Two Northern New Mexico Native American-owned and -operated businesses received $30,000 in grants through a Native American Venture Acceleration Fund created by Los Alamos National Security, LLC (LANS) and the Regional Development Corporation (RDC).
“These investments create jobs for pueblo-owned businesses and help strengthen the area’s economy,” said Kathy Keith, Los Alamos’ Community Partnerships director.
To date, more than $280,000 has been invested in the northern area regional economy through the Native American Venture Acceleration Fund. Funding comes from LANS, which manages Los Alamos National Laboratory. The Regional Development Corporation manages the Native American Venture Acceleration Fund.
This year’s grant recipients are:
- High Water Mark, LLC, Cochiti Pueblo: to purchase software and equipment that will enable the company to competitively bid for national federal contracts.
- Picuris Pueblo Bison Project, Picuris Pueblo: equipment for expansion of the Bison Project, which has enabled the return of bison to the land.
“It’s always a pleasure to see the proposals from businesses that we have worked with. The growth this year’s winners are experiencing is very encouraging,” said Val Alonzo, RDC Executive Director.
Eligibility
To be eligible for a Native American Venture Acceleration Fund grant, applicants must:
- Demonstrate they are a Native American-owned business in which a tribe or tribal member has at least a 51 percent stake in the enterprise;
- Be a tribal business or corporation from the pueblos of Nambe, Ohkay Owingeh, Picuris, Santa Clara, Pojoaque, Taos, San Ildefonso, Tesuque, Cochiti or Jemez;
- Be located in Sandoval, Santa Fe, Los Alamos, San Miguel, Mora, Rio Arriba or Taos counties.
More information about the Native American Venture Acceleration Fund is available from Vangie Trujillo (vangie@lanl.gov) of Los Alamos’ Community Partnerships Office or Val Alonzo (val@rdcnm.org) of the Regional Development Corporation.
About the Regional Development Corporation
The Regional Development Corporation is a non-profit economic development organization based in Española, N.M., with the mission of creating jobs and attracting additional revenue to the Northern New Mexico region.