Los Alamos Community Foundation (LACF) has established a volunteer management web portal and invites the community to connect. The system makes it simple for local organizations to post, and for local volunteers to identify, volunteer opportunities in a single location: volunteerlosalamos.org.
“We have so many talented people who are willing to pitch in if called,” said LACF Executive Director Steve Laurent. “We really hope this resource will be a vehicle for harnessing some of that talent and funneling it to organizations that do good work in the community.”
How the site works:
Step 1: Individual users create a profile that includes their skills and causes they care about.
Step 2: Local organizations post volunteer opportunities, providing details about the need or event.
Step 3: As opportunities are posted, the system matches the opportunity to user profiles that are a good fit. Suggested opportunities are listed on each user’s profile page, allowing them to sign-up with the click of a button. Users can also receive email notices of opportunities that match their interests.
Registered users can also search for volunteer opportunities by date, interest, organization or location, and can even ‘fan’ organizations to receive all of their postings.
Laurent explained that the portal is not limited to Los Alamos residents. “Many local employees live off the Hill and many Los Alamos residents volunteer off the Hill,” he said. “Organizations serving Rio Arriba County are invited to join, and volunteer users can literally be from anywhere. We welcome anyone who wants to volunteer for a local organization regardless of where they’re from.”
The ultimate goal, according to Laurent, is to have all local volunteer opportunities posted through this site, providing a one-stop shop. “This should make it easier to volunteer because you’ll only have to go to a single website. At the same time, local organizations gain more exposure and accessibility to volunteers by having all opportunities posted in the same place.”
To join, go to volunteerlosalamos.org, click the “Information and FAQ” bar, and follow the link for volunteers. Registration takes just a few minutes.
If you are a nonprofit organization wishing to join, go to volunteerlosalamos.org, click the “Information and FAQ” bar, and follow the link for organizations. You can also contact LACF at info@losalamoscf.org.
(LACF News): The Los Alamos Community Foundation (LACF) is excited to announce our second annual Volunteer and Board Member Appreciation Event on Tuesday, April 25th.
On the heels of National Volunteer Week, this event is a community-wide celebration of the volunteers and board members that make so much possible in Los Alamos.
This is the last event of the 2022-2023 season for our Community Philanthropy Series of public programs.
Nonprofits who serve Los Alamos County are invited to participate and to encourage their volunteers and board members to attend and be celebrated. If you are a nonprofit organization interested in joining the celebration, please contact Steve Laurent (steve@losalamoscf.org or 505-661-4420).
This event is open to the public. Anyone interested in volunteering or celebrating volunteerism is welcome. Advance registration is required, and can be done here: losalamoscf.org/ticket.
Feel free to share this information with your favorite organizations and volunteers.
Date: Tuesday April 25, 2023
Structure: In-person
Time: 4:30-5:30 pm
Location: SALA Event Center (2551 Central Ave)
Cost: Free; advance registration is required
Register here: losalamoscf.org/ticket
Program: A brief hour to say hello to friends and celebrate the spirit of volunteerism. Ongoing demonstrations of the new Volunteer Los Alamos web portal (volunteerlosalamos.org) and registration of new users. Shortly after 5 pm we’ll have a brief program of remarks. Light refreshments will be available.
This event is sponsored by:
About the Los Alamos Community Foundation: Established in 2015, the focus of the Los Alamos Community Foundation is to build enduring philanthropy to empower our community’s nonprofit organizations. The Los Alamos Community Foundation currently stewards 15 local endowed funds. For more information about the Los Alamos Community Foundation, visit www.losalamoscf.org.
(LACF News) – The Los Alamos Community Foundation (LACF) announces its Spring 2023 grantmaking cycle, and invites 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations located in Los Alamos County to submit a grant application under the following funding categories:
Discretionary Grants: Nonprofits may request up to $5,000 to fund projects that increase the overall financial health of the organization. LACF defines “financial health” as any effort which results in a measurable improvement across one or more dimensions of an organization’s financial sustainability. Actions may include but are not limited to: diversifying funding sources and income streams; building technological capacity for increased efficiency; investing in board development to strengthen governance and fiduciary oversight; pursuing a formal financial audit or review; and/or increasing marketing efforts to broaden outreach and bring in new donors/customers/clients.
Youth Sports: Nonprofits may request up to $2,000 to fund competitive youth sports activities; specifically, projects that build leadership skills in youth through achievement in competitive team sports. Youth served by the project or program must live in Los Alamos County and/or attend Los Alamos schools and be between the ages of 5-18. Eligible activities include but are not limited to tournament and travel expenses, team fees, and equipment purchase.
