BPP Member News

The work of the BPP is made possible by the investment of institutional and individual members who represent communities across the 10 Border State region. Our growing and dynamic network includes leaders and organizations from academia, business and corporate entities, government, philanthropy, and nonprofit organizations. We share a common vision and commitment for a thriving border region.

March 5, 2021

Arizona Community Foundation announces Elisa de la Vara retirement; Lisa Urias to take helm as Chief Program and Community Engagement Officer. Today the Arizona Community Foundation has announced that Elisa de la Vara officially retires as of March 31, 2021 after a long and distinguished career in finance, politics, and philanthropy. Elisa leads the affordable housing initiative, impact investing program and the grants management division. She is also responsible for the leadership of staff, volunteers and consultants that guide the Community Foundation's Latinos Unidos Initiative, Black Philanthropy Initiative, and the Asian American Women's Giving Circle. Elisa officially joined the BPP Board in 2016 and currently serves as Board Chair. Elisa will continue in this role until her term expires in January 2022. Lisa Urias has a long history of community leadership and success in the business sector leading two communications related businesses. Lisa comes from Urias Communications, a national recognized multicultural marketing and communications agency and CoNecs North America where she served as Managing Partner. Additionally, Lisa Urias served on the Board of Directors at ACF for 8 years and as Chair of the Board's Public Policy Committee. Congratulations to Elisa de la Vara and Lisa Urias.

Elisa de la Vara

Working with local nonprofits to create greater equity in San Diego. Pamela Gray Payton is chief impact and partnerships officer and vice president of community impact for The San Diego Foundation, a community foundation and public charity that pools donations from individuals, families and businesses to support local nonprofit organizations. Pamela Gray Payton is interested in building bridges - the kinds of bridges that allow people to help each other improve their lives and create greater equity. As chief impact and partnerships officer and vice president of community impact for The San Diego Foundation, she's working with her colleagues to come up with new ways to support local nonprofits and give opportunities to local philanthropists who believe in equity. "Throughout my professional career, I've had the honor of working with phenomenal nonprofit organizations," says Gray Payton, who's worked with the University of San Diego, RISE San Diego, the Kim Center for Social Balance and others. "Whether the organization was working to introduce children to new cultural and... (read more)

Humanity at the border. By Morgan Smith. We left Santa Fe at 8 AM, my wife, Sherry and I with our two tiny dogs huddled in blankets in the back seat and a bag of sandwiches, apples, nut, brownies plus a cooler with drinks. The temperature was a bitter 11 degrees. It's about 325 miles to the border wall west of El Paso and Juárez and between Sunland Park, New Mexico and Anapra, Mexico where we hoped to interview and photograph the Mexican soldiers who have been stationed there to keep migrants from crossing. For a decade, I crossed the border at least once a month to document conditions in the Juárez area as well as tiny Palomas to the west but I have only crossed once since the pandemic began; this border wall idea was to be a substitute. It was 46 degrees when we reached the wall area at mid afternoon and we waited while a lengthy train passed. A Border Patrol officer was parked near the tracks and told us he had been working in this area for ten years and loved his work. He said that migrants were still crossing, over the wall with ladders or to the west where the wall ends at the beginning of the...(read more)

The San Diego Women's Foundation officially opens their cycle 21 Fellowship Program application. The SDWF is looking for emerging leaders who are employees of nonprofits located in San Diego County to participate in a two-year SDWF Fellowship program. Application requirements: Applicants must be currently employed by a San Diego nonprofit organization that has 501(c)(3) status; nonprofit professionals at any stage in their career may apply, but note that this program is typically most valuable for the emerging leaders in your organization; applicants should have sufficient flexibility or autonomy of their schedule to attend weekday events and meetings. Please see program expectations and requirements. If you're interested in this one of a kind opportunity to connect with other women in nonprofit organizations and input your expertise, please apply here.

March 30, Bank of America Program on Volunteerism. The Center for Nonprofits and Philanthropy at the Bush School of Government & Public Service cordially invites you to the 19th Annual Bank of America Program on Volunteerism on Tuesday, March 30, 2021, at 4:30 p.m. The event will be managed on Zoom. The 19th Annual Bank of America program will address "The Role of Nonprofits & Philanthropy in Fostering Equity For All." This year's program will focus on the role nonprofits and philanthropy have in fostering equity for all in a moderated panel discussion that offers perspectives from the philanthropic and corporate sectors. Panelists for this event are: Dr. Ruth Simmons, President of Prairie View A&M University, Mr. Rick Jaramillo, Houston Market Executive at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, and the Honorable Margaret Spellings, President and CEO of Texas 2036 and Former US Secretary of Education. Dr. Robbie Robichau, Assistant Professor, Bush School of Government & Public Service, will moderate the discussion on the importance of equity and how organizations can work towards providing opportunities for all. A brief question and answer session will following the panel discussion.

UC San Diego's U.S.-Mexico Forum 2025 taps into potential of cross-border collaboration. The Forum provides the Biden and López Obrador administrations with policy recommendations on trade and economy, energy and sustainability, strategic diplomacy, migration, and security and public health. Recent world events, including the election of President Joe Biden, the global COVID-19 pandemic and more, have many wondering, "What's next on the world stage?" Researchers at the Center for U.S.-Mexican Studies (USMEX) at the University of California San Diego took the opportunity at this pivotal juncture to rethink the relationship between Mexico and the U.S. The team, housed in the UC San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy, worked to create the U.S.-Mexico Forum 2025, comprised of a group of USMEX researchers, Mexican and U.S. scholars, practitioners and experts. The Forum's report proposes a course for bilateral U.S.-Mexico relations during the four years (2021-2025) when Biden and Mexico's Andrés Manuel López Obrador will... (read more)

February 17, 2021

Become a non-residential Border Fellows program at the Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice. The University of San Diego recently launched a call for letters of interest for the non-residential Border Fellows program at the Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice. The program is designed for individuals in Southern California and Baja California working in academia, civil society, or the public sector to make the border region more peaceful and inclusive. The program is 12 months, during which time Fellows will receive an $850/month fellowship & $5K grant to support their work. The full details of the call are online and the deadline to apply is Feb. 22.

UTEP awarded $1M NNSA grant, will help prepare students for nuclear energy industry jobs. Students from The University of Texas at El Paso will have more opportunities to train for competitive jobs in the energy industry through a $1 million grant from the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). "This is a great, multifaceted opportunity for our students to expand their horizons and obtain training in an important national topic: energy," said Patricia Nava, Ph.D., dean of UTEP's College of Engineering. "Access to the national labs will facilitate research growth, in addition to expanding student employment opportunities. This project is an invaluable asset to our growing pipeline of students, providing entry to the professional workforce. This award will also enable us to fulfill the goal of creating technical expertise, as well as reinforcing our college's status of being a top provider of diverse engineering talent to the... (read more)

NADB, EPA, and SEPROA focus on reducing transboundary flows of sewage into New River. A virtual ceremony to announce the groundbreaking of wastewater rehabilitation works of the binational sanitation program for Mexicali, Baja California was held by the North American Development Bank (NADB), the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Mexican Section of the International Border Water Commission, the Baja California Watershed Division of Mexico´s National Water Commission (CONAGUA), and the Water Management, Treatment and Protection Agency for the State of Baja California (SEPROA). Within the framework of the program, the institutions have been collaborating over nine months to support the development and financing of two projects, totaling US $10.6 million, that address the rehabilitation of sewage lines and lift stations. The first project, Wastewater Collection System Improvements (Phase I) and... (read more)

Kino Border Initiative announces new Executive Director. The Kino Border Initiative (KBI) has announced that Joanna Williams will become its next executive director. On March 1st, 2021, she will replace Fr. Sean Carroll, S.J. who has been serving in this role for the past twelve years. Williams has served as the KBI's director of education and advocacy for nearly 6 years and in that time has designed and led programs critical to KBI's mission. Williams is deeply committed to binational and regional collaboration, including through her leadership role in the advocacy work of the Jesuit Migration Network of Central America and North America, of which the Ignatian Solidarity Network is also a member. She first joined the KBI community a decade ago as a full-time volunteer for several months. After that experience, she accompanied migrants in a variety of capacities including through Fulbright research on the reintegration of returned and deported migrants in the Mexican States of Jalisco and Puebla and work on the ACLU of Arizona's border rights program. She is a graduate of Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service and holds a master's degree in public policy from... (read more)

February 3, 2021

Become a non-residential Border Fellows program at the Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice. The University of San Diego recently launched a call for letters of interest for the non-residential Border Fellows program at the Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice. The program is designed for individuals in Southern California and Baja California working in academia, civil society, or the public sector to make the border region more peaceful and inclusive. The program is 12 months, during which time Fellows will receive an $850/month fellowship & $5K grant to support their work. Register for the Feb. 11 info session to learn more. The full details of the call are online and the deadline to apply is Feb. 22.

Grant will help improve health, education in Juarez: Tracy J. Yellen and Alfonso Marquez. COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on the residents of Ciudad Juárez. Over 30,000 residents are known to have contracted the disease and 2,500 more have died. Even more, Juarenses have been affected by the pandemic's economic impact, with thousands struggling to meet basic needs, as some lost employment as their workplaces closed, and others struggled to stay healthy and safe while continuing to work to provide for their families. Moments like these demonstrate the importance of local organizations with the relationships, skill and knowledge to collect and coordinate aid - organizations like Fundacion Paso del Norte, a sister foundation and fund of the Paso del Norte Community Foundation. Shortly after the pandemic shut down life along the border, the Fundacion Paso del Norte partnered with local nonprofits, business and philanthropic leaders to invest in personal protection equipment for health workers and medical supplies for hospitals and clinics designated to treat COVID cases. The Fundación also launched the campaign Unidos Podemos, in partnership... (read more)

New Bush School speaker series to explore border issues. The Mosbacher Institute's Border & Migration Lab is pleased to announce a new speaker series organized by Bush School of Government and Public Policy Assistant Professor Aileen Teague-The Other Side of the Border: Ties That Bind and Issues That Divide. The series will host two events this spring with practitioners working on the Border and in Mexico and Latin America. On February 16 at 6:00 p.m. Central Time, Mr. Alan Bersin will join us for a talk titled "U.S.-Mexico Border under President Biden." Mr. Bersin is the Inaugural Fellow of the Homeland Security Project at Harvard University's Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. He served as Assistant Secretary for Policy & International Affairs and Chief Diplomatic Officer in the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), as Vice President of INTERPOL for the Americas Region, and as Commissioner of US Customs and Border Protection. The next event will be on April 13 at 6:00 p.m., when Ms. Ginger Jacobs, an immigration attorney from San Diego and national speaker on the topic, will join us for her talk "Myth-Busting around Immigration and Asylum."

2020 was deadliest year for migrants crossing unlawfully into US via Arizona. Remains of 227 migrants found last year, said Humane Borders, while at least 7,000 have died along US-Mexico border since 1998. When the remains of two undocumented migrants were found in the desert of south-western Arizona last July, one body lay next to an arrow drawn in the sand, pointing north, with the word "HELP" written beneath. The men had perished while attempting to cross into the US from Mexico, according to border patrol. Out of a group of three, one survived and told the federal agents their human smuggler had left the other two behind in the remote wilderness area. "These people are not just numbers," said Tony Banegas, executive director of the Colibri Center for Human Rights, an organization in Tucson working to identify migrant remains and helps families find missing loved ones. "These are human beings with families and aspirations. They went to great lengths to make the journey, [only] to become... (read more)

California group wants to tear down portions of border wall to build binational park. Border wall construction officially came to a halt on Wednesday after an executive order from President Joe Biden. Now, a group in San Diego wants to take it a step further asking for portions of the barrier to be removed altogether. The idea is to take down the fencing and create a binational gathering place at what is now Border Field State Park on the southwestermost corner of the continental United States. This is an area known for sections of the wall extending into the surf in the Pacific Ocean. The park was first dedicated in 1971 by then First Lady Pat Nixon. "On that occasion, she said, 'I hope this is the first phase of what will become an international friendship park,'" said John Fanestil with Via International, a non-profit based in San Diego that claims to work across borders, engaging leaders to promote sustainable development in under resourced... (read more)

The Odd Couple: Joe Biden and Andrés Manuel López Obrador. By Morgan Smith. Imagine if someone called your people, "drug dealers, criminals and rapists." Imagine someone repeatedly claiming that you would pay for the wall between your two countries. Imagine someone dumping thousands of migrants on your border and expecting you to care for them. Imagine someone waiting until a prominent citizen of yours (Salvador Cienfuegos, ex-defense Minister) stepped off a plane in their country and then arresting that person without a word of warning to you? Despite all these insults, Mexico's President, Andrés Manuel López Obrador *(better known as AMLO) remained a Trump supporter. Although claiming to be fiercely independent, he seemed totally subservient to Trump. Even after the US elections results were repeatedly verified, he has struggled to reach out and congratulate the winner, Joe Biden. What does this mean for our two countries, two countries with so much in common and so in need of a strong working relationship between its leaders? Here is a list of some of the issues that need to be addressed. 1. On July 1, 2020... (read more)

Re-building a complex partnership: The outlook for U.S.-Mexico relations under the Biden administration. Fulfilling North America's Promise, by Earl Anthony Wayne, Career Ambassador (ret). North America must be a high priority for the new Biden Administration. President Biden understands well the issues, having devoted considerable time to the region as Vice President. However, sadly, given the Trump administration's approach, mutual trust has suffered badly with both neighbors. President Joe Biden, Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, known as AMLO, should take full advantage of Biden's arrival to rebuild confidence and establish cooperative work agendas on key economic and security issues. Looming challenges posed by Central American migrants heading north and Mexico's decision to undermine cooperation against drug trafficking only make the case stronger for focused attention. The Biden team should re-organize structures to take full advantage of the opportunities from North American cooperation as well as to... (read more)

Charter Oak hosting 'Uncaged Art,' an exhibit of detained migrant children's art. When immigrant children are detained in jails on the border, not knowing where their families are, what do they think of all day, while waiting to find out what will become of them? That is the focus of a virtual exhibit opening Jan. 26 at Charter Oak Cultural Center in Hartford, and the title of the exhibit tells it all. "Uncaged Art: Tornillo Children's Detention Center" features dozens of artworks created by children in a now-closed tent city concentration camp just south of El Paso, Texas. A recurring theme in the artworks: They want to escape the cages, see something or someone familiar, go to church and play with friends. "In the center, the kids played soccer one hour a day. It was the only time they got to be outside," said Dr. Yolanda Leyva, a history professor at University of Texas at El Paso, who curated the exhibit. "It was the part of the day they looked forward to the most." One of the artworks is a recreation of a soccer field made with old boxes and... (read more)

Published: January 22, 2021

The Laredo Area Community Foundation Board of Directors awarded $50,000 to 10 different non-profit organizations in December 2020. The outreach grants were established for operating funds to those area non-profits impacted by the Covid-19 crisis. Applications were made available to all area charitable organizations in the fields of arts & culture, education, environment, health and social services. The Laredo Area Community Foundation acts as a driving force to develop a permanent endowment, to assess and to respond to emerging and changing community needs, to provide a vehicle and service for donors with varied interest and levels of giving, and to serve as a resource catalyst for charitable activities in the community.

