Taos Community Foundation (TCF) helps donors and nonprofits make a tangible difference in Taos, by bringing them together to fund causes that matter to them and to the local community. TCF is community-based, with a local board of directors and volunteers. TCF’s mission is to connect people and opportunities through nonprofits to build a more creative, caring and thriving community. TCF invests in Taos and western Colfax counties through grants, scholarships, and supporting collaborative community efforts.

As the foundation reaches its 30th anniversary, TCF’s accomplishments speak for themselves: A record-breaking $5.1 million total grants given to 536 nonprofits in 2023, $21.1 million in assets and $111,000 in scholarships.

With 6 staff members, 15 TCF board members, 18 TCF board emeritus members, 6 Taos Property Foundation board members, and a dedicated group of volunteers, it takes a large team to represent our diverse community.

Speaking about Foundation staff, board member Michael Santistevan said, “What I find really amazing is all the work that they do.

They’re inviting more and more folks into the foundation to share what the foundation does, how it helps the community, and how everyone can participate. They’re finding what the gaps are and learning how they can help address those gaps.”

CJ Grace, a former Taos Schools educator who was hired to lead the philanthropic organization in February, noted, “Tanner Martin, our Director of Community Impact, heard from community members and committees that there weren’t very many students applying for TCF scholarships.”

To address that problem, Martin convened a series of meetings to listen to the community including students, educators from the high schools, UNM – Taos, and donors to understand the needs. Using that feedback, TCF staff created a more streamlined scholarship application process, including a revamped webpage, and physical QR code cards that were distributed across the county. This, combined with visits to local high schools, raised student awareness of the opportunities. As a result, there was a significant increase in this year’s applications from a wider pool of applicants.

Board Chair George Jaramillo, who has served with the Foundation’s board since 2013, expressed his pride in this aspect of the Foundation’s efforts. “TCF scholarships are very dear to my heart, because when I was going through school, I was an average student, so I never got scholarships.

We see some very sad stories when we look at those scholarship applications, and you know that they’re really needing funds, whether it’s for a vocational school or a degree track. We [want to] make sure that everybody has a chance to get a scholarship if they want to go to school.”

Emeritus Board Member Eleanor Romero, who now serves on a TCF scholarship committee, added many of the scholarships the Foundation awards started as gifts from the community. “These scholarships were originally created by private individuals and families who decided that they wanted to contribute their money to advance the education of our young people.”

She proudly pointed to Foundation’s role in bringing Community Schools to Taos. “Now, Community Schools has grown to such an extent that it’s going to be countywide. This new coalition involves [Taos Municipal School District], Peñasco, the two pueblos, the town, and the county.”

A little over halfway through 2024, the foundation has already awarded over $272,000 to local nonprofits and charitable projects, and $100,000 to 24 area students. Recent projects include developing a summer camp with community partners for working families.

Nonprofit partners saw a need and came to the table asking how they could help the children and families, leading to the development of a free three-week long summer camp for 50 students offered by Taos Educational Collaborative at Enos Garcia Elementary School. Additionally, partnering with the Anchorum Foundation will bring new funding to the nonprofit community to positively impact the social determinants of health.

Confidence in the Foundation’s work is evident in the praise of Jaramillo, Santistevan, and Romero. “I think one of the things that I’m really impressed with the Community Foundation is how they impact our community from infants all the way to elderly people,” Romero said. “I mean, everybody in this community is impacted by this organization.” Alexei McGalliard, Foundation Advancement Associate, noted, “That’s what we do. We help incubate charitable ideas that benefit the community until they’re ready to take off and fly on their own.”

Santistevan concluded, “It’s cool to highlight all the big things that TCF is doing, but I love all the things that they’re doing when nobody’s watching too. Beyond the recognition for the bigger projects and grants, it’s also those direct, often unseen, people-helping grants that make the foundation special for me.”

TCF is doing incredible work, making a meaningful impact in our community. Whether your passion is protecting the environment, supporting the LGBTQ+ community, increasing the educational access for local students, or anything else—TCF can help you meet your unique philanthropic goals. Beyond opportunities to volunteer your time and talent or donate to support programs, you will find a group of people who care deeply about Taos and are active in making the vision of a thriving community a reality by working together.

Join us in supporting our community and help us make a difference. De la comunidad, para la comunidad.