Music Organizations: Up to $500 is available in unrestricted operating support to nonprofits whose work expands knowledge and appreciation of genres such as classical, orchestral and band music, light opera, marching band, and choral performances for adult populations.
The grant application cycle opens Friday, March 31 at 9:00 am and closes Monday, May 1 at 5:00 pm. Awardees will be notified by the end of May with funds available for distribution within 1-2 weeks of award notice.
Interested nonprofits are welcome to attend an optional grant information session on Tuesday, March 28 from 4-5 pm, or Thursday, March 30 from 11 am-noon. Both sessions will be held at the UNM-LA
Student Center Auditorium (Building 2). Organizations that do not have 501(c)(3) status and would like to apply for funding may be eligible to do so through the use of a fiscal sponsor. More information on this year’s grant cycle can be found here.
About the Los Alamos Community Foundation: Established in 2015, the focus of the Los Alamos Community Foundation is to build enduring philanthropy to empower our community’s nonprofit organizations. The Los Alamos Community Foundation currently stewards 15 local endowed funds. For more information about the Los Alamos Community Foundation, visit www.losalamoscf.org.
Even the slightest of fraud events can be devastating to any nonprofit organization as a trusted steward of donor contributions and grant funds. Please join the Los Alamos Community Foundation for a special seminar geared towards nonprofit boards and staff that focuses on protecting the value of an organization’s reputation. Time will be spent examining real world examples of fraud, discussing lapses in financial management, and presenting simple steps that can be taken to protect funds from fraud in both the real and virtual worlds. Many nonprofit organizations have few or no professional staff, thus limiting their ability to implement extensive financial controls; but it is essential to have some basic financial policies and procedures in place.
Presenter Chris Daniels, CEO of The Family YMCA, has a well-developed background in nonprofit management that includes more than 18 years of financial management for several different nonprofits.
Registration is encouraged on a per organization basis, with a workshop fee of $50 per organization (up to three participants). Training is appropriate for staff, board members and volunteers. Individual registration is at the same rate ($50/session).
Title: Internal Financial Controls for Nonprofits: Viable Solutions that are Easily Applied
Date: Wednesday, February 22, 2023
Time: 9:00 am – 11:00 am
Location: UNM-LA Student Services Auditorium (Building 2, Room 230)
Presenter: Chris Daniels, CEO, The Family YMCA
Register at losalamoscf.org/ticket
The LACF Nonprofit Training Program is made possible in part through the support of the Diane Warther Soran Endowment for Community Programs.
About the Los Alamos Community Foundation: Established in 2015, the Los Alamos Community Foundation seeks to improve the quality of life in our community by inspiring, facilitating and supporting enduring philanthropy and building the capacity and success of our local nonprofit organizations. The Los Alamos Community Foundation currently stewards fifteen locally endowed funds. For more information about the Los Alamos Community Foundation, visit www.losalamoscf.org.
The Los Alamos Community Foundation invites you to an important workshop on the basics of estate planning on Tuesday, February 7 at UNM-LA (Building 2, Room 230). Join us for an overview of common estate planning tools and discussion of how these may apply to you or your loved ones.
Topics include last will and testament, revocable or living trust, advanced health care directive, durable power of attorney, transfer on death deed, and ways to include charitable giving in your estate plan. Time is reserved for Q/A and discussion so feel free to bring your questions. This is a great opportunity to learn more about the steps you can take to ensure that those you care for are protected and provided for while gaining some piece of mind for yourself.
Estate Planning Basics is presented by Shay Burns Kendricks, Estate Attorney – Miles & Kendricks, LLC.
This workshop is made free to the public in part through the support of the Diane Warther Soran Endowment for Community Programs. No registration is required. We offer light snacks and refreshments to the attendees and the group is often small and intimate, which allows for questions to be asked comfortably in a very relaxed environment. Please encourage your loved ones to attend the free estate planning seminar so that they may learn more about the estate planning process and benefits. We look forward to seeing you and your family, friends, colleagues, and neighbors! Please share this event!
Community Philanthropy Series:
Estate Planning Basics
Tuesday, February 7 (5:30p-7:00p)
UNM-LA, Building 2, Room 230
About the Los Alamos Community Foundation: Established in 2015, the Los Alamos Community Foundation seeks to improve the quality of life in our community by inspiring, facilitating and supporting enduring philanthropy and building the capacity and success of our local nonprofit organizations. The Los Alamos Community Foundation currently stewards fourteen locally endowed funds and has total assets of over $950,000. For more information about the Los Alamos Community Foundation, visit www.losalamoscf.org.