Con Alma Health Foundation: Health equity and COVID relief. Q&A with Dolores E. Roybal, executive director of Con Alma Health Foundation. The first of four articles in the series During Pandemic, Rural Health Foundations Provide Financial Support, Technical Assistance, and Other Services. What is your foundation doing to support rural communities during the pandemic? Con Alma's mission is very much aligned in being aware of and addressing health rights and needs of the culturally and demographically diverse peoples and communities of New Mexico. What that means is that we have a focus on rural areas and communities of color from a health equity framework. As a health equity foundation, we are a statewide funder and have a big interest in working with underserved populations and helping to address gaps in services and needs. When COVID-19 hit our state and country and the world, because we're a private foundation we were able to pivot very quickly in terms of... ((read more)

The Bush School of Government & Public Service launches inaugural classes in Washington, DC. Texas A&M University's Bush School of Government & Public Service is launching its first classes at its new Washington, DC, teaching site. More than a dozen students have enrolled in classes in the Master of International Policy (MIP) degree program. Student orientation for the inaugural class takes place on Thursday, January 14, 2021, at 6 p.m. at the Bush School in Washington, DC. Classes begin on Tuesday, January 19, 2021. Due to current COVID-19 public health concerns, classrooms have been modified to promote social distancing during in-person learning. Students will be required to wear a face mask. Installation of protective shields will enable faculty to teach in-person classes while practicing current Centers for Disease Control COVID-19 health and... (read more)

Meet Melissa Floca, the Kroc IPJ's New Program Officer for Cross-Border Initiatives. In December 2020, Melissa Floca joined the Kroc School's Institute for Peace and Justice (Kroc IPJ) as Program Officer for Cross-Border Initiatives. In her role at the Kroc IPJ, Melissa will develop a portfolio of research and programming focused on creating a peaceful and inclusive U.S.-Mexico border region. To help the community get to know her better, Melissa answered the following questions about her career and life, and the path that led her to the Kroc School. What are the highlights of your career that led you to the Kroc School? After graduating from college, I decided to go to Mexico for six weeks to volunteer and take Spanish classes. That decision, over 16 years ago, set me on the path that brought me here. Before moving to San Diego, I spent a number of years in Mexico working in the private sector. As a consultant at McKinsey & Co. in Mexico City, I had the opportunity to work with clients in government and at... (read more)

Published: December 16, 2020

Antidote to the COVID-19 Blues in Tijuana. It was a spectacle of sights, sounds and beeping horns on December 6 as Tijuana's cultural arts organization, Promotora de las Bellas Artes, staged the city's first drive-in, COVID-safe concert to bring some much needed joy during this unusual holiday season. The concert was a festive blend of South African, Mexican, Cuban and Christmas music featuring Sharon Katz & The Peace Train band, vocalist Samantha Garcia, and one of the youth choirs of Promotora's community outreach program. After only seeing one another and practicing via Zoom since March, it was a cheerful, but masked and socially-distant reunion, for the young singers who are trained by the Cuban conductor, Daria Abreu Feraud. This concert was graciously hosted by El Trompo Interactive Museum in its parking lot. Promotora de las Bellas Artes has been providing empowering arts programs in vulnerable areas of Tijuana for over 28 years.

The Border Innovation Challenge 2020 Competition Summary. The Border Innovation Challenge focuses on bringing to the spotlight promising solutions and technologies to meet the efficiency and security challenges of the regions ports of entry. The competition is led by UC San Diego's Rady School of Management with support from the Jacobs School of Engineering's Institute for the Global Entrepreneur and is sponsored by the Smart Border Coalition. The competition was open to students faculty, staff and recent alum (within 5 years of graduation) from colleges and universities along the US/Mexico border. The final event on December 1st was hosted by Alan Lilienthal, host of the KPBS podcast "Port of Entry" and included judges from outside organizations that were selected by Rady, IGE and SBC. Judges evaluated each presentation on technology/product, market opportunity, and impact on border issues/security efficiency. In addition, the audience chose their favorite. The winners were: Grand Prize ($7,000) - Luna Diagnostic, a rapid and affordable COVID-19 diagnostic at the border. Runner Up ($3,500) - Smart... (read more)

UTEP study forecasts favorable economic conditions for El Paso in next 30 years. The University of Texas at El Paso released its projections on El Paso's economy for the next 30 years. According to UTEP's Border Region Modeling Project (BRMP), projections are favorable for the border region in the coming years, despite seeing broad economic hardships during the pandemic. "Although the Borderplex regional economy is currently being battered by the unexpected global COVID-19 recession, long-run prospects for the region remain favorable," reads the report. "Historically, complete recoveries from severe downturns such as the current lockdown recession require five years." The new report is the first long-run economic forecast published by UTEP since 2010. It is co-authored by UTEP economics professor Tom Fullerton and BRMP associate director and staff economist Steven Fullerton. The report includes the region's... (read more)

Kids, Families and COVID-19: Pandemic Pain Points and the Urgent Need to Respond. This KIDS COUNT policy report examines how households with children are faring during the pandemic. Its findings are primarily based on surveys conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused widespread economic damage and isolated families in unprecedented ways. Parents have had to juggle both educating and caring for their children and millions of Americans have lost not just their jobs, but their sense stability, source of income and health care. To succeed now and after the pandemic, families must have good health, both physical and mental, and the health care to maintain it. They must also have food and the money to buy it; safe, stable housing and communities; education and the means to access it; and quality child care so that parents can work. Child well-being was slowly but steadily improving right after the Great Recession. Yet, troubling signs - indicating a halt or reversal of progress - were evident even before the coronavirus crisis took hold in the United States. One example: The share of children without health insurance ticked up from 5% in 2018 to... (read more)

The Paso del Norte Health Foundation announces call for proposals for Community Outreach Worker (promotora outreach) programs designed to address the dynamic COVID-19 pandemic. The Health Foundation has a 25-year history of thought leadership, collaboration and grantmaking to promote health and prevent disease in the Paso del Norte region. As modern lifestyle chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer are leading causes death and disability, the Health Foundation's focus over this time has been on lifestyle behaviors, such as smoking, exercise, and nutrition that prevent or precipitate these diseases. Today, we face a communicable and infectious threat with the emergence of COVID-19. Non-profit agencies and units of government, including universities, that have demonstrated experience with promotora outreach and are within the Paso del Norte region are eligible to apply. The proposal must be submitted through the Paso del Norte Health Foundation online application system by noon on January 4, 2021.

ICF announces new Mexico Giving Guide 2021. In this new publication, the International Community Foundation (ICF) provides a list of organizations that have been vetted by our due diligence and program teams. These organizations represent the "best of the best." you will be impressed by the dedication and impact of these organizations! ICF's Mexico Giving Guide is very interactive, so feel free to click on any of the links which will direct you to our "Friends of" Funds and other important material, such as simple ways to give and legacy giving. During this time, the International Community Foundation has been committed to supporting the communities they serve through rapid response grants, program assistance, and organizational capacity-building. In FY2020, ICF provided 243 grants to 110 organizations in Mexico, totaling over $10.4 million. This grant total reflects our ICF's collective impact in education, health, human services, environmental protection, arts and culture, and community improvements that help improve the daily lives of people from urban to rural areas of Mexico.

Rapid migrant expulsions strain Mexican border community. This year U.S. Border Patrol agents have used a CDC public health order to rapidly expel thousands of migrants into Mexican border towns with little consideration for their countries of origin or their fears of persecution. And while humanitarian aid organizations are collaborating to help support stranded migrants, the resources available to them in some border communities are still extremely limited. "We do what we can, but it's never enough," said Jaret Ornelas, an education coordinator with the Kino Border Initiative in Nogales, Sonora. "Part of it is because civil society is picking up the cost of what the governments of both the U.S. and Mexico should be doing." From March 21, when the CDC announced the public health order, until October, almost 60,000 people were expelled across the Southwest border under Title 42 - a CDC health order that allows U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents to immediately expel migrants into their country of last transit without processing them. The Trump administration has claimed the order was implemented to prevent... (read more)

Published: December 3, 2020

Grant opportunity for reducing marine litter at Mexico-U.S. or Canada-U.S. Borders. $5 million grant opportunity announced by NOAA. The United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has announced a grant opportunity with their Marine Debris Program (MDP), whose mission is to investigate and prevent the adverse impacts of marine debris. The North America Marine Debris Prevention and Removal Projects' grant opportunity will award up to $5 million in 2021 to fund projects that address marine debris issues in the U.S.-Mexico and U.S.-Canada border areas. The grant competition will prioritize: Projects that prevent or reduce the occurrence of marine debris; projects that remove marine debris from the environment; and projects that include collaboration between the United States with Mexico and/or Canada. If your organization is interested in submitting a proposal, these are due on January 29, 2021, 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.

Elenita Porras, By Morgan Smith. Morgan Smith writes frequently on border issues and can be reached at Morgan-smith@comcast.net. "I go to all the most dangerous places," this calm but determined woman said to me as she maneuvered her old grey van through the streets of Juárez. It was July 28, 2010, my first trip to Juárez and I was scared. Then Elenita Porras stopped the van and pointed up a narrow alley. I could see a sign that said Hotel Rio Escondido and took a picture with a telephoto lens. "We're going in now. You have to see where I find all the young women who come to my program." She was referring to Reto a la Juventud, a program that she had started for young women with problems with drugs and prostitution. Nervously I followed. We entered a dark hallway and started up the stairs. At the first landing, she stopped and said, "This is where I found Esmeralda. She was dying." Elenita then explained that she had seen Esmeralda lying on the landing and had then... (read more)

Public Allies Arizona graduates inaugural Tucson cohort and celebrates Allies' resilience in 2020. "This road has not been an easy one," Marsha Brogden said. "Coming from a small town across the U.S. with everything I could fit in my car was a big test of bravery for me. I told myself if I could at least get here, I could do anything. With no family, very minimal friends, and no job lined up, I didn't know what was in store for me ... I knew I wanted to do something of value." Enter Public Allies Arizona, where this year Brogden and seven other emerging leaders became the first class of Allies in Tucson. As they near their program graduation, the cohort is ready to celebrate the program milestone and reflect on the success that has furthered their futures and that of the program. The ASU Lodestar Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Innovationâ€™s Public Allies Arizona program has changed the face and practice of leadership throughout Phoenix-area communities since 2006. In 2020 the program expanded to Pima County with a... (read more)

UTEP professor researches Mexico's immigration enforcement with help from grant. Jeremy Slack, associate professor of geography at UTEP, was awarded a $39,500 grant this past summer by Mexico's Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACYT) and the University of Texas System for research on Mexico's immigration enforcement. Slack's project was one of the few social science projects that got funded this year. His research primarily focuses on analyzing Mexico's immigration enforcement practices, in order to understand how the country's government is stopping people from coming through the country and how it relates to people wanting to stay in Mexico or not. A caravan of Central American migrants has been making its way through Mexico to reach the United States. According to BBC News, in late 2018 the Enrique Peña Nieto administration offered temporary work permits to migrants who registered for asylum. But to qualify... (read more)

Mark Stuart: Nonprofits helped San Diegans during the pandemic. Let's help them at Thanksgiving. As someone who lived in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, for seven years, on every Nov. 19, I pause to remember President Abraham Lincoln's shortest and arguably most profound speech: his address memorializing the deadliest battle of the Civil War. While seven score and 17 years have passed since Lincoln delivered his remarks, I cannot help but reflect on his poignant words. And while the circumstances are vastly different, that president's call for action remains relevant in this moment. There is still a "great task remaining before us," and we must all come together to get through this. As our country faces a worsening pandemic and greater racial and cultural divide, it is important that we remember that we are stronger together and will only heal when we do so as one. That's why I find hope and encouragement in the work of our nonprofit community this holiday season. Nonprofit organizations are... (read more)

The Center for Nonprofits & Philanthropy (CNP) at The Bush School of Government and Public Service is pleased to announce the launch of the Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership (CNL). This Certificate has been curated for current nonprofit professionals, on-the-ground volunteers within the sector, current or prospective board members, or those considering a transition to the sector. Current CNL courses cover topics including nonprofit leadership, strategic management, board governance, and performance management. The Certificate is earned by completing five Continuing & Professional Education courses, which are exclusively offered online and take only three weeks at a time to complete. Participants may also take courses individually, based on their interests. All courses are designed for practitioners and are self-paced within a module structure. Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are available with every completed course through the CNP's partnership with Texas A&M University's office of Continuing & Professional Education.

