In our strategic plan, we actually go deeper and express an interest in learning how this collaborative funding can support our open application cycle. Our initial foray into this type of grant making (the NM Collaborative Zone Grant) is now in the second year of implementation grants after an initial year-long planning process and a first year of shared work by grantees. We have been seeing an emergence of relationships among our Zone grantees and grants that happen in our open cycle, but have not yet drawn conclusions about how these relationships can be leveraged.

Meanwhile, in response to the Covid-19 pandemic and its impacts, the next iteration of the “Zone Grant” (now housed at NMAG and the New Mexico Foundation) is focusing on Native American communities and, in particular, Native-led and Native-serving organizations of all sizes that are most directly supporting recovery efforts. In collaboration with Roanhorse Consulting, LLC, the participating funders are looking to Native American communities to identify the most pressing opportunities and impactful organizations that have built trust with their communities. The funders anticipate launching a targeted Request For Proposals (mostly seeking applications from Native-led organizations) in the Spring and will announce it when it is available.

Future collaborative funding enabled by the NMAG structures are also being organized around water conservation in Native communities, pathways to opportunity for young people in Northern New Mexico, infrastructure needs for small-scale New Mexico farmers, family asset building, broadband, and other opportunities that have often been made more clear by the ongoing health crisis.

Putting together a collaborative funding opportunity is, unfortunately, more complicated than it probably should be. Which is why we, along with our partner foundations, are putting in the work to institutionalize collaboration at NMAG so that future collaborative funding endeavors will be easier and more efficient to put together and manage. By walking the walk of collaboration, funders hope to support shared work and fellowship among grantees in deeper ways, reminding us that just about anything great in New Mexico has always been the product of communities working together.

Henry Rael
Director of Strategy and Initiatives

Welcome to our new website. The new site comes at a time of great change in our world and at the Foundation. It was bittersweet to say goodbye to Wendy Lewis, our former Executive Director, as she stepped down after over ten years as our leader. We wish her well as she sets off on her exciting new adventures. And we thank her for her efforts advancing the work of the Foundation to build strong families and communities in New Mexico.

I am honored to begin a new chapter with the Foundation as I move from the role of Administrative Director to Interim Executive Director this fall. I appreciate the Board for trusting me with this appointment and look forward to working more closely with them during the transition. I also look forward to furthering the meaningful work of those that came before with the support of our incredible team of talented professionals. Their collective skills, commitment and talent are unmatched.

As we make our way through these challenging times, we are interested in continuing to learn and connect. The Foundation continues to remain dedicated to the people of our beloved state. Nuevo México is a place of resilience, strength, collaboration, and culture. For this I am grateful, as these qualities will play an important part of pandemic recovery efforts as well as help to address the serious inequities the pandemic has brought into focus.

Sincerely,

Carla

With a mix of both excitement and sadness, I want to share some news with you:

In April of this year, I notified our Board of Directors that I would be stepping down as Executive Director of the McCune Foundation as of August 31, 2020.

It has been an honor to serve as McCune’s ED and a privilege to support both our team and the community-based work occurring across New Mexico. My life has been forever enhanced by my time with the Foundation and the opportunity to work with the exceptional leaders in our state’s social sector. As we all know, however, everyone’s life brings changes, and it’s time for me to begin a new chapter in my life. This creates the opportunity for new leadership at the Foundation, which will bring new perspective to our work.

To that end, our Board appointed Administrative Director Carla Romero Interim Executive Director as of September 1, 2020. I’ve been working closely with Carla over the last few months to ensure a smooth transition, and I have complete confidence in her ability to continue our mission. While Covid-19 has made this a challenging time for everyone, we’ve worked hard to ensure a stable and smooth transition.

I want to convey my deepest thanks to the McCune leadership team — Allison Hagerman, Henry Rael, Carla Romero, and Ernesto Torres — and Rick Rennie for his management of HDIC. I also want to thank Erin Taylor, our bookkeeper and the many others who have worked with the foundation. The list is long — you know who you are! It has been an honor to work with each of you, co-creating our vision and strategy and continuing to learn as we implement them. I deeply appreciate your commitment, values, innovation, and insight. In closing, I want to thank the Board of Directors for offering me the opportunity of a lifetime and its dedication to the people of New Mexico and the philanthropy established by Marshall and Perrine McCune.

Please join us in welcoming and supporting Carla in her new role, and if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact either one of us. Carla and the Board are taking a thoughtful approach to the future work of the Foundation.

Best regards,

Wendy Lewis

Effective March 16, 2020, the McCune Charitable Foundation staff began working remotely to help lessen the potential impacts of the COVID-19 in our communities. We anticipate maintaining remote operations indefinitely, however we will continue to respond to conditions as they evolve. We expect to have a staff member available at the Santa Fe office from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm Monday through Thursday for essential functions and to answer questions. The office number is 505.983.8300. We realize this is a challenging situation for all of us in New Mexico and will do what we can to support our families and communities.