Funded Projects

The foundation has made great progress. We incorporated and received our federal nonprofit status in 2018 and immediately started making grants to area nonprofit organizations. Since then, we have awarded annual Community Grants every year except the fire year of 2022, Emergency Response Grants during the COVID Pandemic in 2020, and wildfire relief and recovery grants in 2022, 2023 and ongoing. Find out more below.

Hermits Peak/ Calf Canyon Relief Fund

A large wildfire with thick smoke and flames burning in the distance behind trees, a church with a pointed steeple, a road, and warning signs in the foreground.

The Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon Fire has heavily impacted all of our communities. Since the fire began, we have awarded nearly $1 million dollars to local organizations and are still funding long term recovery efforts.

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Robert Mishler Memorial Fund

Close-up portrait of an elderly man with white hair and a mustache, wearing glasses and a white, collared shirt with light vertical stripes against a black background.

The Foundation created a memorial fund to honor our founding board chairman, Robert Mishler who passed away unexpectedly in 2020.

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Community Grants

Street scene with people gathered for an event, two dancers in traditional Mexican dresses performing, and a large emblem on the right with text indicating the Chile 2020 Challenge, a community foundation event in Las Vegas, New Mexico.

The annual community grant cycle generally starts with our Chile Challenge event. Community grants have grown dramatically over the years and fund a variety of local organizations helping our communities thrive.

Find out more about our Community Grants including all the recipients for the last grant cycle and more information about our Chile Challenges.

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Robert M. Quintana Fund

Aerial view of a cityscape with a mix of commercial and residential buildings, streets, and open land under a clear blue sky.

In 2022 the foundation received a generous donation from the Robert M. Quintana estate, which has so far funded the successful 2023 annual Community grants program, and helped us meet our growing administrative needs, including hiring an executive director and acquiring professional accounting and auditing services. 

2020 Pandemic Emergency Response Fund

A parade on a small town street with vintage fire trucks decorated with red and white balloons, and a group of people dressed in red with a band performing outside a building.

In the spring of 2020, the Foundations established an Emergency Response Fund to provide grants to nonprofit organizations in San Miguel and Mora Counties to help with special needs arising from the Covid-19 Pandemic.

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Endowment Fund

Nighttime outdoor concert with a band on a stage under string lights, surrounded by people sitting and standing, near a large tree and historic buildings in the background.

From the beginning, the Foundation gas set aside a portion of each year’s contributions to keep as a reserve for funding long term projects to help our two counties thrive. The endowment has grown to nearly $115,00