Published: November 19, 2020

Lidia S. Martinez recognized among Business Women of the Year. The San Diego Business Journal recognizes dynamic women business leaders who have contributed significantly to San Diego's workplaces and communities. Lifetime Achievement Award Honoree: Lidia S. Martinez. Lidia started her flight with Southweston July 16, 1990 - 30 years of great LUV! Her proud legacy she leaves behind is helping launch the National Multicultural Community Affairs department in 2003. Lidia was one of five individuals who successfully created the outreach platform for Southwest to invest and engage in communities of color. Their award-winning work opened a new opportunity to help create and launch the outreach efforts for all of the communities they now serve. Lidia helped her company set the standard for outreach and corporate social responsibility. In addition to Lifetime Achievement, winners will be announced for the following categories: Large Company, Medium Company, Small Company and... (read more)

Cuellar: North American Development Bank is changing lives along border. U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar has praised the work of the North American Development Bank. At a virtual board meeting of the bank, Cuellar said: "You have been changing lives on the U.S. side and on the Mexican side. That is why I am so supportive of NADBank, because of all the work you have been doing." Cuellar made his remarks from Mission, Texas, while the bank was holding its meeting in San Antonio. He connected with the board via Zoom. Cuellar noted how the reauthorization of NADB had occurred through the inclusion of language in the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. At the same time, more capital was added, allowing the bank to fund more infrastructure projects along the U.S.-Mexico border. Cuellar said his only request, as the reauthorization took place, was that NADB streamline the process by which projects and funding are approved. "We got it done," Cuellar told the bank's board of directors. "We needed to up the money on capitalization. I always had money there but without the... (read more)

Tracy J. Yellen Recognized by Texas CEO Magazine. Tracy J. Yellen, CEO for the Paso del Norte Community Foundation and the Paso del Norte Health Foundation, was recognized by Texas CEO Magazine for her leadership responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ms. Yellen was among 25 Texas-based CEOs - and two El Pasoans - recognized by the magazine for rising to the challenges brought on by the pandemic - shifting business priorities and responding to community needs. Ms. Yellen led the Paso del Norte Community Foundation and Paso del Norte Health Foundation in their work providing health information, establishing funds to support the most vulnerable in the community, and providing grants to nonprofit organizations working on the frontlines. The Paso del Norte Health Foundation is celebrating 25 years of improving health and preventing disease in the Paso del Norte region. The Paso del Norte Community Foundation is a trusted partner for your charitable giving and a growing community of philanthropy. The foundation works with individuals, families, corporations, foundations and nonprofit organizations to improve health, education, social services, economic development and quality of life in the binational, tri-state region.

Please join EPA and Border 2020 program partners at various upcoming meetings in the border region. All meetings during this time are virtual due to COVID-19 challenges. See the Border 2020 calendar for more information and meeting updates. United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) Meeting, November 20, 2020 via Microsoft Teams, 10am to 11:30pm PT. For questions, reach out to Gabriela Baeza-Castañeda, baeza-castaneda.gabriela@epa.gov; San Diego - Tijuana Air Quality Task Force Meeting, December 16 2020, 10am to 12pm PT via Zoom Video Communications. Simultaneous interpretation will be available. For questions, reach out to Ryan Atencio, Ryan.Atencio@arb.ca.gov. Arizona- Sonora Waste and Enforcement Task Force Meeting, December 9, 2020, 10:30am to 12pm PT- via TBD. Simultaneous interpretation will be available. For questions, reach out to Emily Pimentel, pimentel.emily@epa.gov

Sempra to build LNG export facility in Baja. Sempra Energy is getting its much-desired liquefied natural gas export facility on the Pacific Coast of Mexico. The San Diego-based energy giant announced Tuesday a pair of its subsidiaries will build an export component to an already existing liquefied natural gas, or LNG, facility on the Pacific Coast of Baja California. When construction is completed, the Energía Costa Azul terminal near Ensenada will send natural gas by cargo ships to energy-hungry markets in Asia. Justin Bird, the CEO of Sempra LNG, said the announcement comes just one day after the company received the final permit needed from the Mexican government, which took about one year to obtain. "I'm ecstatic to get it done," Bird said. Last week Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador told reporters the permit from the country's Secretariat of Energy would be granted to Sempra, provided the company helps the government take excess gas off its hands. Bird said the permit did not come with conditions to buy gas or develop other... (read more)

Published: November 5, 2020

Searching for innovative solutions in the region we share. SDSU's annual binational RE:BORDER Conference promotes collaboration and open dialogue to address challenges in the California-Baja California transborder region. Less than 22 miles from the San Diego State University campus is the San Ysidro Land Port of Entry at the U.S.-Mexico border. It is the busiest land port of entry in the Western Hemisphere with about 70,000 vehicles and 20,000 pedestrians crossing into the U.S. each day - including SDSU students. Though the physical border represents the physical separation of two sovereign nations, the daily exchange of economic and cultural activity through thriving bilateral trade and cross-border travel signifies that the transborder region of California and Baja California remains closely connected. Both are connected by their economies, societies and culture. Still, evolving challenges related to education, politics, public health, migration and innovation face the... (read more)

Carl Nettleton honored with top awards for journalism. San Diego's finest reporters, writers, artists, photographers, videographers and public relations professionals were honored Tuesday, Oct. 27, with the region's top awards in journalism and public relations communications at the San Diego Press Club's 47th annual Excellence in Journalism Awards. More than 500 awards in 130 categories and 10 divisions were announced. The online awards program streamed live from the San Diego Automotive Museum in Balboa Park on Facebook and Twitter. "The San Diego Press Club Excellence in Journalism Awards celebrates professionals whose research, writing, reporting and visual skills shed light on newsworthy topics that matter to us all," said Albert Fulcher, 2020 Press Club president. Carl Nettleton received two awards in the San Diego Press Club Excellence in Journalism competition last night. First place in the category Online and Daily Newspapers: Environment for the Triple Pundit Story "Is a Climate Pandemic the Future Reality?" and an Honorable Mention in the category PR, PIO, and Trade Publications: Newsletter for "The Nett Report."

San Diego Grantmakers to host Build Better Summit on 11/17. San Diego Grantmakers is joining forces with the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation to bring together leaders from across sectors for a first of its kind virtual summit built to challenge thinking and inspire action. Join San Diego Grantmakers for a day-long exploration of the systems, strategies and resources it takes to build an economy rooted in equity for the San Diego region. Summit speakers will outline a clear vision of an equitable economy, and the policies and approaches to move us there, sharing the values they stand for, the issues and communities they stand with, and the systems they stand up to. Hear from experts on the foundational elements of an inclusive, equitable economy about the building blocks it takes to achieve. Learn from inspiring leaders of cross-sector collaborations that are changing systems towards an equitable economy, and be inspired by artistic performances from community members who will illuminate other dimensions of need they are witnessing. Leave with a clear understanding of practical solutions you can implement immediately towards resourcing an equitable economy, and a healthy dose of inspiration from the talented leaders that will bring these ideas to life.

Published: October 21, 2020

9th annual U.S.-Mexico Border Mayors Summit. This year the San Diego-Tijuana megaregion is once again excited to host this important event with mayors from both sides of the border. The summit, co-chaired by the cities of San Diego and Tijuana, will focus on COVID-19, the response of border cities and the economic impact for the border region. Here is a tentative agenda of the summit activities (all times PST). Presenters and keynote speakers include: Denice Garcia, Deputy Director, Department of Government Affairs, City of San Diego; Rafael Fernandez de Castro, Director, Center for U.S.-Mexican Studies, UC San Diego; and Jaime Sepulveda, Haile T. Debas Distinguished Professor of Global Health and Executive Director of Institute for Global Health Sciences, UC San Francisco. The Border Mayors Panel on COVID Response include Panel Co-Chairs Consul Generals Sue Saarnio of Tijuana and Carlos Gonzalez Gutierrez of San Diego, Mayor Armando Cabada, City of Ciudad Juarez, Mayor Kevin Faulconer, City of San Diego, Mayor Dee Margo, City of El Paso, Mayor Trey Mendez, City of Brownsville, and Mayor Karla Ruiz McFarland, City of Tijuana. 27 oct 2020 10:00 AM (PST).

Catholic Extension, Kino Border Initiative host virtual event along border. Days after Pope Francis issued his encyclical "Fratelli Tutti" calling for people of goodwill to care for one another as brothers and sisters and not to erect new borders between people and nations, Catholic Extension announced a 2,000-mile act of prayer along the U.S.-Mexico border. Chicago-based Catholic Extension is partnering with the Kino Border Initiative, a ministry funded by Catholic Extension in the Diocese of Tucson, Arizona, to host and livestream "The March of the Children Seeking Asylum". The two organizations invited the public to participate in virtually "joining hands and hearts" in prayer to show unity and support for asylum-seekers. "As Catholics, we affirm the inherent human dignity of every person and the ability of migrants to seek security and safety for themselves and their families in the United States. Catholic Extension respects the right to seek... (read more)

La Luz de la Esperanza. By Morgan Smith. It was a great pleasure to be in Palomas, Mexico again. People were wearing masks and the town looked surprisingly prosperous. Even though the Pink Store had few customers, there were stores open on the main street and even a new restaurant called Mr. Sushi, Estilo Sonora. After a decade of border trips at least once a month, I hadn't been across since February and things can change rapidly. For example, I visited Reina Cisneros and her family, a family I have been helping for years and the boy, Rubén had grown so tall I didn't recognize him. He is the serious one of the family, the student and now is two years from completing high school. Can I find a way whereby he could go to college? His handsome older brother, Enrique dropped out before finishing high school, went to work in a bar and was stabbed in the neck and has barely survived. The key, however, was finding Esperanza Lozoya and her food program, La Luz de la Esperanza. I first learned of Esperanza through her sister, Lupita Otero who ran a food band in Columbus almost ten years ago. Their father, Andrew Sanchez was a humanitarian leader on the border and they obviously inherited his... (read more)

The Nonprofit Institute invites you to the 8th Annual State of Nonprofits and Philanthropy Summit, on October 29th: Together: Stories of Strength, Resilience, and Innovation. This year, in the spirit of our theme: TOGETHER: Stories of Strength, Resilience, and Innovation, The Nonprofit Institute is pleased to present the 2020 State of Nonprofit and Philanthropy Report and the 2020 Equinox Project's San Diego Regional Quality of Life Dashboard Report. We will also be engaging an expert panel of community voices to talk about new ways to track data on the state of urban neighborhoods in order to transform policy for populations that are disproportionately under-resourced. This year we bring together both reports highlighting their interconnections. We also explore opportunities to bring new quality of life data to the forefront with the RISE State of Urban Neighborhoods (SUNRISE) dashboard. Showcasing key trends in our region's quality of life, with a critical focus on issues of equity and the impacts of the pandemic. We will spotlight the roles of nonprofits and philanthropy in the region, and focus on strengthening our communities' response to the current crisis, with stories of strength, resilience and innovation.

Expand student exchange & training opportunities. 100,000 Strong in the Americas uses the principle of leveraged innovation with higher education institutions (HEIs) that demonstrate the greatest commitment and innovation toward increasing study abroad opportunities between the United States and countries in the Western Hemisphere. In applying for the Innovation Fund grants, HEIs will be asked to demonstrate how they will assert leadership in implementing the innovations proposed, how they will address on-campus barriers to student mobility, how they will maintain student engagement, and how they will commit to making concrete changes to expand access to study abroad as sending and/or hosting institutions. The 2020 Mexico-U.S. Innovation Fund Competition is made possible by the Mary Street Jenkins Foundation, the Coca-Cola Mexico Foundation, and Sempra Energy. Click here for eligibility and themes. The intent of the 2020 Mexico-U.S. Innovation Fund Competition is to award up to eleven (11) Innovation Fund Grants of up to $25,000 each to selected proposals. Informational Webinars: Wednesday, October 21, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. ET English - Register here! Thursday, October 22, 2020 at 2:00p.m. ET español - ¡Inscríbase aquí!

UTEP launches inaugural institute to boost career readiness. Career opportunities for students at The University of Texas at El Paso will be enhanced with the introduction of the campus' Employer-led Professional Development Institute (EPDI). The institute will provide students with opportunities to gain valuable professional insights and skills while interacting with more than a dozen global and local employers.The EPDI is one of the initiatives and programs available to UTEP students through funding by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. A team of faculty and staff led by Laura Uribarri, assistant dean of the College of Business Administration, designed the institute to provide UTEP students an opportunity to develop career readiness for internships and full-time career possibilities during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. "One of the silver linings of this difficult period we are in is that we have everyone much more comfortable with virtual engagements and, as a result, we... (read more)

Announcing Program Director of Education and Opportunity Santa Fe: Sarah Amador-Guzmán. Sarah Amador-Guzmán joins the Santa Fe Community Foundation Team this week as Program Director of Education and Opportunity Santa Fe. Originally from El Paso, TX, Sarah has a Bachelor of Arts in Government and Foreign Languages from New Mexico State University and a Master of Science in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon University. Sarah lives in Santa Fe with her husband Juan, and two daughters, Valentina and Victoria. Her passion for Education Policy began a decade ago with her work at the New Mexico Legislative Education Study Committee, where she worked as a Fiscal Analyst overseeing the use of state funds in public education. She looks forward to helping Opportunity Santa Fe continue to flourish and navigate the challenges of this pandemic.

