corporate, legal, banking, and investment leaders to strengthen governance and expertise.
Modernized Pay and Benefits
Updated compensation and benefits to match private-sector standards and attract top talent.
Launched the Corporate Partner Program
Built a sustainable operating-support model through corporate partnerships.
Expanding Philanthropic Impact
Broadened Philanthropic Priorities
Added Economic and Workforce Development as a new focus area, deepening long-term community impact.
Pioneered Impact Investing
Established an Impact Investing program to leverage philanthropic capital for stronger community returns.
Strengthened Civic Engagement Co-chaired the NM Counts 2020 Census Committee to champion a full and accurate statewide count.
Advanced the New Mexico Community Trust
Provided strategic leadership that helped position the Trust for statewide social-sector support.
Building Community & Regional Collaboration
Elevated National Influence
Served in leadership roles with the Council on Foundations, CF Leads, and CEONet.
Founded Statewide & Regional Partnerships
Created the NM Coalition of Community Foundations and co-founded the Southwest CEO Roundtable.
BOARD CHAIR LETTER
EMILY ALLEN
2025 has been a pivotal year for the Foundation. We conducted a search for our new CEO and have been guiding the transition of our current CEO, Randy Royster, into a well-deserved retirement after twenty years leading the organization. We thank Randy for his tireless commitment to the Foundation and wish him all the best as he enters this new phase of his life.
I also extend my heartfelt gratitude to our incredibly engaged Board of Trustees. These dedicated individuals have a tremendous level of give-a-darn, and dedicate their time, their expertise, and their hearts to the Foundation. There are no rubber stamps here. They challenge us to think differently, rise to the needs of our community, and never rest on the way it has always been done.
After a thoughtful, inclusive, and thorough search, it is with great pleasure and excitement that we welcome Marisa Magallanez as our new CEO. Some of you are familiar with Marisa from her long service to the Foundation, while others are just learning about her leadership, commitment, and passion for the Foundation’s mission. Marisa is the perfect leader to take the Foundation’s reins. Not only does she understand the mission of the Foundation and the community, she is
laser-focused on how to amplify the already tremendous impact, growth and momentum we’ve had over more than 40 years. Marisa will continue to be a strong connecting point between staff, Trustees, volunteers, donors, funders, partners, and grantees because she listens to what is needed, understands where the Foundation has been, and is ready to lead the organization forward into the future.
When a new leader takes the helm, new energy comes into play. Our communities have immense challenges ahead and with those challenges, we have the opportunity to step up, come together, and move with intention and impact. The Foundation is positioned to connect our community and bring together changemakers for good.
Together we are greeting the new year with optimism and a renewed sense of purpose.
Board Chair
INCOMING CEO LETTER
MARISA MAGALLANEZ
It is with deep humility that I approach this first official communication as incoming President & CEO of Albuquerque Community Foundation and New Mexico Community Trust. I can think of no greater honor than to have been chosen by the Board of Trustees for the privilege of leading the Foundation and the Trust in 2026. I want to acknowledge the wonderful leadership and mentorship of Randy Royster, whose twenty years at the Foundation have had such impact on the community, and on me.
But before we step into the future, I want to go back to my beginnings. I grew up in the borderlands of Southern New Mexico, in the small community of Mesquite, about 15 miles south of Las Cruces. From Albuquerque to Española, from Ruidoso to Artesia, my roots and experiences have provided me a lens of the beauty and complexity of New Mexico that informs my leadership, knowledge and love for this state.
I certainly didn’t know that when I interviewed for a fundraising position in 2019 that I would one day be leading the staff, connecting with the Board, and helping nonprofits, donors, and partners connect to create a more prosperous New Mexico. Being able to spend my days interacting with so many rich, diverse and vibrant facets of the community, and figuring out how the Foundation can serve the community in more impactful ways, gives me energy in the face of very real challenges.
I now have the unique opportunity to investigate the questions that drive me: what does it mean to
activate every tool we have in our toolbox? How can we think about the breadth of ways we can support our neighbors? My answer starts with the belief that community foundations have the power to ignite community transformation. We work at the intersection of addressing today’s most pressing needs, responding to crisis, and working to change systems to create better outcomes for all. We are vehicles for creative, bold solutions in our community. We are bridge builders, connectors, conveners, and create a “big tent” where people and philanthropy of all kinds create vast possibilities for meaningful impact.
