Los Alamos Community Foundation Executive Director Steve Laurent addresses Kiwanis. Photo by Brooke Davis

BY BROOKE DAVIS
Kiwanis Club of Los Alamos

The speaker at the February 14 Los Alamos Kiwanis Club meeting was Steve Laurent, Executive Director of the Los Alamos Community Foundation (LACF). Their mission is “To build enduring philanthropy to empower our community’s nonprofit organizations”.

The key word is “enduring”. LACF holds several endowment funds for the benefit of local organizations and the community. Donations to funds are invested by LACF in order to generate continuing revenue that is given out as grants to local nonprofit organizations.

In addition, LACF supports local nonprofits in a variety of ways. The Nonprofit Training Program provides training and workshops focused on increasing nonprofit capacity and improving administrative efficiency and oversight. The Health Providers Roundtable convenes monthly and brings together local health care providers to share information, ideas and support for each other. Similarly, the Executive Director Roundtable meets regularly to increase collaboration between nonprofit leaders. The Community Philanthropy Series consists of free learning sessions for the public on giving, estate planning, and tax/financial planning. LACF is also part of a statewide coalition of community foundations collaborating on common issues and overseeing the All Together New Mexico Fund which provided emergency relief to those impacted by the Cerro Pelado and Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon fires.

The Los Alamos Community Foundation is currently working with local organizations on a shared volunteer management posting site and user portal to be rolled out this spring. It will serve as a place for volunteers to be matched with local opportunities, increasing awareness and volunteering throughout the community.