Published: October 8, 2020

A Tribute to Myrna J. Deckert. For the lives she touched, contributions she made, and legacy she leaves. Myrna served as CEO of YWCA El Paso del Norte Region for more than 30 years, growing the organization from an annual budget of $150,000 when she joined in 1970 to over $35 million when she retired in 2002, making it the largest YWCA in the country. However, those numbers do little to actually illustrate the impact Myrna had on YWCA and the El Paso community. She was an incredible leader who is largely responsible for creating the YWCA we all know today. In her time as CEO, Myrna engaged thousands of leaders in supporting YWCA's mission of eliminating racism and empowering women. She built, grew, and improved YWCA programs so the organization could benefit the lives of countless people, including children, women, teens, and seniors. It was during her time that YWCA's Sara McKnight Transitional Living Center was founded. Myrna made it possible for that center to provide hundreds of women with a second chance at life. Myrna was also an incredible friend and role model. She inspired those around her to serve their community and her work impacted and benefited thousands of people. Anyone who has been served or touched by YWCA El Paso in the last 50 years has been impacted by Myrna Deckert. She never stopped loving the organization she served for almost four decades and she will be greatly missed.

Learning from two decades of grantee relationships. By Emily Young, Executive Director, The Nonprofit Institute at the University of San Diego. Decision-makers such as elected officials and institutional funders have historically ignored and underinvested in BIPOC communities. Fed up, those communities are calling on grantmakers to address the disproportionate impacts they are enduring from the COVID-19 pandemic, public health disparities, climate change, and more. Conscientious funders are asking big, long-overdue questions: how do grantmaking policies, practices, and cultures play a role in perpetuating imbalances in power and resource allocation? How can we, as grantmakers, address that? One answer: stronger relationships with grantees. The importance of strong funder-grantee relationships isn't a new concept, of course. For two decades, the Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP) has worked with funders to assess and improve the strength of their relationships - and most recently advocated for funders to "listen well and listen differently to their grantees" in order to rise to the needs of the current moment. Members of the peer-to-peer initiative Trust-Based Philanthropy encourage funders to proactively work toward "a more equitable... (read more)

Published: September 23, 2020

Michael Layton appointed to Johnson Center. Michael Layton, Ph.D., joined the Johnson Center on September 1, 2020 as the second holder of the W.K. Kellogg Community Philanthropy Chair. Before he began in this new position, Tory Martin, director of communications and engagement, sat down virtually with Dr. Layton to hear more about his expectations for the role and how he feels philanthropy can be a critical change-maker in communities. Meet Michael Layton. TM: Michael, welcome to the Johnson Center! Tell us a bit about yourself. ML: First, I am truly honored and deeply grateful by my appointment as the W.K. Kellogg Community Philanthropy Chair and to become part of the Johnson Center and Grand Valley State University. Throughout my career, I have moved between nonprofit and philanthropic practice and academia, and this position at this Center is - for me - the best of both worlds. Personally, I have felt warmly welcomed by my colleagues at the Johnson Center, despite the restrictions we face during the current pandemic. I am excited to become part of the Grand Rapids community and get to know Michigan. I know my canine companion, Frankie, is eager to explore the many parks in the area. Share a little about... (read more)

Julián Cardona, the conscience of Juárez. By Morgan Smith. "Julián, you have friends everywhere," I said to Julián Cardona as he came running over to me. It was May 5, 2012 and we were taking photographs in an area of abandoned houses near downtown Juárez. A truck had pulled up next to Julián and I had watched him talk intently with the driver and a passenger. He grabbed my arm. "No, you don't understand. They're cartel members, telling us we better leave. Let's go." We jumped in his car and raced off. This was Julián, soft spoken, humble but always ready to go to the most dangerous places. Now this extraordinary photographer who documented Juárez in its darkest days is gone, a sudden death at far too early an age. Born in Zacatecas in 1960, Julián came to Juárez at an early age and never left. When the author and colleague, Charles "Chuck" Bowden urged him to move to El Paso during the most dangerous years, he said, "No, this is my city. And the food is better." He grew up with grandparents, never got past the ninth grade, taught himself photography and worked as a photojournalist for El Fronterizo, El Diario and Reuters. He collaborated with Bowden on several books, had...(read more)

Border Innovation Challenge, Second Edition. Application deadline: October 10, 2020. The Border Innovation Challenge, now in its second year, is a business plan competition focused on the challenges presented by the international border. This competition focuses on bringing to the spotlight promising solutions and technologies to meet the efficiency and security challenges of the region's ports of entry among others. Supported by the Smart Border Coalition, the program is presented through a partnership of the Rady School of Management and the Jacobs School of Engineering, and is open to students, faculty, staff, and recent alumni (no more than 5 years post-graduation) from universities along the US/Mexico border region. The competition awards cash prizes totaling $12,500 to support new innovative ideas that meet challenges related to wait times, cargo operations, port management,use of current infrastructure, financial impact, water pollution, and COVID-19 public health related issues that impact border operations. Social innovation ideas and those with or without prototypes are encouraged to apply! What challenges are you looking to solve? Accurate... (read more)

"There Is No Mercy." As the coronavirus descended on the border, the Trump administration escalated its crackdown on asylum. A short walk from the border, in the Mexican city of Nogales, Sonora, sits a modest building packed with long, cafeteria-style tables. The comedor, as it's known locally, is clean and inviting, with space for up to 60 guests. The walls are decorated with hand-painted images of Christ and his apostles, done in the style of a children's book. Tucked away in one corner of the room are medical supplies, stacked and organized in plastic bins. Sister María Engracia Robles Robles, a nun with the Missionary Sisters of the Eucharist, floats from the kitchen into the common area, serving hot breakfast and lunch to anyone who needs it. The comedor was born out of work Robles and two other nuns began in 2006. At the time, Arizona was the epicenter of migration along the border and the site of a major humanitarian crisis. While people headed north were dying in the desert in record numbers, a growing deportation machine was sending... (read more)

Mexican president targets U.S. philanthropy, but it's Mexican civil society that could take the hit. By Michael Layton. On Friday August 28, 2020, four days before I officially became the W.K. Kellogg Chair for Community Philanthropy at the Johnson Center, I knew what the topic of my inaugural blog for this platform would be. That day, Mexico's president, Andrés Manuel Lopez Obrador, or AMLO, as he is known, shared the results of what he termed an "investigation" into the funding of nine non-governmental organizations (NGOs) who have opposed his principal infrastructure project, the Mayan Train (Tren Maya) (Presidency of the Republic, 2020a). AMLO claimed that the organizations had clandestinely received almost $14 million in grants specifically to oppose this project from five U.S. foundations, including Ford, Rockefeller, the National Endowment for Democracy, ClimateWorks, as well as the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. It is important to state upfront that all the recipient organizations vehemently deny his allegations. Given that my chair was endowed jointly by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and the Kellogg Company 25-Year Employees' Fund, and that I have worked over the last two... (read more)

Local pizzeria near border 'struggling' as US-Mexico travel restrictions extended into October. A San Diego-area pizza restaurant manager says revenues are down 80% at his shop located near the U.S.-Mexico border since travel restrictions were put in place this year to limit the spread of the coronavirus. "We're struggling, we're struggling day to day," said Enrique Cortez, manager of Maya's Gourmet Pizza in San Ysidro. The border has been closed for all nonessential travel since mid-March. Closures have been extended each month since as public health officials largely have struggled to get the pandemic under control through much of the spring and summer. Restrictions were scheduled to be lifted early next week until officials Thursday announced they again are being extended, now until Oct. 21. For nearby businesses like Maya's, it's been rough, particularly in a year with plenty of other difficulties for restaurants. "You normally see like a 100 people per minute walking by," Cortez said. "Right now, 10, if we're lucky, so it's pretty hard." But Gustavo De La Fuente, executive director of the San Diego-Tijuana Smart Border Coalition, said that from a public health standpoint, travel restrictions are "valid" to limit the spread of the virus. "It is hard to digest, I guess, in a... (read more)

Philanthropy Southwest 2020 Annual Conference: Roadshow Edition. It's one day. Eight cities. A million ways to impact. For the past 72 years, Philanthropy Southwest has built a legacy of connection and 2020 is no exception. For the first time in their history, Philanthropy Southwest is bringing the 72nd Annual Conference to your doorstep. Gather regionally in one of eight cities across the Southwest to connect in-person with other funders and collectively livestream three general sessions and headline speakers. This year's format has been adapted to fit the needs of PSW members with local in-person and digital streaming options all together on one day: October 21, 2020. Join a small, in-person gathering of regional funders in a city near you: Houston, Denver, Tulsa, Fort Worth, Little Rock, Albuquerque, Midland or Phoenix. Don't forget to register by Sept. 30 for the early bird discount.

Binational showcase highlights street art in pandemic times. Muralists in San Ysidro and Tijuana participate in binational exhibits. The pandemic is preventing people from visiting galleries, so why not bring art to the streets? It was under such a premise that the binational exhibition of urban art Muros/Walls was born, organized by the Front Gallery from Casa Familiar and the Municipal Institute of Art and Culture of Tijuana (IMAC). The collection brings together the talents of San Diegan and Tijuanan muralists. The original idea was for muralists from South County to cross the border to paint on walls in Tijuana and vice versa. However, this exchange was cut short by land travel restrictions imposed by the Mexican and U.S. governments to reduce the spread of COVID-19. In San Ysidro, artists Jorge Mendoza, Juan Carlos Galindo, Fifí Martínez, Michelle Guerrero and Mary Jhun participated. In Tijuana, Ariana Escudero, Paulo Villamil and Javier Farrera joined. On the U.S. side... (read more)

Published: September 10, 2020

Announcement from Santa Fe Community Foundation Board Chair Lisa Enfield. Dear Santa Fe Community Foundation fundholders, partners, and friends: On behalf of the Santa Fe Community Foundation Board of Directors, I am pleased to announce that Sue Coliton has been appointed Interim President and CEO while the Board conducts a national search for its next CEO. The Foundation has been fortunate to be led by Vice President Christa Coggins, who assumed the role of Acting CEO when Bill Smith stepped down. We owe a debt of gratitude to Christa and the entire management team for filling in during a very critical time to ensure Foundation activities and COVID-19 responses continued without interruption.Sue's experience and capabilities make her an ideal leader during this transition period while the search committee identifies the right person to launch the Foundation into its next 40 years. Sue is a respected philanthropy executive who has had an active career in Seattle. Relocating to Santa Fe, Sue has been a board member of the Santa Fe Community Foundation, serving on... (read more)

EPA announces short-term projects to plug border sewage flow. Emphasizing the "unprecedented" bipartisan cooperation between local and state governments, Border Patrol and the International Boundary & Water Commission, EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler announced short-term projects Wednesday to plug the international sewage flow across the U.S.-Mexico border. The two projects - which will cost $25 million and are funded by the EPA's Border Water Infrastructure Program - will control sewage and wastewater, sediment and trash that flows from the Tijuana River across the U.S.-Mexico border into San Diego, Wheeler said during a press conference Wednesday at the U.S. Coast Guard station in San Diego. They are separate from the $300 million earmarked in the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement for wastewater infrastructure projects along the U.S.-Mexico border. San Diego leaders are lobbying for most of the USMCA funds to be spent to stop the sewage flow from Tijuana, something Wheeler acknowledged Wednesday, saying "most of it will come here." "We are working with Mexico and want to make sure we are... (read more)

Eric S. Cohan appointed as Consul General in Cd. Juarez, Mexico. Eric S. Cohan began his tenure as the Consul General of the United States in Ciudad Juarez in August 2020. He came to Mexico from Islamabad, Pakistan, where he was the Minister Counselor for Consular Affairs. Prior to that, he worked as a senior advisor in the Bureau of Consular Affairs in Washington, and before that, he spent four years as the Deputy Principal Officer / Consular Section Chief in Ciudad Juarez. Mr. Cohan's earlier assignments were in Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Venezuela, the Office of Visa Services, and the Bureau of Legislative Affairs. Before entering the U.S. Foreign Service, Mr. Cohan was an investigator and supervisory investigator with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, taught math and science in Arkansas, and worked as an engineer in Pennsylvania. He holds a bachelor's degree in Engineering from the University of Virginia and a master's degree in National... (read more)

Published: August 27, 2020

BPP mourns passing of business leader and philanthropist Don Enrique Robinson Bours Almada. The Board of Directors and staff team of the U.S.-Mexico Border Philanthropy Partnership extends our deepest sympathy to the Robinson Bours family on the passing of their loving and honorable father and grandfather, Don Enrique Robinson Bours Almada, founder of Bachoco and the Fundacion Tichi Munoz. Mr. Robinson Bours was a leading philanthropist in Mexico, where he and his family support initiatives in arts and culture, education, environment, health, and direct support to many nonprofit organizations in Cd. Obregon, across the State of Sonora, and throughout Mexico and the United States. Through his generosity and humility, Don Enrique has left an indelible mark on philanthropy for generations to come. May he rest in eternal peace and perpetual light shine upon him. Enrique Robinson Bours Almada was born on April 23, 1927 in Navojoa, Sonora. His business vision made him turn from the automotive industry to the poultry industry, and together with his three brothers Juan, Javier, and Alfonso, formed what would be the most important livestock production company in Mexico. Bachoco was founded in 1952 on an egg production farm installed in Ciudad Obregón, Sonora, as a result of Enrique's initiative. However, his brothers also had knowledge about the sector; Alfonso was a farmer, Javier distributed machinery and Juan specialized in fertilizers. The company grew rapidly under the guidance and vision of the Robinson Bours Almada brothers. In the 1960s, the company began expanding in northern Mexico and in the 1970s began the diversification of its poultry production, venturing into raising and growing chickens. The firm was officially incorporated as Fomento Industrial y Agropecuario del Yaqui on April 17, 1980, which is currently Industrias Bachoco. After 47 years of work in the company, Enrique Robinson Bours Almada, left the presidency of the Bachoco board of directors and handed over control to... (read more in Spanish)

Arizona Sonora Border projects for inclusion (ARSOBO). A binational collaboration program on the US-Mexico border is training and employing individuals with disabilities to construct medical devices that enable others with disabilities to gain employment. Individuals in wheelchairs built an all-terrain chair appropriate for the rough walkways so prevalent in many Mexican cities as well as in most rural areas. Hearing impaired youth assist in a hearing clinic that provides hearings aids for those who need them. ARSOBO began as a joint venture between DIF (Desarrollo Integral de la Familia) and the University of Arizona's Sonoran UCEDD (University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities). Since opening in 2009, 520 RoughRider wheelchairs have been constructed (one-third customized for children with neuromuscular problems), 356 individuals now have a prosthetic limbs enabling them to walk without crutches and seek employment; and 708 individuals have an appropriate high-quality hearing aid and can now connect with others. People who receive a medical device pay only what they can afford. For more information, contact Alma Cota, Executive Director, FESAC Nogales.