I have a deep respect for the responsibility of stewarding community assets, not only for continued return, but for meaningful impact and prosperity. As a city and state, Albuquerque and New Mexico continue to face challenging issues – education, public safety, homelessness and housing, poverty, healthcare and more. The landscape is certainly full of challenges. Our path forward must be built from a foundation of love, hope, and humanity.
I am thrilled to serve as your next President & CEO. ¡Adelante!
Marisa Magallanez
Incoming President & CEO
HELLO, GOODBYE
RETIRING
TRUSTEE: Anne Sapon
Our Board of Trustees is composed of diverse community leaders who share a common goal: to fortify the well-being of the Albuquerque community.
Foundation Trustees are extraordinarily committed to building a strong community and are active partners in mobilizing and stewarding resources to create equitable opportunities for all. In 2025, Anne Sapon will be retiring from the Foundation’s Board of Trustees.
Anne served three terms on the Board of Trustees from 2017 to 2025. During her time on the Board, she served as the Community Impact Committee Chair (2020-2021) and later as the Governance Committee Chair (2024 – 2025). Anne has also served as a member of the Risk Management Committee and Community Impact Committee, along with sharing her time and expertise as a grant panelist during the Foundation’s Annual Grant Cycle.
Anne and her husband, Ken, a former Corporate Partner of the Foundation, have also participated in the Rally du Soleil, an annual fundraiser administered by the Foundation of which the proceeds from the event are added to the Cinco Amigo Now and Forever Endowment Fund.
NEW TRUSTEES
This year several community leaders joined our Board of Trustees. We’re honored to have individuals with diverse experience and expertise as trusted partners in our work at the Foundation.
NEW STAFF
The Foundation staff continues to grow as we increase our capacity to serve the community. Over the past year, we’ve welcomed five new staff members with additional new staff positions coming in the new year.
To learn more about our Trustees and staff, visit abqcf.org/who-we-are
Alex Flores Singleton Shreiber
Richard Berry Tribal Enterprise
Ashlee Wright Junior League of Albuquerque
Daniel Trujillo TKM, LCC
Harold Lavender CNM Ingenuity
Lisa McCulloch Community Member
Domineque Tenorio Event & Marketing Associate
Josh Rysanek Grants Associate
Melissa Bruney Donor Services Associate
Melody Wells Major Gifts Officer
Natalie Dunning Accounting Associate
PROFILE IN PHILANTHROPY
GIVE TO LIVE – BILL TALAVERA ENDOWMENT FUND
The Talavera family established the Give to Live – Bill Talavera Endowment Fund to provide support for organ transplant recipients, their families, and individuals facing health or medical challenges. Created in loving memory of Bill Talavera, a beloved son and brother who tragically passed away in 2022, the Fund celebrates Bill’s legacy as an organ donor whose gift saved multiple lives.
In 2015, Bill and his younger brother Daniel cofounded American Tree Services, a locally owned business rooted in Albuquerque. Daniel recalls spending countless hours with Bill through their business, noting that his sister Melissa often said the two brothers balanced each other perfectly: Bill, free-spirited, adventurous, and always smiling, and Daniel, his steady counterpart.
“Bill’s bravery and love for adventure were legendary, from cliff diving to leaping from the Stratosphere in Las Vegas,” said Daniel.
Following Bill’s passing, Daniel’s devoted mother and father, Debra and Raul Talavera, envisioned a car show in Bill’s honor, with all proceeds benefiting organ transplant recipients and their families. Patients awaiting transplants often face sudden travel and lodging needs,
sometimes with only a few days’ notice. To date, the Talaveras have hosted three car shows and are preparing for another to continue providing critical support to families in need.
Through these events, Daniel has connected with the transplant community. He is actively helping to organize Team New Mexico for the Transplant Games of America, a national multi-sport event held every two years to celebrate the lifesaving gift of organ, eye, and tissue donation. The games bring together thousands of transplants recipients, living donors, donor families, caregivers, and supporters to honor donors’ legacies, raise awareness about donation, and promote health living post-transplant.
The idea of starting a nonprofit in Bill’s honor was discussed by the family, but they ultimately felt they were not ready to take that step. Later, Daniel connected with Foundation President and CEO Randy Royster through American Tree Services and collaborated on creating the Give to Live Fund with the Foundation. Through this Fund, the Talavera family continues to celebrate Bill Talavera’s enduring legacy of compassion, courage, and service to others.
To learn more about the 2026 Annual Grant Cycle, visit abqcf.org/grants.