Involvement in a board of directors can be either, or even at the same time, a rewarding activity or a frustrating one. Board member responsibilities may be ill-defined and meetings ineffectual or inconclusive, or alternatively, participating in a board may result in the satisfaction of contributing to the direction and impact of a worthwhile organization. We will discuss the basics of board governance, including differences between policy and operational roles, fiduciary and other board responsibilities, and related topics. We will provide practical advice on making roles and responsibilities clearly defined and applied. We will also discuss the bane of boards – the board meeting. There are ways to make board meetings more efficient and effective; Robert’s Rules are just a means to desired ends, and we will concentrate on the product rather than parliamentary minutiae while providing advice on how to structure and participate in meetings that get the job done.
Title: Nonprofit Governance and Meeting Management: Practical Advice for Boards
Date: Tuesday, January 24, 2023
Time: 9:00 am – 11:00 am
Location: UNM-LA Student Services Auditorium (Building 2, Room 230)
Register here: losalamoscf.org/ticket
Presenters: David Izraelevitz, Los Alamos Community Foundation Board Chair and J. Robert Oppenheimer Memorial Committee Chair; Sara Scott, First Born Los Alamos Board Vice-Chair. Both David and Sara have extensive experience serving in leadership on local boards and commissions, including as Los Alamos County Councilors.
About the Los Alamos Community Foundation: Established in 2015, the Los Alamos Community Foundation seeks to improve the quality of life in our community by inspiring, facilitating, and supporting enduring philanthropy and building the capacity and success of our local nonprofit organizations. For more information about the Los Alamos Community Foundation, visit www.losalamoscf.org.
This Tuesday, November 29, tens of millions of people will acknowledge and participate in Giving Tuesday. What is Giving Tuesday anyway, and what might you do about it?
Established in 2012 in New York, Giving Tuesday began as a reaction against the consumerism of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, encouraging a dedicated day of giving to charitable organizations. Ten years on, Giving Tuesday is celebrated in countless US communities and over 80 countries with a message that has broadened from donating money to encouraging community support in all ways.
Is Giving Tuesday an organized event in Los Alamos? Not really – not yet anyway. How can you participate in the spirit of Giving Tuesday? Any number of ways, including:
- Donate to a Local Nonprofit Organization. Our nonprofits do amazing work that make Los Alamos the wonderful place that it is. They address essential needs and enhance our physical and mental well-being, providing opportunities for education and enrichment. Many local nonprofits have ‘donate now’ buttons on their websites, and it takes only a few seconds to donate via credit card or check. Even small donations send a message that you appreciate the organization and its mission. Consider increasing the impact of your financial support by calling a friend and asking them to match your donation. If you need a reminder of some of the many nonprofits making an impact in our community, please see he Los Alamos Community Foundation’s list of active local nonprofits: https://www.losalamoscf.org/nonprofitlist.
- Donate Supplies or Goods. You might also consider donating items you already have, especially if you have extras. Many local nonprofits collect food, clothing, and supplies for infants or school- age children, especially during the holiday season. Requests for items are often made through local news outlets or you may have a request sitting in your mailbox or inbox. Consider honoring these requests by providing the needed items; but before you donate items, please be sure to confirm exactly what is needed and what the organization can accept. As one example, LACares is our local food bank (505-661-8015).
- Donate Your Time or Talent. Your time, talent, and energy is invaluable to many organizations, such as helping to raise funds for the needy, serving food, or distributing items for the holidays. Contact your favorite organization directly or search their website to see if they need volunteers. For example, Self Help is looking for bell-ringers through the holidays: https://selfhelpla.org/bells.
- Spread Kindness. Sometimes the little things we do can have the biggest impact. Everyone can give a generous smile or say hello or thank you in person or via call, text or email. Show care for your neighbors by checking in on those who are alone or may need help with errand. Lift spirits by providing a listening ear or a friendly voice to talk to.
Let’s make this Giving Tuesday a start, and let every day be one where we give something back to our community.
About the Los Alamos Community Foundation: Established in 2015, the Los Alamos Community Foundation seeks to improve the quality of life in our community by inspiring, facilitating and supporting enduring philanthropy and building the capacity and success of our local nonprofit organizations. For more information about the Los Alamos Community Foundation, visit www.losalamoscf.org.
The New Mexico Coalition of Community Foundations and the All Together NM Fund are excited to partner with UpTogether to provide one-time cash assistance to New Mexicans, with priority to those who have been adversely impacted by the Calf Canyon and Hermit’s Peak wildfires, the largest fires in New Mexico history.
