AAUW NEWS RELEASE
The community is invited to learn what a regional non-profit economic development organization is doing to diversity and build the economy in northern New Mexico with American Association of University Women, Los Alamos Branch, on Mar. 14 from 6:30-7:30 pm at the Mesa Public Library. Carla Rachkowski, Director of Operations for the Regional
Development Corporation (RDC), will present on the non-profit economic development organization’s four key areas of focus, success stories, challenges and future plans.
The RDC’s four key areas of focus are:
Business Retention & Expansion includes Business Outreach and Direct Investments. Business outreach provides technical assistance that offers access to free, individualized support, mentoring, training, and workshops to help businesses grow and succeed. Direct investments, including grants and no-interest loans, are awarded to for-profit businesses to help diversify local economies in Northern New Mexico.
Economic Development Capacity Building is the RDC’s initiative to support communities and Pueblos to do economic development. Implementing the Regional Economic Development Initiative (REDI) plan is a key component of capacity building. The REDI plan focuses on regional collaboration, business development, workforce, climate change & renewables, housing and broadband infrastructure, and funding. Updates and community input are presented at an annual REDI Summit. In addition, the RDC leads monthly roundtables and provides individual mentoring and training to build capacity for businesses, economic development practitioners, and communities and Pueblos.
Workforce & Education identifies and addresses education and training needs to develop a well-educated regional workforce through internships and apprenticeships. This leads to increased equity, more high-paying jobs, and a skilled workforce for employers. The Higher Education Workforce project is a partnership between RDC and Northern New Mexico higher education institutions to identify training needs and develop well-educated workforce in the region. WIN, a project of North Central New Mexico Economic Development District and the RDC, was awarded a $6.4 million American Rescue Plan Good Jobs Challenge grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) in 2022. WIN aims to transform and diversity the regional economy by building a robust workforce in the key areas of Healthcare and Skilled Trades, leading to increased equity and more high-paying jobs.
Partnerships and Professional Services focus acknowledges that our partners are a critical component in addressing the needs of small businesses. The RDC works with other organizations in a variety of ways, including providing funding through sponsorships for regional events, facilitating community roundtables and events, and hosting essential business resource events.
About the Regional Development Corporation
The Regional Development Corporation (RDC) is a private non-profit (501(c) 3 organization dedicated to improving economic development in Northern New Mexico. The RDC provides private investment opportunities and technical assistance to facilitate job growth and diversity the economies of communities in the following seven counties: Los Alamos, Mora, Rio Arriba, Northern Sandoval, San Miguel, Santa Fe, Taos, and the municipalities and Native American Pueblos therein. Current funders include Los Alamos County, New Mexico Manufacturing Extension Partnership, and Triad National Security, LLC.