ANNUAL GRANT CYCLE
Each year, the Foundation makes grants to nonprofits serving individuals and families across Bernalillo, Sandoval, Torrance, and Valencia counties through our Annual Grant Cycle. With seven diverse priority areas, we’re able to uplift and respond to a wide range of community needs. These grants are made possible by the generosity of more than 90 endowment funds.
ANIMAL WELFARE:
Bro and Tracy
Animal Welfare
Bro and Tracy Animal Welfare offer discounted or free spay/ neuter services, core vaccinations, and minor vet care to reduce Albuquerque’s growing pet overpopulation. As the need has grown, operating two mobile units, a partner vet now runs a clinic in Bernalillo County, allowing Bro and Tracy to serve over 300 pet owners in the last year, with ongoing demand for affordable, life-saving services for pets in the community.
ARTS & CULTURE:
Rio Rancho Creative Crossroads
Rio Rancho Creative Crossroads (RRCC) provides barrier-free arts access in Sandoval County through music, theater, and visual arts programs including the Rio Rancho Youth Chorus, Children’s Chorus of Rio Rancho, Rio Rancho Players Community Theatre, and Art on the Mesa. Youth and children’s choruses are open to all backgrounds, abilities, and identities, with no prior experience required.
EDUCATION:
Keres Children’s Learning Center
Keres Children’s Learning Center (KCLC) is a Montessori school on Cochiti Pueblo that uses the Keres language for daily instruction across all academic areas for children. Founded to reclaim education and honor heritage, KCLC supports Keres language revitalization through a comprehensive cultural and academic curriculum with classrooms serving children from infancy through adolescence using Indigenous-language immersion and dual-language Montessori methods.
$753,800
ENVIRONMENTAL & HISTORIC PRESERVATION:
Youth Agricultural Cooperative
Youth Agricultural Cooperative (YoAgCo) is an innovative youth-led agricultural program based in the International District of Albuquerque, New Mexico. They engage young people aged 11 to 17 through service-based experiences, entrepreneurship, and handson project-based learning, all grounded in agriculture and the environment.
ECONOMIC & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT:
Three Sisters Kitchen HEALTH: Casa Esperanza HUMAN SERVICES:
Three Sisters Kitchen (TSK) is a food education organization that uses the power and love of local food to create economic opportunities, improve community health, and bring diverse communities together around the table. Programming provides hands-on training, technical assistance, supplies, access to capital, and kitchen space with participants learning product development, local sourcing, and food manufacturing skills while testing products in real-world markets.
Casa Esperanza has provided safe lodging and support to over 50,000 patients and families traveling to Albuquerque for life-saving care. Serving low to moderate-income, medically underserved families facing cancer, kidney disease, and high-risk pregnancies, Casa Esperanza removes financial and logistical barriers with costfree lodging, transportation assistance, nutritious
and emotional support.
New Mexico Dream Team
The New Mexico Dream Team (NMDT) is the largest immigrant, undocumented, and LGBTQ+ youth-led network in the state, with 15 active school chapters and strong ties to major educational institutions. NMDT empowers immigrant youth through leadership training, advocacy, and organizing to promote self-sustainability, safety, and self-efficacy.
SCHOLARSHIPS
At Albuquerque Community Foundation, we’re honored to help New Mexico students take the next step toward their educational dreams through a wide range of scholarship opportunities. Each scholarship is made possible by generous donors who believe in the power of education and want to give back to future generations.
Students can explore available awards by completing an eligibility questionnaire, which highlights the scholarships that best match their goals and interests. Together, these donor-supported funds open doors, ease financial barriers, and reflect our shared commitment to helping local students thrive.
IN 2025, WE AWARDED…
$174,200 in scholarships scholarships to 80 students total scholarships to 15 students statewide scholarships to 65 students in Bernalillo, Sandoval, Torrance, and Valencia counties $ 80 15 65 To learn more about our 2026 scholarship programs, visit abqcf.org/scholarships.
New Mexico Estate Planning Conference
The 6th Annual New Mexico Estate Planning Conference was held in March at the CNM Workforce Training Center, bringing together attorneys, bankers, investment advisors, estate planning and tax practitioners, and financial planners for a one-day seminar of learning and networking. Through seven continuing education sessions, experts shared insights on trends and best practices in estate planning.
SAVE THE DATE:
March 3–5, 2026 at Hotel Albuquerque Join estate planning professionals from across the state at our expanded, multiday New Mexico Estate Planning Conference in 2026! Learn more at abqcf.org/nmepc.
EVENTS
The Foundation hosts events throughout the year that foster relationships, encourage learning, and celebrate our vibrant community. Here are a few highlights from 2025.