The New Mexico Cash Assistance Fund application opens on Monday, November 14, and closes at 11:59 pm on Sunday, December 4, 2022. Applications will be randomized for approval once the application window closes. Eligible households will each receive $1,000.
The New Mexico Cash Assistance Fund will focus on the following counties for this program: San Miguel, Mora, Colfax, Lincoln, Sandoval, or Sierra. Applicants from San Miguel, Mora, or Colfax will be highly prioritized. To be eligible, applicants must reside in one of these counties in New Mexico. To apply for cash assistance, visit https://app.uptogether.org/fund/alltogethernm
As of June 2022, almost 900,000 acres had burned across the state, including 31 fires greater than 100 acres. Many New Mexican were displaced and grieved the loss of their homes and personal belongings all while trying to rebuild their lives.
“This year was a difficult one for our neighbors, especially those in the north,” said Lisa O’Brien, Taos Community Foundation Director “Partnering with UpTogether to support New Mexicans was important for us to ensure residents are receiving money directly as they start to rebuild.”
“Direct cash assistance supports communities with the relief they need and the flexibility to adapt in a crisis,” said Randy Royster, Albuquerque Community Foundation and New Mexico Community Trust President & CEO. “It also breaks down assistance barriers for New Mexicans who need help now.”
UpTogether centers its work around the strengths and initiatives of people living in financially under-resourced communities and highlights the role social networks play in helping people accomplish their goals faster and achieve long-term socioeconomic mobility.
“This program would have not been possible without the support of local residents, businesses and corporations who donated to the All Together NM Fund,” said Christopher Goett, Santa Fe Community Foundation President & CEO. “With their support, we will be able to give a total of $1,000,000 directly to New Mexico residents.”
Questions about the direct cash assistance program? Visit alltogethernm.org or call 505-988-9715
About UpTogether
UpTogether is a community, a movement, and a platform to highlight, invest in and accelerate the initiatives people in historically undervalued communities are taking to improve their lives and move up, together. Learn more at uptogether.org
About All Together NM
The All Together NM Fund was established in 2020 by the New Mexico Coalition of Community Foundations in conjunction with the Governor’s office to help New Mexico respond to and eventually recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. The Fund has been used to address immediate needs and offer long-term support for the recovery work that continues to lie ahead.
The New Mexico Coalition of Community Foundations includes Albuquerque Community Foundation, Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico, Los Alamos Community Foundation, New Mexico Foundation, Santa Fe Community Foundation, and Taos Community Foundation. Donate and learn more at alltogethernm.org
LACF News – The Los Alamos Community Foundation announced today that longtime resident and community theatre participant, Ken Milder, has established the Los Alamos Little Theatre (LALT) Endowment Fund with a seed gift of $10,000. The purpose of the fund is to provide unrestricted operating support to LALT.
“I want to support the Little Theatre because it’s tough to sustain a performing arts center, put on plays, and provide educational programs and opportunities for experience and learning,” said Milder. “I also want to make sure that the Little Theatre has financial support in down years because things like the pandemic can be devastating, and unfortunately not every play makes money,” he added.
LALT, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community theater group, was founded in 1943 and has been providing entertainment since the days of the Manhattan Project. Productions take place in the Performing Arts Center (PAC), which LALT operates on behalf of Los Alamos County.
Milder, who worked at Los Alamos National Laboratory for 38 years, believes there is a strong relationship between science and the arts. “During my time at the Lab, what I observed almost without exception is that LANL Fellows have a strong foundation in the arts, humanities and music,” said Milder.
“A foundation in the arts helps people apply technical knowledge in creative and outside-the-box ways. For our country to remain a leader in science, engineering and design, we need the arts,” Milder said. “Personally, I’ve benefited greatly from the arts. I’ve been involved in performing arts since I was 13, and when I moved to Los Alamos the very first organization I joined was the Little Theatre.” Milder added, “We must add arts to science, technology, engineering and mathematics education and call it STEAM!”
Steve Laurent, Executive Director of LACF, noted that Ken’s contribution is just a first step. “There is a need to grow the endowment significantly so it can relieve LALT of the pressure to raise funds and allow it to focus on what it does best – providing the gift of theater to the community. I encourage anyone who has been a member of, or has been entertained or touched by, the Little Theatre to consider contributing to the fund,” Laurent said.
To donate to the LALT Endowment, go to losalamoscf.org/donate.
