“We were so honored for the community support that raised over $60,000,” says Lexi, who says a family goal was to keep the Pedro and Mateo SandovalStrong Memorial Scholarship Fund and its application review process local. “We appreciated the diligence and professionalism of Albuquerque Community Foundation in getting everything up and running quickly so that we could grant a first award in 2020.”

The teenage brothers were both outstanding student athletes in football, basketball, track and highly involved in extracurricular activities at Moriarty High School. To pay tribute to their hard work, teamwork and commitment, future awards will be given in two categories. Scholarships will be given to two Moriarty high school students attending a two- or four-year college, university or certified trade school. Another scholarship is designated for a graduating New Mexico high school senior involved in extracurricular activities through the New Mexico Athletic Association, reflecting the boys’ love of and involvement in sports.

“Everyone at the Foundation has been really wonderful to work with through the entire process of setting up the scholarship fund and during the committee review of applications,” says Lexi.

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Board member and endowment committee chair Ron Richman, although an experienced senior executive, could not himself offer PAS sufficient expertise in endowment management. After rigorous examination of organizations that manage and grow endowment funds, Richman recommended that PAS entrust its endowment to the Albuquerque Community Foundation. The Foundation not only has been in existence for a substantial length of time, it has also supported other arts groups. It seemed like the most appropriate and professional organization for PAS’s needs.

Reasonable financial policies, a track record with other not-for-profits, and lots of help from Foundation staff helped seal the deal for PAS, which will be using proceeds from its endowment to enhance its ability to draw local, national, and international musicians and artists to its lineup of concerts, art exhibitions, and children’s outreach. That, in turn, will help it appeal to diverse audiences and make the organization an attractive place for potential board members to serve.

“There are some good capabilities in the Albuquerque area, but for us it came down to where and how the funds were administered,” Richman adds. “And when we needed help creating an endowment policy on how and what funds to accept, the Foundation was very helpful. They are a source of great information and support.”

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“As two people who graduated from public schools here, we hope that our family is a counter-narrative to the myth. We choose to stay here because we love the land and the people. There isn’t a job anywhere else that pays enough money to pull us away,” says Ian.

The couple are long-time members of Future Fund, and credit the group as a meaningful way for younger adults to get connected and stay informed about organizations and causes in Albuquerque. Katie, a business manager at Sandia Labs with nonprofit career experience, is a past president of Future Fund, and currently a member of the Foundation’s Advancement Committee. Ian, a consultant in the racial equity and social justice space, used to work at the Foundation. He participates in the Foundation’s Grants Committee.

The Esquibels are instilling the value of giving in their children: daughter Aurora, six, and son Javi, four. It is important to them that their kids see philanthropy as more than writing checks. “We talk with them about gratitude and privilege and how to be a part of community. We want them to contribute their time, leadership, and work, because it all counts as investment into our community,” Katie says.

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After Ann retired from a career teaching and working in public relations, she went looking for interesting volunteer opportunities. She found CASA, where Jim joined her after he retired as a mechanical engineer.When health challenges meant they could no longer physically volunteer, they focused on using their financial assets to continue advocating for foster children.

“We were familiar with the Albuquerque Community Foundation when it first started more than 40 years ago because I had several friends who were active in support of the Foundation,” says Ann. “Since then, we’ve been part of fundraising and other activities through the Foundation, too.”

Setting up the scholarship at the Foundation seemed an obvious choice to help manage the scholarships, Jim says. “The staff was extremely helpful and did the heavy lifting. With a combination of the Foundation’s good management and prudent allocations, the corpus of the endowment has remained almost the same as the original amount. And we know the scholarship will continue to benefit students far into the future.”

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The scholarship, which will celebrate 25 years next year, awards to high school graduates from the Albuquerque area who show faith, hope and courage in pursuit of their own professional or educational “life dream” and the ability to lift themselves above extraordinary life challenges. Previous recipients have included political and wartime refugees and students who have faced their own health challenges.

James’ parents, John and Linda Ledwith, praise the Foundation’s support and coordination of the program. “We moved the scholarship to the Foundation 10 years ago because they could add promotion and the infrastructure to make it a permanent endowment that will outlast our personal involvement,” says John.

“We’ve got grandkids now who know all about Uncle James, in part because they sit in the room when the applications are being reviewed. This is our way to involve the next generation in a legacy of philanthropy.”

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The program is helping keep IPCC’s focus on its core mission as well as growth strategies versus devoting resources to managing the fund.

