Los Alamos Reporter

LANL Foundation Awards $370,000 In Community And Education Grants

LANL FOUNDATION NEWS RELEASE

Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) Foundation is proud to announce $370,000 has been awarded to 74 grantees across Northern New Mexico in its 2022 Education and Community Outreach Grant cycle.

LANL Foundation’s competitive awards provide $5,000 in grant support to schools, school districts, non-profits, and pueblo, nations and tribal communities in the Foundation’s seven-county service area of Los Alamos, Mora, Rio Arriba, Sandoval, San Miguel, Santa Fe, and Taos counties and represent a spectrum of projects designed to offer community-based innovative programming, collaboration, and advocacy for lifelong learning as well as education programs and teacher development to support public school children.

“LANL Foundation’s 2022 Outreach Grant recipients represent a diverse swath of schools, tribal communities, and organizations undertaking rigorous and meaningful work to serve learners of all ages across our service region—from our newest babies to our wisdom-carrying elders,” LANL Foundation CEO Jenny Parks said.  “As we embark on our new strategic plan, which coincides with our 25th Anniversary, we’re ever refining and pivoting our grantmaking to respond to, and reflect the needs of, our Northern New Mexico communities to fulfill our vision that all New Mexicans have the skills and confidence they need to be self-sufficient, lifelong learners who are engaged in their community.”

The Foundation was incredibly encouraged by the quality of this year’s proposals. The range of programs supported by the 2022 Education and Community Outreach Grants includes:

  • School-based food pantries
  • Summer STEAM camps
  • Early childhood learning programs
  • Violence prevention, grief, and Social Emotional Learning programs
  • School attendance initiatives
  • College and career pipeline programs

“Every competitive cycle we have brings forth a diverse array of needs and highlights critical areas of work taking place everyday in each of our communities of learning, place and practice. We are grateful to all that applied for the important work you do,” Grants Manager Sylvan Argo said. “We are excited to be able to award these 74 grants to inspiring community partners, and look forward to learning alongside our Grantees in the months and years to come. At this time we also recognize that our communities have immediate and emerging needs with regards to multiple active forest fires, and we are exploring how we can best support or help meet those needs.

Community Outreach Grants were awarded to the following organizations:

  • Cañones Early Childhood Center – Project Literacy Outreach!: Developmentally-appropriate computer, math, science, and language literacy project for preschool children living in isolated, impoverished, underserved communities.
  • Corrales Elementary School – Corrales Community Naturalist Program: Naturalist program focusing on the confluence of life science exploration, environmental stewardship, resource conservation, and land restoration.
  • Esperanza Shelter – Hope Speaks – Community Outreach & Education: Materials support for shelter outreach and education efforts in the Santa Fe community.
  • Friends of the Questa Public Library – Community Computer Upgrade: Update library computers utilized by the adult community members.
  • Horses For Healing, Inc. – Social-Emotional + Neurosequential Learning Equine Therapy Summer Program: Social-Emotional and Neurosequential Learning Equine Therapy Summer Program in support of 20 high-need children and youth ages of 13-21 years old and their families.
  • Literacy Volunteers of Santa Fe – Literacy Tutoring Program: Wage and benefit support for our Workplace Specialist.
  • Localogy – Sala Reach Community Programs for Holistic Health: Sala Reach Program offers holistic health and resilience classes and workshops for youth, elders, and those in recovery or coping with addiction and/or trauma.
  • Localogy – Questa Stories ~ Voices of the Northern Rio Grande: Gathering, archiving and sharing audio and visual stories: Questa Stories’ community audio interviews and story-sharing strategies grounded in intergenerational learning, community health and connection.
  • Los Alamos Community Foundation – Community Capacity Building: Operational support to fuel capacity building and success of Los Alamos-based community nonprofits.
  • Main Street Las Vegas Inc. – Vistas De Las Vegas: A citywide mural and placemaking project which will commission artists to create murals in across the city and hire local high school students to work as assistants.
  • McCurdy Schools of Northern New Mexico – Project Carino and Social Emotional Learning: Mental health counseling for pre-k through high school students and the acquisition of Social Emotional Learning resource books.
  • Millicent Rogers Museum – Mission Possible Continuum: Literature, visual arts, science and museum studies workshops for various age groups ranging from early childhood to high school.
  • New Mexico Association for the Education of Young Children – Social Emotional Learning in North Central New Mexico 2022: Social Emotion Learning professional development workshops for 80 educators/care-givers across Northern New Mexico.
  • New Mexico Association of Concert Bands Consortium – Music for Life at the 2022 Association of Concert Bands National Convention in Santa Fe NM: Access to the 2022 week-long Association of Concert Bands National Convention for music students and educators.
  • New Mexico Business Excellence – Inspiring Leaders: A Foundation for Change: Leadership and social-emotional skill building shared learning opportunities for 30-40 senior leaders across non-profits, education, and private sectors.
  • New Mexico Friends of Foster Children – Support for Children/Youth in Foster Care: Direct support opportunities such as access to technology, museum passes, and clothing for approximately 30 children in foster care.
  • NM-NEW Inc. – Connecting New Elders to their Community: Social Engagement program where we will introduce a panel of community group leaders whose group offerings include social connection around topics and activities relevant to the wellbeing of New Elders who live in New Mexico.
  • Northern Youth Project – Northern Youth Project Summer Program: Supporting Youth Empowerment, Exploration, and Expression: Administrative, coordinator, and youth intern positions support to sustain NYP’s summer program.
  • Pajarito Environmental Education Center – Extending Benefits of Nature Play through Northern New Mexico: Free science and nature education for toddlers, preschoolers, and their families in addition to training for community educators from around Northern New Mexico.
  • Project R.A.C.E. – PROJECT RACE: Substance Abuse prevention with a focus on education and employment, wage support for a part-time assistance to forward initiatives.
  • Pueblo of Picuris, Picuris Pueblo Education Department – Higher Education Program College preparatory and career readiness opportunities, financial assistance, and school supplies for Picuris Pueblo Tribal Members pursuing higher education.
  • Pueblo of Santo Domingo – Request for Supplemental Funding to Support the 2022 Summer Enrichment Internship Program: Support to provide high-quality internship and training opportunities for Santo Domingo Pueblo youth.
  • Questa Creative Council – Questa Creative Council 2022 Core Operating Support: Operational support to further strategic goals of strengthening the historically underserved community through arts, culture, history and education.
  • R4 Creating – Career Training and Tech Center- Pop up Innovation Labs: STEAM education and competitive robotics training opportunities in schools and after-school program across Northern New Mexico.
  • Rio Arriba Adult Literacy Program – RAALP’s Next Chapter: Capacity-building support to improve its foundational educational approach with broadened student and tutor support systems.
  • Rio Arriba Imagination Library – Rio Arriba Imagination Library Operation Support Grant: Program support to provide book gifting to 600 pre-k children.
  • River Source Inc. – Watershed STEM Pathways for Northern New Mexico Youth 2022: Natural resource conservation career pathway exposure opportunities for 20 youth.
  • Santa Fe Indigenous Center – Cultural Programs for Harmony and Healing After the Pandemic: Cultural supports including drum-making and singing workshops and classes to support the mental health of the urban tribal community.
  • Santa Fe Public Schools – SFPS Parent Academy for Newcomers and Cultural Support: Parent Academy expansion to include workshops and cultural support to new families within the district.
  • Silver Bullet Productions – Relevant Teaching Materials for Cultural Education, Supplemental teaching materials for educational films, relevant to cultural sensitivity, history and preservation, for six schools and communities with significant tribal populations.
  • The DreamTree Project – Enchanted Circle Corps- First Rural Intermediary AmeriCorps Program in New Mexico- Member Stipend Support: AmeriCorps volunteers’ living stipend support for Enchanted Circle Corps members providing community outreach services in Taos County and along the Enchanted Circle.
  • The Paseo Project – PASEO Festival Production Internships: Paid internship opportunities in event production and technical arts training for Northern New Mexican youth ages 16 – 25.
  • The Society of the Muse of the Southwest – Young Writers Program: Programmatic support for Young Writers Program, which serves 300 – 500 Taos county-based youth ages 10 to 19.
  • The University of New Mexico – Our Relationship with Nature: Co-Creating STEAM Early Learning Experiences: Professional development opportunities for early childhood educators, along with teaching arts, to co-create STEAM inquiry-based projects investigating the natural environment.
  • Veterans Off-Grid – Walipini Construction and Planting Workshop: Bringing together veterans, farmers, students and community members to build a sustainable walipini in Carson.