Class acts: Two UTEP faculty receive top teaching award. For two faculty members at the University of Texas at El Paso, countless hours of research, planning, mentoring, teaching and learning culminated with a prestigious teaching award for their passion and dedication to their profession. The University of Texas System Board of Regents honored Jessica Slade, Ph.D., assistant professor of instruction, teacher education; and Chuan (River) Xiao, Ph.D., associate professor of biochemistry, with one of the top teaching awards in Texas - The University of Texas System Board of Regents' 2020 Outstanding Teaching Award (ROTA). They are among 27 faculty members representing all 14 UT academic and health institutions to receive the award. "We are extremely proud of Dr. Xiao and Dr. Slade and the impact they have on our students," said John Wiebe, Ph.D., provost and vice president for academic affairs at UTEP. "They are outstanding examples of the many champions of student success at UTEP - faculty who work every day to foster student development and help students pursue their highest aspirations." The ROTA was established in 2008 to recognize faculty for their extraordinary classroom performance and innovation. It stands as one of the nation's largest awards programs that honors teachers in... (read more)

Founders of Girl Scouts, Mary Kay and Eleanor Roosevelt among USA TODAY Women of the Century. Surely, at some point in your life, you've enjoyed a box (or two, or three) of Girl Scout cookies. But do you know the story behind the organization and its founder, Juliette Gordon Low? You've probably seen Mary Kay makeup strewn across someone's vanity. Are you aware of how that mascara or lipstick got there, and the powerhouse business its founder built? You likely know that Eleanor Roosevelt was married to a U.S. president. But did you know about her deep passion for philanthropy? To mark the 100-year anniversary of women gaining the right to vote in America, USA TODAY, in consultation with an expert panel, put together its list of 100 Women of the Century, recognizing those who have significantly impacted their communities and country. The women below represent the categories of business, nonprofit and philanthropy. Born in Puerto Rico, Aida Alvarez was the first Latina to hold a Cabinet position as head of Small Business Administration in 1997 for President Bill Clinton. Before then, Alvarez held positions at... (read more)

The Nonprofit Institute at USD and United Way of San Diego County partner to offer the Nonprofit Board Service Certification Program. "We believe that nonprofit organizations can better achieve their missions by drawing on the skills, talents, and perspectives of a broader and more diverse range of leaders, and that the diversity of viewpoints that comes from different life experiences and cultural backgrounds strengthens board deliberations and decision-making." - BoardSource. Aligning with this belief, United Way of San Diego County is committed to recruiting and cultivating a group of demonstrated leaders who are diverse in their ethnicity, professional backgrounds, subject matter expertise, and cause area interests. Please complete the application below to be considered for participation in the program. This six week course will take place virtually from September 30 - November 4, 2020. The application deadline is September 9, 2020 and acceptance notifications will be sent by Monday, September 14, 2020. Upon acceptance into the program, a $1,000 program fee is due before the first training session.

Commentary: Some Mexicans can be as American as Bruce Springsteen. Some Mexicans can be as American as Bruce Springsteen. The U.S.-Mexico border spans nearly 2,000 miles from end to end, and behind the wall, there is a vast population of U.S. citizens. I'm not referring to the thousands of Americans from past decades that have decided to retire along Mexico's beautiful coasts. Nor am I talking about a growing American working class that has decided to move south due to the shortage of housing in San Diego, residents who, by moving to the Tijuana-Rosarito region, have found ways to stretch their salaries much further in an economy that has a far lower cost of living. With this move, these newly international residents can buy, rent affordably, and still drive back and forth across the border to their jobs in Southern California. According to Gustavo de la Fuente of the Smart Border Coalition, "the number of people crossing the San Diego-Tijuana-Tecate border in a typical month is 4.6 million, and the number of vehicles is slightly below 2 million. However, COVID-19 restrictions to non-essential travel have had a large impact on crossings, with 67% fewer... (read more)

Published: August 13, 2020

Response and relief funds by U.S. community foundations and United Ways. We are currently tracking the growth of COVID-19 funds managed by local United Ways and community foundations (those independent public charities that raise and distribute resources within a specific geography, often defined as a county, but usually a state or smaller). We are collecting data from organizational websites, Twitter posts, and news releases. As of June 30, a research team led by Charles Stewart Mott Chair on Community Foundations Laurie Paarlberg had identified 1,119 organizations supporting COVID-19 funds, with 244 funds being jointly supported in partnership with at least one other neighboring United Way or community foundation. As of June 30, we estimate that these funds have raised more than $1.05 billion and distributed at least $589 million to financially vulnerable individuals and nonprofits at the front of local response. (Both numbers are an estimate and under report the magnitude of community philanthropy as only 60 percent... (read more)

COVID-19 Data Challenge: Navigating life and work in border communities. Communities along the U.S.-Mexico border have been hard hit by COVID-19. While researchers race to develop a vaccine, life and work must continue. How can we use data to confidently and transparently decide what is safe? And how can we better understand risk levels in real-time and effectively communicate them to the public? Anyone can sign-up to participate in this data challenge organized by the Border Solutions Alliance and the West Big Data Innovation Hub. The kickoff is August 27 and project info sheets are due by September 13 to be eligible to compete in the pitch competition on September 27 for $5,000 in prizes. There is no specific format for project submissions. For example, a team could build an app or a website, create a dashboard, make a poster or video that uses data storytelling, or propose a pilot project to gather new data. Submissions must meet two requirements: 1) support data-driven decision making in border communities and 2) focus on assessing risk-levels related to a particular sphere of life. Full details are available here.

The Santa Fe Community Foundation announces 2020 Piñon Award winners. Each year, Piñon Awards recognize the work of outstanding nonprofit organizations in our communities and highlight the importance of Santa Fe's vital nonprofit sector. Each organization will receive a $4,000 unrestricted grant from the Foundation with underwriting support from Enterprise Bank & Trust. Additionally, a representative of each awarded organization will be joined in conversation by Yolanda Cruz, Santa Fe Community Foundation Philanthropy HUB Coordinator, on KSFR 101.1 FM radio's "Wake Up Call" segment, Community Matters, discussing the impact they have in our communities. Winners include: Visionary Award - Santa Fe Habitat for Humanity. The Visionary Award honors an organization that can anticipate the unmet needs of future generations and has the stamina to achieve success. Policy Champion Award - New Mexico Immigrant Law Center, New Mexico Immigration Corps Leadership Development Pipeline Program. The Policy Champion Award honors an organization that is creating positive social change by focusing on a policy and systems-based approach to long-term... (read more)

Scowcroft Institute gives recommendations on preparing for collision of COVID-19 and flu season. Experts from the Pandemic and Biosecurity Policy Program at the Scowcroft Institute of International Affairs at the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University recently published a fall 2020 White Paper, COVID-19 and Seasonal Influenza: Preparing for a Collision. The White Paper can be read on the Scowcroft Institute Disease Information Platform. Authors of this publication are the Institute's Deputy Director of the Pandemic and Biosecurity Program, Dr. Christine Crudo Blackburn; Public Health Epidemiology Program Research Associate at the University of Texas Health San Antonio, Anmol Desai; and Director of the Scowcroft Institute, Andrew Natsios. The authors delve into the current state of the world during the pandemic and examine the responses of different countries that successfully and unsuccessfully navigated through prevention and mitigation of... (read more)

Published: July 23, 2020

Con Alma Health Foundation partners with W.K. Kellogg Foundation to establish and manage the COVID-19 Relief for Immigrant Communities in New Mexico Fund. Con Alma Health Foundation invites nonprofits to apply for grants to provide basic needs to immigrants who are affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and unable to access federal and state resources. Con Alma will award grants to help nonprofits provide such basic needs as crisis intervention, food distribution, housing assistance, case management, civil rights and advocacy, and health care supplies and assistance. For more information visit our COVID-19 Emergency Assistance Opportunities page. "Immigrants are a crucial part of our state's economy and culture. They work jobs deemed essential during this pandemic, yet cannot access federal and state relief," said Dolores E. Roybal, Con Alma's executive director. "We will award grants to organizations that will address this population's short-term needs as well as strategies toward an equitable recovery." The W.K. Kellogg Foundation awarded a $500,000 grant to Con Alma Health Foundation to establish and manage the COVID-19 Relief for Immigrant Communities in New Mexico Fund, which will provide direct assistance to New Mexicans who... (read more)

Health Foundation recognized for work on the Paso del Norte Trail. The Paso del Norte Health Foundation was recently named a recipient of the 2020 SHIFT Award for their work on the Paso del Norte Trail. The SHIFT Award recognizes individuals, initiatives or organizations from around the United States, that advances or promotes the health benefits of outdoor recreation. This year, more than 25 initiatives were selected for awards in the categories of Non-Profit Leadership; Public Land-Management Innovation; Youth Engagement; Research; and Health and Nature Champion. The Health Foundation was selected under the Non-Profit Leadership category. For a list of this year's SHIFT Award Official Selections, click here. SHIFT (Shaping How we Invest For Tomorrow) is a branch of the Center for Jackson Hole; a 501c3 nonprofit organization that leverages outdoor recreation for conservation gains via The Emerging Leaders Program, SHIFT and related initiatives. Categorical award winners will be announced at this year's SHIFT Summit, which will be broadcast virtually October 14-16 from Jackson, WY. SHIFT Award recipients... (read more)

Self-help program puts four families in new homes. Four local families recently received keys to new homes after participating in Chicanos Por La Causa's self-help program, which helps families build their own homes and come away with affordable mortgage payments. The houses are all in Rio Rico, Corina Fragozo, CPLC's rural development director, said in an email. "It's very exciting... it feels really good," said Gilberto Mungaray, who moved into a new home with his wife after a turnkey ceremony on July 3. Mungaray, who previously rented in the Monte Carlo neighborhood of Nogales, said he likes the new appliances and particularly appreciates the front porch on his digs. And, he added, "Four-bedroom house, couldn't ask for anything better." Fragozo said the construction cycle took six months, with families contributing 20 hours of labor per weekend per adult. Michelle Ortiz, who was set to move into a new home with her husband and four children, said she's looking forward to the upgrade from the... (read more)

Accurate Census count can boost NM children's success in life. The number of young children missed in the census count has grown steadily in the past 40 years, and advocates for New Mexico children remind those who haven't completed the census form that millions in federal dollars are at stake. A recent survey found that 10% of 800 families making less than $50,000 per year said they would not include their babies, toddlers or preschoolers in the census count, with another 8% uncertain whether to count them. Lonna Atkeson is a political science professor and the director of the Center for the Study of Voting, Elections and Democracy at the University of New Mexico. Atkeson says the state has unique challenges in getting everyone counted. "We're one of the states that is expected to have the highest non-response rate, because we have such connectivity issues and then, because of the demographic profile of our state." says Atkeson. "We're a very poor state." Funding based on census numbers supports a range of services, from education to the National School Lunch Program. It also informs how money for services - from hospitals and emergency response to bridges and road construction - is allocated across the country. Check out NM Counts 2020 information and resources. NM Counts 2020 is an outreach campaign supported by a group of New Mexico foundations to help ensure that all New Mexicans are counted in the 2020 Census, especially in the most HTC and reach communities.

Philanthropy Southwest announces 72nd Annual Conference. The unprecedented events of 2020 have given us the rare opportunity to reimagine our 72nd Annual Conference. After surveying the PSW membership, your peer-led board and committees have worked hard to balance the legacy of coming together while keeping health and safety a priority. We have adapted this year's format to fit the needs of our members with local in-person and digital streaming options ALL together on One Day: October 21, 2020! #MillionWaysToImpact. Join a small, in-person gathering of regional funders in a city near you: Phoenix, Houston, Forth Worth, Denver, Little Rock, Midland, Albuquerque, and Tulsa. For the past 72 years, we have built a legacy of connection and 2020 is no exception. For the first time in our history we are bringing the Annual Conference to your doorstep. Gather regionally in one of eight cities across the Southwest to connect in-person with other funders and collectively livestream three general sessions and headline speakers. For those unable to join us in-person, we have digital streaming option for you to connect in the comfort of your own home!

US-Mexico border sewage lawsuits on hold. The groups suing the federal government over cross border sewage flows, are putting their legal action on hold. The lawsuits took aim at the International Boundary and Water Commission asking them to make sure the water that moved through their system was clean enough to meet Federal Clean Water Act standards. Several South Bay cities, the County of San Diego, the San Diego Port District and state regulators all want the federal agency to stop the sewage tainted flows that routinely foul the ocean. That legal action is now on hold while the Environmental Protection Agency moves forward with plans to help build the pollution control systems that will capture and clean 90% of the polluted flows. Imperial Beach Mayor Serge Dedina said the lawsuits are being set aside so the plaintiffs can work with the federal government to find a solution. The EPA has $300 million in funding, from the United States-Mexico- Canada Agreement, for border pollution problems and the agency recently promised to spend most of the money in... (read more)

UTEP Pharmacy Professor receives grant to continue research, development for COVID-19 Antiviral Drug. Suman Sirimulla, Ph.D., assistant professor of pharmaceutical sciences at The University of Texas at El Paso School of Pharmacy, was awarded $80,000 from the National Science Foundation (NSF) through UTEP's Partnerships for Research and Education in Materials (PREM) Center for Advanced Materials Research (CMR) to support his research to develop antiviral drugs that will target COVID-19. The grant also will provide funding for six highly motivated and talented UTEP graduate and undergraduate students to participate in Sirimulla's research. UTEP's PREM Center for Advanced Materials Research was established with a $4 million NSF grant in 2018 to support the research... (read more)

CFSA's 2020 Catchafire Grant Round is now open! Catchafire.org is an online, volunteer-matching platform that matches your organization with professional, virtual volunteers to help complete the projects most critical for your organization's success. In their first year, Community Foundation for Southern Arizona catchafire.org grantees have already completed more than $1.6 million in projects through their Catchafire memberships, representing 8,052 volunteer hours and 414 individual projects! This year, as a part of CFSA's long-term COVID-19 recovery strategy, the Foundation and its partners are expanding the Catchafire Program to offer year-long memberships to 500 nonprofits in Southern Arizona. To increase the reach of this effective program, the CFSA has partnered with other regional funders, including Arizona Community Foundation of Cochise, Arizona Community Foundation of Yuma, The David and Lura Lovell Foundation, and Legacy Foundation of Southeast Arizona. Find application details here.