“Right now, we’re focusing on how we communicate the existence and importance of the fund,” says Mike Canfield, President and CEO, “and are working to develop individualized opportunities to give into the fund for long-term growth and to sustain the work we do. It’s inspiring to be able to impact all of New Mexico’s 19 Pueblo Communities, and act as a gateway for guests visiting New Mexico and Albuquerque.”

IPCC is a gathering place where the culture of New Mexico’s 19 Pueblos is celebrated and shared through creative and cultural experiences and provides economic opportunities to Pueblo and local communities through museum and gallery space, a library, archives, an education department, a teaching kitchen and restaurant, and a collection of murals and other Native arts and artifacts.

“We see our relationship with the Foundation as a partnership with an organization that is similar in nature and that also operates with the ideas of values-aligned philanthropy, like we do. We’re both bringing people together in ways that make our community better,” says Monique Fragua, IPCC’s Chief Operating Officer.

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One aspect of the Foundation’s fund and award programs that particularly appealed to the couple was that their support would be more effective than if they simply wrote checks themselves. They appreciated the Foundation’s ability to understand the needs of the community, which includes community input, grows other donors’ interest and leverages other resources in addition to theirs to see the community thrive. They also knew of the Foundation’s successful track record for supporting a variety of programs in the community.

“The Albuquerque community and intertwined smaller communities within the area are inspirational for their artistic and cultural richness, diversity, and caring outreach and interconnectedness,” Goldenberg says. “I am also inspired by the number of nonprofit, for-profit, and governmental organizations that work together to nurture communities’ talents, gifts, amazing outdoor resources, as well as supporting community needs and struggles. Edward and I view the Foundation as a great avenue to support both the needs and richness of Albuquerque and New Mexico.”

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The AFS-USA Faces of America program for high-achieving, under-represented high school students funds the other half of the program costs. Duncombe had experience with AFS Faces of America in Las Vegas, Nevada, during the 10 years she and her husband sponsored foreign exchange scholarships there.

“The Foundation provides the framework to accept donations, manages the paperwork, and works to find other donors interested in the cause so we can expand to more students,” Dodd says. “So far, we’ve sent 13 students to places like Spain, Colombia, Kenya, Egypt, Germany and Ghana.”

Helping families and students—many of whom have never been on an airplane or traveled outside their local areas—prepare for an international exchange is complicated and time consuming. “But inspiring and worth it,” Cohen says. “The kids are amazing! They change their perception about their future opportunities after living with a family abroad. And the parents grow, too. We had one Native American mom who had many concerns about sending her son on an exchange. But after he returned, she now tells everyone about the program and how valuable it was for her son.”

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When the Colons were starting out, they were involved in the Foundation’s Future Fund. Brian, currently managing partner at Singleton Schreiber law firm and formerly elected state auditor, served on the Board of Directors  of this group that encourages young people to think philanthropically, and was also a Foundation Trustee.

The couple could think of no better way to honor Brian’s late parents than creating the Rafael and Shelly Colón Memorial Endowment at the Albuquerque Community Foundation _____ years ago. Through this fund, they and their son Rafael designate awards each year to organizations as diverse as Popejoy Hall, Muscular Dystrophy Association, Ronald McDonald House Charities, MESA and the robotics team at Van Buren Middle School where Aleli taught math and other subjects for 21 years. She’s now director of curriculum and instruction for Technology Leadership High School.

“Few social or philanthropic platforms do as good a job of evaluating systems and identifying places to invest energy and resources that bring systemic change and direct impact as the Foundation,” Brian says. “Its leaders are forward thinking and intentional about how to impact justice along with social and structural change. It’s absolutely the gold standard in our community.”

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Her husband of 44 years, Dr. Theodore (Ted) Jojola, established the trusts after her death in late 2019. “Part of my own healing from her loss is to take resources and distribute them and let others share and reap the benefits.”

History, cultural and educational activities were very important to Dely, says Ted. “She was very much an advocate of raising the visibility of Filipinos and Asian Americans in New Mexico both in her professional role as demographer for the State of New Mexico and her personal life, whether through establishing the Rio Grande chapter of the Filipino American Historical Society, mobilizing support to complete a memorial in Albuquerque’s Bataan Park or founding the Filipino American Community Council.”

In 2006, she founded the New Mexico Asian Family Center specifically to provide support for victims and survivors of domestic violence and related services to members of the Asian and Pacific Islands community.

“I know the track record of Albuquerque Community Foundation,” says Ted. “It’s really smart that communities can be supported in this way.”

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