About the Los Alamos Little Theatre: Founded in 1943, LALT has been providing entertainment on the “Hill” since the days of the Manhattan Project. LALT serves the following purposes: to produce plays and other dramatic works; to promote the interest of the public in drama and dramatic productions; to instruct and educate members in the dramatic arts and related subjects; and to furnish the community of Los Alamos with a source of dramatic talent. For more information, visit www.lalt.org.
About the Los Alamos Community Foundation: Established in 2015, the Los Alamos Community Foundation seeks to improve the quality of life in our community by inspiring, facilitating and supporting enduring philanthropy and building the capacity and success of our local nonprofit organizations. The Los Alamos Community Foundation currently stewards fourteen locally endowed funds and has total assets of nearly $900,000. For more information about the Los Alamos Community Foundation, visit www.losalamoscf.org.
By CAROL A. CLARK
Los Alamos Daily Post
caclark@ladailypost.com
On Wednesday, the Los Alamos Community Foundation (LACF) received the latest matching funds from Enterprise Bank & Trust as part of the bank’s three-year Community Challenge. Enterprise created the Community Endowment in 2019 and committed to funding the endowment $50,000 per year for three years. Presented as a challenge to the Los Alamos community, the commitment of Enterprise was based on LACF securing equal matching funds from local donors.
“Enterprise Bank is proud to partner with Los Alamos Community Foundation. The establishment of this Endowment secures beneficial programming for our community forever,” said Liddie Martinez, Enterprise Bank President – Los Alamos Region and Director of Community Engagement.
Each year of the effort, the community rose to the challenge. The first two years were successfully completed and LACF has secured $50,000 in pledges to complete year three. Although $40,000 was presented Wednesday, Enterprise will fund the final $10,000 endowment amount once all the outstanding pledges have been collected.
“Enterprise Bank & Trust has been a valuable partner to Los Alamos Community Foundation since its inception more than six years ago,” LACF Board President David Izraelevitz said. “They host our office in their building and provide financial management services to us as well. These matching funds will allow us to make a greater impact on our community, supporting the great nonprofits in Los Alamos and our region. We look forward to more partnerships with Enterprise in the future.”
The purpose of the Enterprise Bank & Trust Community Endowment is to provide grants for charitable, scientific, literary or educational objectives that benefit residents of Los Alamos County. As an endowment, LACF invests the principal and earnings are distributed to the community in the form of grants to local nonprofits. Funds are awarded through a grant cycle that takes place each spring. The endowment principal is never touched, ensuring the endowment will be giving back to the community in perpetuity.
“Enterprise is such a great supporter of the community. This endowment is a truly wonderful gift that will keep on giving. We are equally grateful for the amazing group of local donors who saw this opportunity and stepped up generously to provide the matching side of the funds,” LACF Executive Director Steve Laurent said. “I could not think of a better way for Enterprise to show its long-term commitment to Los Alamos than by creating this endowment. These funds will be generating income to support our community essentially forever. Liddie and her team at Enterprise secured the commitment and challenged the community to raise a matching amount, and we did. This is a tremendous success story all around, especially for the organizations doing such important work in the community who will benefit from the endowment for years to come.”
Laurent explained that just because Enterprise Bank fulfilled its initial commitment does not mean the endowment is complete.
“Our ongoing job is to continue to grow the endowment through additional contributions. Anyone can contribute to the endowment at any time,” he said. “One of the important things is that the endowment funds are unrestricted, meaning that funding is not limited to a specific organization or cause. This means that funding will always be available to address changing needs in our community, now and well into the future. The mission of the Los Alamos Community Foundation is to build enduring philanthropy to empower our community’s nonprofit organizations. To learn more about how you can participate in building lasting support for our local nonprofits, go to losalamoscf.org or call 505.661.4420.”
To date, the Enterprise Bank & Trust Community Endowment has supported a number of local nonprofit organizations including: Self Help, Inc., Los Alamos Visiting Nurse Service, Los Alamos JJAB, Los Alamos Retired and Senior Organization, Family Strengths Network, Los Alamos Makers, First Born Program of Los Alamos, The Family YMCA, Los Alamos Arts Council, Los Alamos Public Schools Foundation, Pajarito Environmental Education Center and Mind&Melody. To learn more about Enterprise Bank & Trust, visit enterprisebank&trust.com.
About the Los Alamos Community Foundation: Established in 2015, the focus of the Los Alamos Community Foundation is to build enduring philanthropy to empower our community’s nonprofit organizations. The Los Alamos Community Foundation currently stewards 14 local endowed funds and has total assets of more than $975,000. For more information about the Los Alamos Community Foundation, visit www.losalamoscf.org.