Resilient Communities Fund

The ​Resilient Communities Fund is the flagship program of the New Mexico Resiliency Alliance. Created in 2014 in partnership with the McCune Charitable Foundation and the New Mexico MainStreet Program of the New Mexico Economic Development Department, the Resilient Communities Fund provides small seed grants for locally-driven economic development projects in rural and underserved communities statewide. Funds awarded leverage local matching resources, build local capacity via project-specific technical assistance, and engage local community volunteers.​​

Over eleven years (2014–2025), NMRA has awarded 154 grants totaling $618,200. Over that same time frame, New Mexico MainStreet has provided $377,131.67 in technical assistance to support successful project implementation. Those grants have been leveraged by recipients into $1,586,070 in cash matches, $417,456 in in-kind contributions, and 16,146 volunteer hours.

This means every $1 in NMRA grant funding generates $3.99 in cash and in-kind support (using the 2024 value for volunteer time in NM $28.69).

Since NMRA began tracking business impact in 2020, 866 businesses across New Mexico have been positively affected by RCF grants.


Funding Priorities

Community Economic / Entrepreneurship Development

Design / Urban Planning / Placemaking / Historic Preservation

Arts & Cultural / Creative Economy

Economic Branding / Marketing / Promotion

Enhancing Food Security

Civic Engagement

Organizational Capacity Building

Resilient Communities Fund Awards