Education Ourreach Grants

  • American Association of University Women Tech Trek New Mexico – 2022 AAUW TechTrek NM: Student accessibility and attendance support for Northern New Mexico 8th-grade girls to attend a STEM summer camp.
  • Arroyos Del Norte Elementary School – ADNE Summer STEAM Academy for 2nd-5th graders: Summer STEAM Academy programmatic support for 28 rural elementary students.
  • Big Brothers Big Sisters Mountain Region – STEAM opportunities and support for kids in Los Alamos/Rio Arriba: Facilitation of STEAM activities and opportunities for Los Alamos, Pojoaque and Espanola children.
  • Climate Advocates Voces Unidas (CAVU) – Climate Innovation Challenge Engineering and Implementation Track: Development of an project engineering and implementation track to compliments the Climate Innovation Challenge.
  • College & Career Plaza – College and Career Readiness in Santa Fe’s High Schools: College and career readiness support for Santa Fe high school students.
  • Communities In Schools of New Mexico – Communities In Schools of New Mexico Rural Northern New Mexico Operational Support Grant: Development and expansion of the Full Service Community School Strategy and Support model in rural Rio Arriba and Santa Fe counties.
  • Cooking with Kids, Inc. – Cooking with Kids Rio Arriba: Hands-On Food and Nutrition Education for Elementary School Students in Rio Arriba County: Hand-on nutrition program expansion to additional Rio Arriba county based elementary schools.
  • Earth’s Birthday Project – Celebrate Planet Earth’s STEAM Sunflower Kits: STEAM Life Science Sunflower Kits facilitation for 125 classrooms across Northern New Mexico.
  • El Rancho de las Golondrinas – New Mexico Heritage Days Education and Outreach Programs: Funding support for New Mexico Heritage days–a multi-day program serving thousands of K through 12 students in hands-on history, land use, and nature-based activities.
  • Embudo Valley Tutoring Association – Tutoring and Mentoring Support for High Priority Dixon and Velarde Students: Academic tutoring and mentoring support grounded in emotional and executive function for 30 to 40 high need students in the greater Embudo Valley area.
  • Friends of the Santa Fe Public Library – Serious Computer Programming for Youth and the Institute for Computing in Research Summer Internship Program: Equipment stipend support for low-income students to access the Library’s computer programming class and mini courses as well as wage support for an Institute intern.
  • Gerard’s House – Nuestra Jornada (Our Journey): An innovative school-based program providing grief support and casework for families with immigrant roots.
  • IMPACT Personal Safety – Project PREPARE: Keeping Our Children Safe: Violence-prevention program support for Northern New Mexico youth in collaboration with schools and community organizations.
  • Los Alamos Makers – In-Classroom Experiential Learning to Encourage Interest in Biotechnology: In-classroom hands-on introduction and professional development support in biotechnology for 30 students and their teachers.
  • Luciente, Inc. – Luciente School Food Pantries: Stock support for two Grab-n-go in-school food pantries.
  • McCurdy Charter School – McCurdy Charter School FIRST Robotics Team Bobcat Bots #8325: Robotics building materials support as well as FIRST Robotics competition entry and travel expenses for students.
  • New Mexico Center for Therapeutic Riding – Self Mastery Program: Equine-assisted learning opportunities for at-risk teenagers from Santa Fe Indian School.
  • New Mexico Consortium – 2022-Summer Physics Camp for Young Women in NM: 2-week Summer Physics Camp for young women aimed at increasing educational and career opportunities in STEM.