Published: July 9, 2020

Council on Foundations showcases International Community Foundation's global response to COVID.

The International Community Foundation (ICF) has served as an impact partner for hundreds of donors since March as we have grappled with COVID-19 throughout Mexico and Latin America. As a community responder, ICF is making grants on a weekly basis to ensure that funds reach local organizations during this critical period. Between March and May, ICF granted out almost USD$3.5M and funded over 60 local organizations working to help neighbors, families, students, and their communities through this crisis. We anticipate providing at least another $1.5M in grants before the end of June. This support has come from individuals, donor-advised funds, family foundations, and businesses in both Mexico and the US. We have also matched $1.5M in challenge grants, resulting in $3M in funds toward COVID-19 response. ICF's grants have been invested in four primary categories: Emergency food relief - Mexico, Guatemala, Brazil, US, Barbuda; medical supplies (PPE) and ... (read more)

Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy hosts podcast this week on community foundations.

What is happening with charitable giving right now? Dr. Laurie Paarlberg, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Chair on Community Foundations, is leading a study on community philanthropy in response to the pandemic. She shares key findings with us in this week's podcast. The Fund Raising School's First Day Podcasts highlight current news and research. A weekly 10 minute podcast provides fundraisers with the latest information in fundraising and philanthropy. Be more informed and stay up to date with the First Day Podcast from The Fund Raising School, available weekly through The Fund Raising School App, as well as iTunes and Google Play. Next podcasts include: Donor Advised Funds with Dr. Danielle Vance-McMullen, July 13; Nonprofit Collaboration with Delphia Ridley, July 20; Fundraising from Foundations in the Current Environment with Jeff Small, July 27; Donor Stewardship with Gwen Perry Davis, August 3; and Board Engagement with Perry Hines, August 10.

Planned Parenthood elevates interim CEO Alexis McGill Johnson to permanent status.

Planned Parenthood has named interim President and CEO Alexis McGill Johnson as its new permanent leader in a bid to bring stability to the health care provider that has come under repeated attacks by conservative groups. McGill Johnson will continue to lead both Planned Parenthood Federation of America and the organization's advocacy arm, the Planned Parenthood Action Fund. McGill Johnson has been Planned Parenthood's interim leader for almost a year. She took over the position following the abrupt removal of its former president, Leana Wen, last summer after less than 12 months in the top role. Wen cited "philosophical differences" between her and members of Planned Parenthood's board of directors. But there were also questions about her leadership style and whether Wen, who had been Baltimore's public health commissioner, was the best fit for the job. Planned Parenthood faced those internal issues while also... (read more)

Mexico - Chaos or Opportunity.

Opinion, by Morgan Smith. At about 6:30 AM on June 26, Omar García Harfuch, the chief of police for Mexico City was ambushed and shot three times on the Paseo de la Reforma, a major boulevard. Two of his bodyguards were killed as well as a woman bystander. Grenades were used as well as 50 caliber weapons. Yet there has been almost no mention in the press here in the US, even here in New Mexico where we have a common border and enormous business and cultural ties. Imagine what would happen if one of our leading law enforcement officials was ambushed by some 28 gang members in broad daylight on a major street in Washington DC. There would be an uproar heard around the world. Mexico is at a tipping point between chaos and opportunity and the resolution of this ambush will have much to do with the way the country goes. Mexico's opportunity starts with China. China's new national security law restricting Hong Kong's political freedoms, the brutal treatment of Uighur minorities, and ongoing trade violations have drawn bi-partisan condemnation from Congress. This is affecting.. (read more)

Mexico Opium Network launched to combat global opioid epidemic. UC San Diego's Center for U.S.-Mexican Studies among the key partner institutions for the first-of-its kind, international effort. Despite being considered the world's second largest producer of opium and heroin, little is known about poppy cultivation in Mexico. Yet, the opioid crisis remains a huge problem across much of the U.S. and Mexico and COVID-19 appears to have made matters worse: Recent lockdowns have disrupted the flow of synthetic opioids and have ostensibly increased production of heroin in Mexico. To address the global opioid crisis, the Mexico Opium Network, a first-of-its kind international effort, was recently launched to examine the socio-political challenges posed by illicit poppy crops in Mexico. An estimated 128 people die every day in the U.S. from opioid overdoses, largely caused by synthetic opioids manufactured in China and Mexico. Reports of the pandemic's impacts to the production of synthetic opioids like fentanyl have incentivized poppy cultivation in Mexico, which could lead to... (read

NADB targets US-Mexico border infrastructure projects with US$200mn program.
The North American Development Bank (NADB) is seeking innovative health and environmental infrastructure projects within the US-Mexico border region to qualify for its approved US$200mn recovery program meant to mitigate the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. Funds for the two-year program were made available to create a positive economic impact on both sides of the border, NADB managing director Calixto Mateos-Hanel told BNamericas. Projects can range from water and wastewater treatment plants to hospitals. They can also be public, private or a combination of both, and they do not necessarily need to be ready, just have a solid and feasible idea that can be financed by the bank, he said. "Usually, we have to take each project to the board of directors so it can be analyzed and approved. In this case, we're going to be able to develop projects according to how requests come to us, a macro program," Mateos said. So far, the bank has received at least three proposals from the Mexican side of the border. One involves the expansion of a... (read more)

The Center for Healthy Nonprofits at the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona announces workshop on Organizational Self-Care. Join Beth Morrison, CEO of Our Family Services, for a workshop on the importance of organizational self-care on Wednesday, July 22, 8:30 am - 10:00 am. Beth will share new ideas and concrete examples of what it means to promote a culture of self-care. During this session, participants will complete an organizational assessment to better understand your organization's current status and then work to build a plan to increase its self-care culture. Beth Morrison joined Our Family Services in August 2016 after relocating from Michigan. For over 30 years, Beth has concentrated her career on the issues of domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse. Her expertise is derived from having worked as a counselor, advocate, community educator, clinical supervisor, shelter manager and finally as an administrator. Beth has had the opportunity to work in both urban and rural settings as well as the Navajo Nation, with immigrant and refugee populations and other diverse settings. Beth is a graduate of Central Michigan University and the University of Arizona. Click here to register.

Convocation: A Vision for a Stronger U.S.-Mexico Partnership.

In January 2020, the U.S.-Mexico Foundation and the Wilson Center's Mexico Institute brought together 6 former U.S. ambassadors to Mexico and 6 former Mexican ambassadors to the United States to discuss the bilateral relationship. The ambassadors engaged in an intensive and strategic dialogue concerning the future of U.S.-Mexico relations in critical areas, including economic competitiveness, public security, migration and borders. The participants also discussed the importance of cultural issues, public opinion and soft power to the bilateral relationship. Out of this Convocation, we produced a report, which outlines specific recommendations in each of the three traditional pillars of U.S.-Mexico relations: trade and competitiveness; security and the rule of law; and migration. The discussions generated the following key findings and recommendations for the future of U.S.-Mexico relations: Strong... (read more)

W.K. Kellogg Foundation's first African American President elected to prestigious Oxford Fellowship. In 2014, Tabron became the first woman and African American to lead the Foundation in its 90-year history, having served in a variety of positions since she joined the Kellogg Foundation in 1987. Tabron leads the Kellogg Foundation in its work to support thriving children, working families and equitable communities, embedding a commitment to engaging communities, developing leaders and racial equity into every undertaking. Kellogg - the University of Oxford's most international and diverse College - was founded in 1990 to support students studying part-time for graduate degrees, something that the University had not previously permitted. Consistent with the W.K. Kellogg Foundation's longstanding focus on 'helping people to... (read more)

Published: June 25, 2020

Mexican Consulate in San Diego opens applications for immigrant essay contest. Applications are now open for the Colibri MX scholarship program, a local essay contest set to award immigrant college students with grants for the fall 2020 semester. The Mexican Consulate in San Diego, in partnership with the Metropolitan Area Advisory Committee, launched the Colibri MX scholarship in December to promote higher education for Latino immigrants in San Diego County. Despite fundraising setbacks due to the coronavirus pandemic, the consulate intends to award at least 70 applicants with $1,000 grants, organizers said. "We believe in the power of education as the best tool for social mobility," Consulate General Carlos Gonzalez Gutierrez said. "And we also believe that it is in the interest of the whole community to make sure its youth has access to higher education. Our hope is that Colibri MX serves as a way to tell young Mexican American and Latino students in the area of San Diego: We support you, we have your back." ColibriMX follows the model of similar consulate programs in Austin, Texas and Sacramento: MEXAustin and CienAmigos, according to Gonzalez Gutierrez. Each program, through community fundraising, encourages applicants to complete their college education and... (read more)

NADB targets US-Mexico border infrastructure projects with US$200mn program. The North American Development Bank (NADB) is seeking innovative health and environmental infrastructure projects within the US-Mexico border region to qualify for its approved US$200mn recovery program meant to mitigate the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. Funds for the two-year program were made available to create a positive economic impact on both sides of the border, NADB managing director Calixto Mateos-Hanel told BNamericas. Projects can range from water and wastewater treatment plants to hospitals. They can also be public, private or a combination of both, and they do not necessarily need to be ready, just have a solid and feasible idea that can be financed by the bank, he said. "Usually, we have to take each project to the board of directors so it can be analyzed and approved. In this case, we're going to be able to develop projects according to how requests come to us, a macro program," Mateos said. So far, the bank has received at least three proposals from the Mexican side of the border. One involves the expansion of a... (read more)

Five advocacy organizations receive support to reduce youth incarceration. The National Juvenile Justice Network's COVID-19 Youth Justice Response Fund recently awarded $350,000 to five state-based organizations working to educate policymakers and media about the safety of young people in the justice system, a cause made more urgent by the spread of COVID-19 within facilities. The groups will run advocacy campaigns that make the case for reducing admissions of young people to juvenile justice facilities or accelerating their safe and supported release. "COVID-19 has added yet another danger to the long list of harms that young people face in residential institutions, and reinforces the need for states to reform juvenile justice policies and shield young people, families, communities and juvenile justice professionals from those harms right now," said Rob Geen, director of policy reform and advocacy for the Annie E. Casey Foundation, which supports the COVID-19 Youth Justice Response Fund. "States should use the dramatic reduction in confinement - accelerated by... (read more)

UTEP names Andrea Cortinas as Vice President and Chief of Staff. The University of Texas at El Paso announced today that El Paso native Andrea Cortinas will be promoted to the position of Vice President and Chief of Staff effective July 1, 2020. She will succeed Richard Adauto, who is retiring after 32 years of service to the University. "Andrea is a trusted advisor and thoughtful leader on campus," said Heather Wilson, President of UTEP. "She cares passionately about our mission and will serve the University well." Cortinas has served as Chief Legal Officer at UTEP since 2016. Before joining UTEP, Cortinas was an attorney in private practice in El Paso with expertise in employment law, civil litigation, education law, and advising executives on complex legal issues. She previously served as General Counsel at a regional company, where she also oversaw Risk Management, Human Resources, and Benefits. Cortinas earned her bachelor's degree in Political Science from The University of Texas at El Paso in 2002. A first-generation college graduate, Cortinas participated in... (read more)

UC-San Diego professors, students create app to improve Tijuana's ambulance service. For the better part of a year, Tijuana's Red Cross has been using a mobile app developed by professors and students at the University of California San Diego. The application has created a faster, easier and more efficient way to dispatch ambulance crews to emergencies around Tijuana, a city of about 1.7 million people. Now, dispatchers can track ambulances through the app, know which ones are available and those already on a call. "We can dispatch, track and collect information and we can manage an ambulance better," said Carlos Vera, an engineering professor at UC San Diego. Vera also teaches medicine in Mexico and works for the Red Cross, which handles 95 percent of emergency calls in Tijuana. He has been part of a team working on the app for about four years. "We found out the most pressing needs seemed to be the ability to... (read more)

U.S. EPA awards $255,000 to advance environmental projects in the Arizona/Sonora border region. An additional $101,000 will be matched by the recipient organizations. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced that it will award over $255,000 for environmental projects benefitting the U.S.-Mexico border region between Arizona and the Mexican state of Sonora. "Protecting the public health of our border communities with Mexico is a top priority of EPA, and these grants and matching funds will provide a safer and healthier work environment for the community and our state, tribal, and federal partners as we monitor changes in air and water quality," said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. "Improving the environmental health of tribes across the country is a core EPA value, and the border region remains one of our main focuses." The awards are given through the agency's Border 2020: U.S.-Mexico Environmental Program. The recipient organizations will contribute an additional $101,000 to fund projects to: improve proper management of scrap vehicles and discarded electronics; build capacity on... (read more)

Employment - CFSA now hiring! The Community Foundation for Southern Arizona offers outstanding career opportunities for individuals interested in enhancing the lives of others in Southern Arizona and assisting donors in fulfilling their charitable wishes. CFSA is committed to fostering a supportive work environment that respects and appreciates diversity. Job opening: CFSA Communications Manager. The Community Foundation for Southern Arizona is looking for a Communications Manager to support increased brand awareness and community impact. The position is responsible for the management and execution of CFSA's annual marketing and communications plan, including paid advertising, earned media, digital marketing, and printed collateral. Click here to view the job description. Resumes received by June 29th will be assured consideration.