CircleUp New Mexico
Over the summer, we hosted CircleUp New Mexico at FBT Architects in partnership with Philanthropy Together, Philanos, Grapevine, Community Investment Network, and United Way of North Central New Mexico, with generous support from the Fidelity Charitable® Catalyst Fund.
The free event brought community members together to learn about the power of collective giving and experience what it’s like to make collaborative funding decisions for organizations dedicated to building community. Together, attendees chose to fund legal services for immigrants and made a $15,000 grant to the New Mexico Immigrant Law Center.
Burqueval: Annual Donor & Partner
Appreciation Celebration
This year’s Burqueval-themed Annual Donor & Partner Appreciation Celebration was held at the iconic Albuquerque Rail Yards in September. The celebration drew hundreds of supporters and featured a special program honoring the legacy and impact of retiring President & CEO Randy Royster.
At the end of the evening, Mayor Tim Keller surprised Randy with an official proclamation declaring September 4 as Randy Royster Day in the City of Albuquerque.
Party to Enhance Equity in Philanthropy (PEEP)
In the spring, we partnered with the Transgender Resource Center of New Mexico (TGRCNM) to host a PEEP event at their beautiful new building in downtown Albuquerque.
Donors, Trustees, nonprofits, and community members gathered to connect and uplift TGRCNM’s vital work supporting transgender, nonbinary, and gender-nonconforming communities through direct services, education, and advocacy. Attendees enjoyed food and beverages along with a brief program and building tours led by TGRCNM.
SOCIAL GIVING CLUB
CELEBRATING 10 YEARS OF COLLECTIVE IMPACT
Social Giving Club, a quarterly gathering of like-minded individuals who enjoy social activities together while making a significant philanthropic impact on the Albuquerque community, celebrated 10 years of collective giving in 2025.
Founding Club member and former Foundation Trustee Pamela Hurd-Knief marveled at how the Club has brought together diverse members of the community who otherwise would never have met and created meaningful friendships that otherwise might not have formed.
Over the years, and with careful stewardship by the Foundation, the Social Giving Club’s
endowment has grown to more than its original goal of $250,000. As a result, in 2024 the Club began awarding an unrestricted grant to each of the three organizations that presents at the Grant Night. Now, one recipient receives a $25,000 award, while the other two receive $5,000 each.
For the Club’s 10th anniversary celebration, current and past members gathered at Mission Winery for a joyful gathering highlighted by fond memories and inspired impact with remarks from founders Karen Bard, Bev McMillan, and Pam Hurd-Knief. A champagne toast ended the evening on a high note.
This fall the Club concluded their annual events with Grant Night. Thanks to the generosity of members, the group granted $25,000 to (De)serving Life, a nonprofit that transforms lives through
trauma-informed legal representation and compassionate support for people navigating New Mexico’s discretionary parole process. An additional $5,000 was granted to both NMCAN and Rebuilding Together Sandoval County.
David Dozier, another of the founding members and now on the Club Advisory Council, is looking forward to the next ten years with a goal to continue its four social events each year, and reach 50 memberships. “Fifty Club memberships is intimate enough that everyone can spend quality time with one another yet add a good amount to the endowment each year,” he said.
PRIDE CIRCLE
Established in 2023, the PRIDE Circle is a community-driven philanthropic group that brings together LGBTQIA+ individuals and allies who want to make a meaningful difference. By pooling resources and uplifting one another, members collectively support nonprofit organizations serving the LGBTQIA+ community throughout the greater Albuquerque area.
Grounded in shared values and a spirit of generosity, the PRIDE Circle empowers members to create real, lasting impact, amplifying underrepresented voices and fostering a welcoming culture of inclusivity.
In 2025, the PRIDE Circle advisory board welcomed several new members, bringing fresh energy and expanding the group’s leadership. Throughout the year, members connected at two social gatherings and the annual Grant Night. Each event offered space to build relationships and learn more about the organizations shaping a brighter future for LGBTQIA+ New Mexicans.
The year kicked off in February with a social at the Foundation, where members gathered to connect and hear from HEAL Plus New Mexico about their work addressing health inequities and growing LGBTQ+ leadership across the state. HEAL Plus New Mexico was selected as the 2024 PRIDE Circle grantee, making their visit especially meaningful. In June, members celebrated Pride Month together at a fun and energizing social generously hosted by Mission Winery.