  • Partners in Education Foundation for the Santa Fe Public Schools – Youth Transportation – Curriculum-Based Field Trips: Curriculum-based field trip opportunities for 1,600 Santa Fe public school students.
  • Questa Elementary School – Meeting the needs of Questa’s Struggling Readers: Professional development in multi-sensory, structured literacy instruction to support struggling readers.
  • Reading Quest – Reading Quest Operational Support: Instructional support for at-risk public school students as well as training and mentoring public school educators, volunteers and parents.
  • Santa Fe Community Yoga Center – Yoga in Schools – Academic Year 2022-2023: Four, year-long yoga program support in New Mexico public schools
  • Santa Fe Concert Association dba Performance Santa Fe – Performance Santa Fe’s Arts for Life Mentoring Program: Arts for Life program support, which provides 600 hours of mentoring and classroom assistance in Santa Fe Public Schools.
  • Santa Fe Preparatory School – Breakthrough Santa Fe Instructional Coach Stipends: Wage support for two summer college and career readiness instructional coaches.
  • Santa Fe Public Schools – Santa Fe Public Schools: Attendance Cafe Outreach: Attendance success program support to import attendance initiatives throughout the district.
  • Santa Fe Raptor Center – Raptor Ecology Education Project: Outreach program development support to assist in the training and utilization of educational birds in the classroom setting.
  • Santa Fe Youth Symphony, Inc. – Santa Fe Youth Symphony Association Private Lesson Program: Accessibility support for low-income students to access private music lessons.
  • Supercomputing Challenge – Supercomputing Challenge Program Support: Supercomputing Challenge support for participants attending it’s 32nd and 33rd conference.
  • Taos Amateur Radio Club – Taos High School – STEM Teaching Foundation: Professional development opportunities for classroom-based Taos High School teachers leading STEM activities.
  • Teatro Paraguas – Latchkey Children’s Theatre on Santa Fe’s Southside Develops Well Equipped and Engaged Youth Tuition-free Through Self-expression Training and Performance: Tuition-free, after-school children’s theatre classes and productions for diverse Northern New Mexico youth.
  • The Family YMCA – Empowering Middle School Youth: Development of two new and free Y programs for middle school youth including nutrition and fitness and self-defense and de-escalation.
  • The Food Depot – The Food Depot, School-Based Pantries for Two Española Elementary Schools: Wage support for staffing of two school-based pantries at Espanola-based elementary schools.
  • The Harwood Museum Alliance, Inc. – Harwood Museum of Art SELf Studio: Social Emotional Learning professional development opportunities for 50 5th and 6th-gread teachers across Taos County.
  • THRIVE Community School – Social Emotional Learning Supports Strong Learners: Social Emotional Learning curriculum support.
  • Truchas Services Center – Truchas Summer Science and Arts Program: Summer Science and Arts Program support for rural students ages 6-12.
  • Twirl, A Play and Discovery Space, Inc. – Create-A-Space: Identifying and Creating a Space of One’s Own: STEAM and Whole Child Development program for school-age children to Create-A-Space in the form of a small-scale model that is cultivated individually to identify feelings of safety, ownership and well being.
  • Wise Fool New Mexico – Youth from the New Mexico School for the Deaf Learn Circus Arts and Advance their Physical, Social and Life Skills: Circus Arts education at the New Mexico School for the Deaf.