United Way Northern New Mexico Named Regional Resource Hub for Northern NM Youth Fund Grantees

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 11, 2025
Contact: Cindy Padilla | [email protected] | 505.216.6347
Website: www.unitedwaynnm.org/news/uwnnm-named-regional-resource-hub

United Way Northern New Mexico Named Regional Resource Hub for Northern NM Youth Fund Grantees

$122,700 Grant Will Support Capacity-Building, Collaboration, and Expanded Opportunities for Youth Across the Region

Española, NM — United Way Northern New Mexico (UWNNM) has been selected to serve as the official Regional Resource Hub for the Northern New Mexico Youth Fund, receiving a $122,700 grant to lead technical assistance, shared learning, and capacity-building support for grantees advancing youth opportunity in seven Northern New Mexico counties.

As the sole Resource Hub, UWNNM will provide strategic resources to a cohort of Tribes, nonprofit organizations, and schools focused on career technical education, work-based learning, leadership development and transition supports for underserved young people, especially opportunity youth (individuals between the ages of 16 and 24 who are neither enrolled in school
nor participating in the workforce,) Native American youth, and young parents of young children.

“This is more than a grant—it’s a new way to support critical services for sustained impact,” said Cindy Padilla, Executive Director of UWNNM. “We’re honored to serve as the connective hub for a powerful network of organizations that are helping young people chart pathways to purpose and possibility. Together, we’re building a movement grounded in equity, collaboration, and opportunity.”

In this new role, UWNNM will:

• Facilitate peer learning sessions and technical assistance,
• Offer tailored capacity-building support,
• Help grantees secure additional public funding,
• Strengthen alignment across the Northern NM Pathways to Opportunity Strategy Table.

“The Northern New Mexico Pathways to Opportunity Strategy Table is thrilled to partner with United Way Northern New Mexico as our Regional Resource Hub,” said Alvin Warren, Vice President of Policy & Impact for the LANL Foundation, which serves as the backbone organizationfor the Strategy Table.
“In supporting the inaugural cohort of 19 Youth Fund grantees, we know
that UWNNM will strengthen the capacity of our whole region to better serve young people.”

By organizing and energizing this network of 19 grantees, UWNNM aims to break down silos, share what works, and dismantle systemic barriers that have long limited opportunity for youth and families across the region.

The Northern New Mexico Youth Fund pools philanthropic and public funding to provide grants of 50-100k to each grantee. This is an initiative that aims to transform outcomes for youth and young adults by investing in organizations that understand the challenges—and potential—within their communities. With UWNNM at the helm of the Resource Hub, grantees will be better equipped to sustain their work, scale what’s working, and drive long-term change.

About United Way Northern New Mexico
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United Way Northern New Mexico serves Los Alamos and Rio Arriba Counties by supporting nonprofit organizations, strengthening community networks, and investing in programs that promote health, youth opportunity, financial security, and community resiliency. Through collaborative efforts like Collective Impact and the Regional Resource Hub, UWNNM works to create lasting solutions and brighter futures for Northern New Mexico families. Visit unitedwaynnm.org to learn more about United Way Northern New Mexico and how you can support their impact in the Northern New Mexico region.

Contact:
Cindy Padilla
Executive Director
United Way Northern New Mexico
505.216.6347
[email protected]
www.unitedwaynnm.org
PO Box 539, Los Alamos New Mexico 505.662.0800