This fall’s Grant Night featured interactive learning and a special presentation from Common Cause on Ranked Choice Voting. Members used the method firsthand to select an arts and culture focused nonprofit serving the LGBTQIA+ community in Albuquerque as this year’s grantee. Albuquerque Social Club Improvement Project (ASCIP), a nonprofit dedicated to creating safe, functional, and joy-filled spaces for LGBTQIA+ people, was chosen to receive the group’s $10,000 grant.
The PRIDE Circle continues to grow thanks to the enthusiasm, dedication, and resiliency of the advisory board and members working together to uplift LGBTQIA+ organizations across New Mexico.
Future Fund brings together young professionals and emerging leaders who care deeply about Albuquerque, empowering them to learn, give, and lead through collective impact. Founded in 1997, Future Fund is the longest running giving circle at the Foundation.
Over the years the group has granted over $460,000 and grown their endowment to over $800,000. This year members supported nonprofits providing direct support in education and housing. A total of $5,500 in microgrants were awarded to Albuquerque Oasis, Kids Cook! and New Day.
This year’s grant breakfast was held at the New Mexico Society of CPAs with a
FUTURE FUND
presentation from 2025 Grant Night recipient Horizons Albuquerque. In June, the group teamed up with Young Professionals of Albuquerque to host a Community PowerUp event at Dripline Brewery downtown.
At Grant Night in September, members voted to focus on supporting nonprofits addressing housing and homelessness over the next year. The group’s annual grant of $28,000 was awarded to Saranam, an organization transforming families and ending homelessness through their two-generational residential program and integrated services.
At the group’s fall social in October, Mateo Carrasco was honored as the 2025 Outstanding Philanthropist Award winner. The intent of the Outstanding Philanthropist Award is to recognize a young professional who is redefining and expanding what it means to be a philanthropist today.
Mateo is a visionary food systems advocate with over a decade of experience strengthening New Mexico’s foodways. He has led efforts in regenerative farming, food justice, and community nourishment, from his early days with Grow the Future to serving as Executive Director of MoGro Mobile Grocery, which feeds hundreds of thousands across the state.
When asked what being a philanthropist means to him, Mateo said, “The common denominator for us all is that we serve our community without hesitation. Not because we have to, but because we want to. Philanthropy for me isn’t just the monetary contributions (though I understand its importance). Philanthropy is what a community does when it wants a better future.”
FUTURE FUTURE FUND
Started by Katie and Ian Esquibel and their children, Aurora and Javi, the Future Future Fund is a new giving circle that encourages giving as a family value, one that inspires generational generosity, collective learning, and grantmaking, to help grow Albuquerque’s leaders of tomorrow.
The Esquibels came up with the idea of starting the Future Future Fund after conversations with like-minded friends looking for opportunities to teach children about giving and collective impact. Katie and Ian are longtime Future Fund members, and Katie currently serves on the Foundation’s Board of Trustees.
Families engaged in the circle are focused on making an impact in our community, broadening the scope of who participates in philanthropy, and nurturing their children’s natural inclination toward making a difference through collective giving.
As part of its mission, the Future Future Fund creates a space for children and their families to learn from each other about the issues impacting our community, and to share their time, talent and treasure to make a difference today while seeding extraordinary contributions to future generations.
Last month the group hosted their first event, a launch party at the Foundation that included
hands-on activities for children from The Groove Artspace and Kids Cook, along with meaningful discussions about family giving and grantmaking.
Future Future Fund annual membership dues are on a sliding scale starting at just $50 per family. Friends of all ages are encouraged to become co-creators of this next chapter in collective giving.
Founding Future Fund Member and former Trustee Diane Harrison Ogawa has generously offered to match first year contributions to the Future Future Fund up to $10,000, doubling new members’ impact when they join before July 31, 2026.
NEW MEXICO COMMUNITY TRUST
The New Mexico Community Trust (NMCT) provides financial, grantmaking, and administrative support for community foundations and nonprofits to increase capacity for the statewide social sector. It’s been a busy year.
NMCT serves as the fiscal agent for the Northern New Mexico Youth Fund, a groundbreaking, three-year initiative in partnership with the Los Alamos National Laboratory Foundation. The program brought together 17 philanthropic funders and two state agencies to support innovative career technical education and work-based learning programs for youth ages 13 to 29 in seven Northern New Mexico counties. The first round of funding was distributed in June to a highly engaged network of 19 grantees as well as technical assistance provider and grantee cohort convener, the United Way of Northern New Mexico.
“Before the end of 2025, the second round of funding will be distributed to grantees, many of whom are facing federal funding cuts,” says Liana Schmader, NMCT Intermediary Projects Program Officer. “But the connections forged through the program are already building something larger to support economic opportunity for youth.” A total of $1.84 million in grants will be distributed in the program’s first year.