Published: June 11, 2020

The International Community Foundation (ICF) grants almost USD$3.5M for emergency relief in the US and six other countries. Since the beginning of March, ICF has granted out almost USD$3.5M and has funded over 60 local organizations based outside the US so far. This support has come from donor-advisors, family foundations, corporations, and individuals in both Mexico and the US. ICF has stewarded $1.5M in challenge grants, resulting in $3M in funds, anticipating at least another $1.5M in grants before the end of June. Funds have been invested in four primary categories: Emergency food relief - Mexico, Guatemala, Brazil, US, Barbuda; medical supplies (PPE) and equipment (ventilators, testing machines) - Mexico, Galapagos (Ecuador); operational and emergency support to nonprofits - Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Barbuda, and migrant-specific issues - Mexico, US. Examples include: $30,000 for a mobile health clinic in Tijuana to visit the migrant shelters, assess the health needs and COVID-19 risk of the migrant families, and provide appropriate medical advice and treatment; $801,000 to Como Vamos La Paz for emergency food relief in Baja California Sur, Mexico to feed 96,000 families throughout the state who have recently lost work; $50,000 to Charles Darwin Foundation in the Galapagos to purchase two ventilators and provide hygiene and PPE supplies to local hospitals; and $75,000 to Red Turismo Sustentable y Desarrollo Social to create the "Te Invito A Comer" program, which will support small grocery stores and restaurants to provide food by delivery while quarantine continues in Baja California Sur.

Loo is elected to Arizona Community Foundation Board of Directors. The Arizona Community Foundation's Board of Directors recently announced that Leonardo Loo was elected to its board. ACF board members serve three-year terms, renewable up to two times. Mr. Loo serves as the managing partner at Quarles & Brady LLP's Phoenix office where he is a member of the firm's Business Law, Finance, and International Services Law Practice Groups. He practices in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, commercial financing, international transactions, securities, and general corporate law involving clients in a wide range of industries, the release said. Along with his leadership responsibilities at Quarles & Brady, the release said he serves on the board of directors for Chicanos Por La Causa, Inc. and is the general counsel for the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. "Leonardo's extensive experience in the public and private sector, along with his passion for serving on numerous boards, make him a tremendous asset for the Arizona Community Foundation," said Steve Evans, chair of the ACF Board of Directors, in... (read more)

Scholarships available for local Mexican and Latino students. The Consulate General of Mexico in San Diego in partnership with the Metropolitan Area Advisory Committee on Anti-Poverty (MAAC) opened applications for the first-ever ColibríMX scholarship to help promote higher education for local Mexican American and Latino students. The Institute of Mexicans Abroad (IME) granted $36,000, and the goal is to raise $34,000 more to deliver grants of $1,000 to 70 local students, said Consul General Carlos González Gutiérrez. Applications are now open. Students can submit their 600-word essay through July 8. Award recipients will be announced on August 14. These scholarships were announced in December 2019, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the program will start receiving entries now. The ColibríMX scholarship, named after the colibrí or hummingbird, which "moves around just like the immigrant community" and represents hope and personal strength, said González Gutierrez. "Our hope... (read more)

'We're not optional': Aid organizations at the border adapt to the pandemic. Patrick Murphy knew things were never going to be the same again when he closed the doors to his migrant shelter in Tijuana, Mexico, for the first time in the shelter's 32-year history. Casa del Migrante had taken in more than 260,000 migrants over the course of those years, everyone from single deportees to entire families seeking asylum. But in March, the coronavirus thrust shelters and migrants along the 2,000-mile border into uncharted waters when it began spreading across the U.S. and Latin America. Fearing an outbreak, Murphy chose to temporarily close the shelter and adapt onsite care for the 27 migrants living in their facilities that month. "The big, big risk in Tijuana is that somebody comes, and if they're sick, where do I send them? There is no option," he said. "The general hospital won't take them unless they're a certain level of sick, they have to be severely sick, so there is no structure here." Like the U.S., Mexico has seen cases of the virus skyrocket since March. While shelters like the Casa fear that their facilities could... (read more)

Border Report: Tech is making better use of Tijuana's ambulances. Baja California journalists defend one of their own, Imperial County has highest concentration of COVID cases in California and more in our biweekly roundup of border news. The coronavirus pandemic continues to hit Baja California - and particularly Mexicali and Tijuana - hard. Nearly 75 percent of beds with ventilators in Baja California are being used, and hospitals are trying to relieve the pressure through mobile morgues, which are refrigerated trailers, infobae reports. A researcher in Mexico has discovered that young people who contract COVID-19 in Baja California are dying at a rate 25 times higher than the same demographic just north of the border in San Diego County, KTSM reports. The same study discovered most of the young people who are dying live in border cities like Tijuana and had jobs or ties to foreign-owned assembly plants known as maquiladoras. As of Sunday, Tijuana had 2,335 confirmed cases and 643 deaths, according to Secretaría de Salud del Estado de Baja California. But Mexicali cases have surpassed Tijuana's in... (read more)

A cross-border approach to tackling COVID-19. UC San Diego researchers partner with experts in Mexico on medical, economic and social solutions during the pandemic. Located just 30 miles from the U.S.-Mexico border, the University of California San Diego is a critical partner in supporting a binational response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The crisis has spurred action among faculty, researchers and students at UC San Diego. Their partnership with Mexico ranges from developing best practices to treating severe cases requiring ventilators; devising new ways to manufacture personal protective equipment; opening dialogue about how the virus is impacting economies and underserved communities; and designing public health programming to slow the spread of the virus. This disease does not recognize borders, making it more important than ever to strengthen relationships between experts at UC San Diego and in Mexico to coordinate a rapid response," said UC San Diego Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla. "Our university has mobilized to help slow the spread of the virus, fortify vulnerable... (read more)

Rep. Escobar, Senator Rodriguez, NADB announce Covid-19 recovery program for El Paso and Border Communities. Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16), State Senator Jose Rodriguez (SD-29), and the North American Development Bank (NADB) announced a temporary financing program in response to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. "As El Paso and border communities fight the devastating impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, it is critical to promote a bilateral health and economic response to speed and shape our recovery," Congresswoman Escobar shared. "For more than two decades, NADB has made innovative investments in our region and with this recovery program it is further contributing to strengthening our economy, advancing the well-being of border residents, and promoting sustainable development." The program, which was approved by Board of Directors of the NADB on May 22, 2020, will support projects that have both environmental benefits and direct positive impacts on the economy of El Paso and the rest of the U.S.-Mexico border region and the health and well-being of its residents. The program will provide as much as $200 million and... (read more)

Published: May 27, 2020

Strong Families Thriving Children Report.

Since 1962, Arizona Town Hall has created solutions to complex problems by educating, engaging, connecting, and empowering Arizonans. Community Town Halls and Future Leaders Town Halls (events held for high school and college students) allow a greater number of Arizonans to experience positive civic engagement. These programs also incubate solutions for statewide issues and develop a grassroots network of informed citizens ready to work together to maximize Arizona's potential. To ensure informed discussion, Town Hall participants review background information developed by the Arizona Town Hall Research Committee. Participants at the statewide Town Hall consider the information in the background report as well as recommendations from the various Community and Future Leaders Town Halls. This publication is a summary of key points from the background report, the Community and Future Leaders Town Halls, and the report of recommendations developed at the Statewide Town Hall held November 14-16, 2019. According to the Annie E. Casey Foundation 2018 Kids Count profile, 24% of Arizona children... (read more)

New ASU collaboration with top Mexican universities unveiled. '

'Acceso ASU' program offers Spanish speakers more affordable options to complete degree. Spanish-speaking students in Arizona and across the United States will now have access to more affordable options to complete their degree through a new credit-transfer partnership between Arizona State University and four of Mexico's top universities, ASU officials announced May 19. "Acceso ASU" creates a transfer pathway for students to take classes with four of Mexico's leading universities - Universidad de Guadalajara (UdeG), Universidad Tecnológica de México (UNITEC), Universidad Tecmilenio and Tecnológico de Monterrey (ITESM) - and transfer those credits to ASU to complete their degree. "Acceso will enable more educational opportunities for 'Dreamers' and other Spanish-proficient students, helping to strengthen the economic competitiveness of the U.S. and Mexico," ASU President Michael M. Crow said. The new program is another example of ASU's efforts to scale educational access to all qualified students, including... (read more)

Nonprofit Sector Response to COVID-19.

Nonprofit Sector Response to COVID-19. By Laura Deitrick, Tessa Tinkler, Emily Young, Colton C. Strawser, Connelly Meschen, Nallely Manriques, and Bob Beatty. In an initial effort to understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on local nonprofits' ability to meet their community's needs, The University of San Diego's Nonprofit Institute issued a survey to nonprofit leaders on March 18, 2020. The aim of this report is to provide real-time data to government officials, foundations, and other decision-makers about the current economic conditions facing nonprofits and the need for immediate and long-term support in order to ensure the ongoing provision of critical services in the San Diego region. Nonprofit organizations are often on the frontlines of crisis and sometimes called "second responders," serving as a resource for individuals after emergency aid has been provided. As a result ofthe COVID-19 pandemic, many local nonprofits are experiencing increased demands for food, shelter and other basic necessities, yet have been hindered or completely cut off from responding due to school closures, stay at home orders, and social distancing. In San Diego County, one in ten employees works at a nonprofit, representing a total of... (read more)

Border communities hit hard by COVID-19 to get money for environmental projects.

The North American Development Bank has approved $200 million for border communities economically devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The money will come from both the U.S and Mexican governments. Most of the funds are earmarked for environmental projects that have direct impacts on the economy along the U.S.-Mexico border. Some of the money is to be spent on health and well-being of border residents. The city of Mexicali, Baja California's capital, will get almost $7 million to finance a wastewater system replacing almost 40,000 feet of deteriorated pipelines and to rehabilitate three lift stations in the wastewater collection system. The current system is plagued with malfunctions spilling approximately 33.1 million gallons per day of uncontrolled wastewater that flows into the U.S via the New River. "The Mexicali project addresses a significant risk of failure in the wastewater collection system, reducing the risk of... (read more)

For international students, uncertainty includes not only when it ends, but also where they'll live.

For more than four years, Grecia Sanchez crossed the border into the U.S. along with tens of thousands of students and workers, starting her day long before the typical college student. "We all watch the sunrise together," said Sanchez, 23, a philosophy and multimedia journalism double major at the University of Texas at El Paso. "It's not the typical college experience, not the typical commute." Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit, undermining her sacrifice and leaving her life and that of most other international students in limbo. The coronavirus has forced universities to postpone, cancel or shift commencement to online virtual ceremonies. But for international students, it has also forced questions about their very future in the U.S. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has informed universities that if they decide to continue holding classes fully online in the fall, it is unlikely international students will be permitted to... (read more)

Published: May 13, 2020

COVID-19 CaliBaja region: We are all in this together!

Join San Diego Grantmakers and other philanthropic funders on May 28 for a webinar of how some colleagues developed their response to the impacts of COVID-19 in this region and a shared discussion about how individuals and institutions can support nonprofit organizations in their response and those individuals who are most impacted -- low income families, health-compromised individuals, small businesses, and more. This call draws on that strength to connect us all and answer questions, and prepare us for a robust response now and in the months to come. California and Baja California have some of the highest numbers of COVID-19 cases of any state in their respective countries. The primary strategy to save lives during this pandemic has been isolation. At the border, this has meant restricting movement among our two countries, affecting both states negatively socially and economically. How can grantmakers support the CaliBaja region and its people move through this health and economic crisis? Speakers include: Amb. Carlos González Gutiérrez, Mexican Consul General, San Diego, Paola Avila, Vice President, International Business Affairs, San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, Marcela Merino, Executive Director & Dr. Esther Oviedo, Program Coordinator at Fronteras Unidas Pro Salud, Paulina Olvera Cáñez, Espacio Migrante, and Eliza Brennan, International Community Foundation.

Small businesses in crisis ignored again.

Small businesses are hurting. You know that, we know that. We've heard from you that Arizona small businesses were unfairly shut out of the initial round of federally backed loans intended to keep them operating and employees earning a paycheck. As numerous news media reported, too many banks instead loaned money to their favorite customers - long-established big businesses that could have survived without the federal response to the COVID-19 crisis. Small businesses are not in such a fortunate situation. CPLC Prestamos is a mission-driven division of CPLC. As a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) and a Community Development Entity (CDE), Prestamos is an SBA-approved lender with a proven track record for effectiveness and a vital avenue for Arizona small businesses that seek no- or low-interest loans. We applied to the Maricopa County Industrial Development Authority (IDA) for $10 million in capital that, with an average loan of $65,000 each, would have... (read more)

All Together NM Fund awarding $750K in grants.

The Santa Fe Community Foundation is the fund's administrator. The All Together NM Fund will award $750,000 for grants to help New Mexico's smallest businesses survive the COVID-19 pandemic. The funding will be divided among four New Mexico nonprofit organizations that will award and administer grants of up to $5,000 for businesses with five employees or fewer. "Business relief from the federal government has been scattered, and far too much of what was first available went to large businesses. Many micro businesses in New Mexico and elsewhere didn't get a fair shake," Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said. "So thank you to the All Together NM Fund for reaching out and reaching in to support as many micro businesses as we can. No doubt that's going to make an incredible difference," she said. The nonprofits that will administer the grants are: WESST, Rio Grande Community Development Corp, NM Community Capital and DreamSpring. "They were chosen because... (read more)

EPA provides grant funding to support environmental justice communities impacted by COVID-19. Deadline: June 30, 2020.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is working to improve the environment and public health conditions of low-income and minority communities through our daily efforts to ensure all Americans have clean air, safe water, and access to information to make decisions to protect personal and public health. In response to the COVID-19 public health emergency, EPA is making $1 million in grant funding available to states to help local environmental justice communities address COVID-19 concerns faced by low-income and minority communities. Through the State Environmental Justice Cooperative Agreement Program, EPA will provide funds to states, local governments, tribes and U.S. territories to work collaboratively with environmental justice communities to understand, promote and integrate approaches to provide meaningful and measurable improvements to public health and the environment. "Environmental justice grants aim to support public education, training, and emergency planning for communities across the country impacted by COVID-19, regardless of their zip code," said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. "These grants are... (read more)

El Paso Matters founder Robert Moore a Pulitzer finalist.