Beginning in 2024, a cohort of Native-led organizations came together to explore statelevel climate and job creation policies. Funded by the Rockefeller Foundation and led by the climate and racial justice focused Semilla Project, this year the group created a strategic plan and policy proposals aimed at promoting worker and community infrastructure, increasing economic security for Native workers, and advancing New Mexico’s transition to a clean energy economy and workforce.
NMCT began winding down the multi-year Housing Stability Program begun in 2021.
Some $20.9 million in grants were made on behalf of the New Mexico Department of Finance and Administration (DFA) through the Emergency Rental Assistance Program, which provided housing stability services for roughly 40 organizations in atrisk communities throughout the state.
NMCT continues to provide important statewide grantmaking services, serving as an intermediary for national philanthropy and public funding to support New Mexican communities. By connecting philanthropic, corporate, and government resources with trusted local partners, NMCT helps ensure that critical dollars reach the organizations best positioned to create impact on the ground. Through these innovative public–private partnerships, NMCT strengthens the state’s philanthropic infrastructure, builds community capacity, and advances collaborative solutions that address both immediate needs and long-term opportunities for New Mexico’s people and places.
PHILANTHROPY
As we prepare for a new year, your team at Albuquerque Community Foundation extends our sincerest thanks and best wishes to you and your family!
Our partners, as well as the Albuquerque community, are critical to our ability to remain fluid and quickly respond to the changing needs in our neighborhoods and communities. Thanks to the generous contributions from our valued donors through the Partners in Philanthropy program, we have the means to sustain our dayto-day operations. Your consistent support as a Partner in Philanthropy in the past year has not gone unnoticed.
With your continued support, we are able to face the challenges of 2026 while keeping a positive outlook of our city and state at the forefront of our grassroots work.
Thank you for supporting us this year as a partner in philanthropy!
Barbara Allender
Robert Anderson and Susan
Nelson Anderson
Anonymous
James Asperger
Zephirin Azangue
Aimee Barabe
Dave Bedford
Support the Albuquerque Community Foundation before December 31st, 2025!
Donate at go.abqcf.org/partners
2025 Partners In Philanthropy
as of December 5, 2025
Amy and Greg Homicz
Delilah Huelsing
Rosalyn Hurley
Mark Interrante and Mary Walker
Jerome S & Grace H
Murray Foundation
Jane Jones
David Kauffman
Beverly and Perry Bendicksen
Jim* and Diane Bonnell
Bob Bovinette
Judith Brillman
Louise Campbell-Tolber and Steven Tolber
Elaine and William G. Chapman
Wayne and Elaine Chew
Loretta Cordova de Ortega
Norman and Jan Corzine
Philip and Krys Custer
Disney VoluntEARS
Melissa Drolet
Jane Epstein
Gary and Melodie Eyster
Michael Gonzales
Sharon Gross
Ken Harmon and Cathy Haight
Connie and Doug Henry
Mary Herring
Megan and Matthew Hildner
Michael and Marianne Kelly
Jason Kent
Tina Kilroy
Patrick and Debbie Kinsella
Sarah Kotchian and Robert Nellums
Aaron Kraft and Monear Makvandi
Nancy Lindas
Richard and Carolyn Lindberg
Tara Lovato
Molly and Richard Madden
Millie McMahon
Andrew and Kathleen Metzger
Miller Stratvert PA
Ranne Miller and Margo McCormick
Armin Moeller Jr.
Aysha Mora
Shirley Morrison
Michael and Judy Muldawer
Shanna Narath
Presley Nemecek
John and Silke Niederhaus
Noon & Associates LLC
Joaquin Noon
Paul Oostenbrug and Dr. Jeremiah Kelly
Robert and Diane Orchard
Janice Parker
Percent Impact Foundation
Leslie Phinney
Peggy O. Roberts
Mr. and Mrs. Jerrald J. Roehl
Jonathan Roepcke
Stephen Royce
Randy Royster and María Griego-Raby
Kay Royster
Thomas Schwab and Pamela Donegan
John Sparks
John Sparks II
Randy and Margaret Talbot
Jennifer and David Thomas
Gerard “Roddy” Thomson, Jr.
Howard Watkins
Joan Weissman and Michael Nutkiewicz
Chuck and J.D. Wellborn
David and Susan Weymouth
Nick Williams
Dorothy Wood
Brad Yablonsky