Congratulations to El Paso Matters founder Robert Moore for being a finalist for a 2020 Pulitzer Prize in journalism. Moore was a key reporter for The Washington Post's coverage of the mass shootings in El Paso and Dayton, Ohio on August 3, 2019. The team was cited for its "incisive" coverage of the back-to-back shootings "that contextualized these events for a national audience," according to the Pulitzer Prize website. The Post was one of three finalists for the Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News. The Louisville Courier-Journal won the prestigious award. "I was privileged to help tell El Paso's story to the world in our darkest time," said Moore, the award-winning former El Paso Times editor who founded the nonprofit El Paso Matters in 2019. The El Paso Community Foundation is the fiscal sponsor of the digital news outlet, which has aggressively reported on the coronavirus pandemic's impacts in El Paso. "I can't tell you how proud we are to have... (read more)

Mothers in migration: A diversity of realities and experiences.

The Kino Border Initiative celebrates and honors the people in migration who are mothers. The configurations of families in migration are diverse-in many cases, mothers parent their children from the same geographical space, but due to economic realities, deportations, violence, and structures of injustice, it is not possible for all mothers to do so. In some cases, children are raised, loved, and cared for by extended family and community members. And some mothers have lost children-to violence, death, and wrongful imprisonment-and organize and advocate so that other mothers do not have to suffer such pain and loss. This article covers some of the familial configurations we see at the Comedor and along the border. We lament the injustices that force mothers and their children into difficult circumstances, whether they are together or geographically apart. We also honor the strength, resilience, and faith that all those who mother in the midst of... (read more)

The Coronavirus and Mexico - Opinion.

By Morgan Smith. "Pandemics and other unfortunate events won't do anything to us," Mexico's President, Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) stated on Sunday, March 22 in the southern state of Guerrero. He has been stubbornly resistant to the dangers of the coronavirus, continuing to appear in public and mingling with crowds. He has also failed to intervene with respect to other events that have clearly placed his people in danger. For example, on the weekend of March 14-15, his protégé, Mexico City's Mayor, Claudia Sheinbaum refused pleas to cancel the Vive Latino fiesta, a huge two-day rock music festival that attracted over 100,000 people. Isn't the danger from crowded situations now obvious to everyone? Look at the February 19 soccer game that is believed to have started the terrible spread of this virus in Italy, or the huge crowds that gathered, despite health warnings in cities like Madrid, Spain on March 8 for the International Women's Day, or the always-crowded daily life of New York City, or Mardi Gras. We are two countries with a common border 2,000 miles long that has been largely closed but will that... (read more)

New report from the ASU Lodestar Center details the dramatic impacts of COVID-19 on the Arizona nonprofit sector.

As unemployment soars and Arizonans cope with the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, many nonprofit organizations, from food pantries to shelter services, are needed more than ever. But those same organizations are struggling with disruptions of their own as donations decline and volunteers stay home. Other categories of nonprofits, including education, environment, and arts and culture, have seen their operations severely reduced or halted, with a real risk of organizations closing entirely. ASU´s Lodestar Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Innovation surveyed nearly 450 Arizona nonprofit organizations to show the disruption caused by the pandemic. The results are grim: Nearly 80% of Arizona nonprofits reported a reduction in their normal services; 11% of organizations are not operating at all; almost 40% of all arts and culture nonprofits are not currently operating; just under 20% of nonprofits say they won't... (read more)

Published: April 30, 2020

The Changing World of Latino Philanthropy with Ana Marie Argilagos and Sam Zamarripa.

In this episode of CaseyCast, host Lisa Hamilton welcomes two guests - Ana Marie Argilagos and Sam Zamarripa - who are leaders in the world of Latino philanthropy. Argilagos is the president and CEO of Hispanics in Philanthropy (HIP), an organization devoted to advancing Latino equity, leadership and voice across the Americas. Zamarripa, a former Georgia state senator, now runs a biotechnology firm and Spanish-language digital media company and serves on the Board of Trustees for both HIP and the Annie E. Casey Foundation. During the interview, Hamilton asks Argilagos and Zamarripa when they first intersected with philanthropy and where they think the field of Latino philanthropy is headed. Listeners will also learn about current priorities and challenges in Latino philanthropy and how the unique characteristics of Latino donors and communities play out in the philanthropic sector.

Call for nominations for the 34th annual Piñon Awards.

Santa Fe Community Foundation is accepting nominations through May 8, 2020 for the 34th annual Piñon Awards, which honor exemplary nonprofit organizations in Santa Fe and northern New Mexico. Nominations may come from any interested member of the community, including board members, volunteers, donors, past award recipients and employees of nonprofits. Those wishing to submit a nomination can click here for guidelines and a nomination form. Each year, the Santa Fe Community Foundation recognizes the extraordinary work of four area nonprofits with a Piñon Award - the only local award devoted exclusively to recognizing nonprofit organizations. Winners receive an unrestricted grant, public recognition in the media and at an awards ceremony, and a promotional video about the nonprofit which they can use in their own marketing. This year's ceremony, which is open to the public, will take place on Tuesday, November 4th, 2020 at La Fonda on the Plaza. Nominations will be accepted in four categories: Courageous Innovation Award, Policy Champion Award, Visionary Award, and Tried & True Award.

Impact of COVID-19 on Imperial County.

Imperial County is a highly productive agricultural area, providing $2 billion in vegetables, fruit, livestock, and other commodities annually. In fact, two-thirds of the vegetables consumed in the U.S. during the winter are grown in Imperial County. As of April 27, Imperial County was reporting 281 confirmed COVID-19 cases; 8 deaths; 67 recovered and 1,563 patients tested. Compared with other counties like San Diego, these numbers appear small. However, with a total county population of only 190,000 (83% Latinx) and a chronic level of health, economic and environmental challenges which exceed state averages, this rural, low-income community is struggling with the extra burden of COVID-19. Response to COVID-19. In early April, the Imperial Valley Wellness Foundation (IVWF), in partnership with Alliance Healthcare Foundation, California Wellness Foundation, California Health Care Foundation and The Center at Sierra Health Foundation, launched an immediate COVID-19 Response Fund for nonprofit organizations that primarily serve Imperial County. An overwhelming number of... (read more)

Pandemic, border crackdown curbs Catholics' aid to migrants.

For years, Catholic-led, United States-based nonprofits have been at the forefront of efforts to support migrants and asylum-seekers along the Mexican border. Tough new border policies, coupled with the COVID-19 pandemic, have drastically changed their work, much of which now takes place in Mexico. The once heavy flow of undocumented border-crossers has dwindled as the Trump administration enforces a new virus-related ban on top of its Migration Protection Protocols that already had forced thousands of asylum-seekers to wait in Mexico. The virus outbreak has prompted one migrant support agency, the Kino Border Initiative, to temporarily close its office in Nogales, Ariz. But it is committed to maintaining operations across the border, where it aids asylum-seekers congregating in Nogales, Mexico, after being barred from the U.S. "There is some resistance to this ministry of migrants and refugees," said Jesuit priest Sean Carroll, who heads the agency. "But our sense of the common good doesn't... (read more)

EPA awards $255k in grants for environment, health on Arizona-Mexico border.

The Arizona-Sonora border region will receive over $255,000 to advance environmental projects, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced last week. Recipient organizations will match with an additional $100,000. The funds will improve proper management of scrap vehicles and discarded electronics, increase sustainable storm water management with green infrastructure alternatives and build capacity on environmental health for the three border tribes. The funds come from the EPA's Border 2020: U.S.-Mexico Environmental Program, a binational effort to protect and improve public health and address environmental issues. "Protecting the public health of our border communities with Mexico is a top priority of EPA," EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler said in an April 14 press release. "These grants and matching funds will provide a safer and healthier... (read more)

Published on April 16, 2020

Jobless restaurant workers can get paid for shifts at El Pasoans Fighting Hunger Food Bank. Restaurant workers who lost their jobs due to closings sparked by the coronavirus can get paid for doing shifts for the El Pasoans Fighting Hunger Food Bank. The El Paso Community Foundation on Tuesday announced the Get Shift Done for El Paso initiative, which will provide pay of $10 an hour to hospitality workers left jobless by the pandemic. The program started April 4 with the first of 40 daily shifts. El Paso is the second city to roll out the initiative. The first one was launched by a Dallas business and community leaders with the support of various restaurant owners and nonprofit organizations. "Thanks to an incredible team in North Texas, we were able to adapt this innovative program," said Eric Pearson, president and CEO of the El Paso Community Foundation. "This helps hospitality workers - who represent 31% of unemployment claims in the area - fill... (read more)

The Orquesta de Baja California is closed, but we're keeping the music going. Mexico has officially reported far fewer coronavirus cases than the United States. To date, we have just more than 3,000 detected patients with the ailment, but the curve has been rising ever since the first cases appeared in the manner of other countries hit by the pandemic. Despite some contradictory information communicated by federal officials at the beginning of the crisis in this country, the state of Baja California - influenced in part by the growing number of cases of coronavirus in California - was quicker to implement strategies of social distancing than the rest of the country. The Orquesta de Baja California was one of the earliest music institutions to take action in confronting this new reality. Informed by the news coverage and by the opinion of respected epidemiologists, we postponed our... (read more)

IRC launches Coronavirus response serving asylum seekers and vulnerable families at Mexico border. As Coronavirus cases surpass 5,000 in Mexico, the International Rescue Committee has launched, together with local authorities and civil society partners, a public health awareness and psychosocial support campaign for shelters at the Mexico-US border in Ciudad Juárez. The project will directly benefit 17 shelters hosting approximately 3,000 individuals and reach surrounding host communities -- indirectly benefiting an additional 10,000 people. The initiative includes sessions on the transmission of COVID-19, protective and preventive measures including the identification of at-risk groups, signs, and symptoms of COVID-19, where to access help and support, reinforcement of public health best practices, and... (read more)

Grant boosts Santa Fe affordable housing coalition. Just a couple of weeks ago, Liberty Rose Adkins, 23, finally moved into her own apartment, a one-bedroom Santa Fe unit renting for $850 per month. She had been living in her mother's home, where she helped take care of her three younger siblings while working for $14 an hour at YouthWorks and interning at Guadalupe Credit Union. But bright prospects are not exactly on the horizon. "With trying to advance my life, it's been a huge struggle because all the necessary things are so expensive," Adkins said. "I'm not able to explore anything other than basic survival." Used to be, if you had a decent job, it wasn't that hard to find decent housing in Santa Fe. Nowadays, being a bank teller, a utility lineman, a police officer, a hospital worker or an office worker guarantees nothing. Let alone being one of the 23 percent of Santa Fe workers earning... (read more)

CFSA awards $2.1 million in grants to nonprofits. The Community Foundation for Southern Arizona (CFSA), in collaboration with donors and community partners, has granted over $2.1 million to nonprofit organizations providing immediate relief during the COVID-19 pandemic. The most recent round of grants includes $120,000 from CFSA's COVID-19 Response Funds, $720,000 in general operating grants through our 2020 CORE Grants, $5,500 to support members of the LGBTQ+ community, and $18,000 to support arts organizations in rural Arizona communities. This first round of grants from our COVID-19 Response Funds supports ten nonprofit organizations serving southern Arizona's most vulnerable community members; these grants will continue to be released on a rolling basis as fundraising continues throughout the outbreak and recovery phases of COVID-19. "We understand this crisis will have lasting effects on our community. The Community Foundation for Southern Arizona is... (read more)

Heather Wilson appointed to National Science Board. UTEP President Heather Wilson has been selected to serve a six-year term on the National Science Board (NSB). Early March, in a White House press release, U.S. President Donald J. Trump announced his intent to appoint Wilson to the NSB for a position set to conclude May 10, 2026. The NSB, composed of 25 individuals selected by the president, works with the National Science Foundation to suggest and encourage research, education and budget priorities in science and engineering. The board also serves an advisory body to the president and Congress on policy matters related to science and engineering in the U.S. "I look forward to advancing science and engineering and helping to guide the National Science Foundation," Wilson said in a news release. "This is a great honor for me and for the State of Texas." Wilson arrived at UTEP at the beginning of... (read more)

How is COVID-19 impacting Arizona nonprofits? The ASU Lodestar Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Innovation wants to better understand the greatest needs of Arizona's nonprofit sector during the COVID-19 Pandemic. We join with members of the Nonprofit Academic Centers Council (NACC), headquartered at Texas A&M University, and the author of this survey, the Nonprofit Management Institute at the University of San Diego, to invite your participation in a brief survey. The responses you provide here will inform government officials, funders, media, and other decision-makers. This survey will take 5-7 minutes to complete. All responses are confidential to the ASU Lodestar Center's research team. Results will be aggregated and contribute Arizona voices to a broader national conversation about COVID-19 and the nonprofit sector. This survey is designed to be taken by a senior leader in your nonprofit who has an overall understanding of your operations. If that is not you, please share this survey with an appropriate person at your organization.

U.S.-Mexico border humanitarians scramble to curb coronavirus. Just last month, more than 400 gathered for the blessing of the Kino Border Initiative's new 18,000-square-foot building in Nogales, in the Mexican state of Sonora, just south of Arizona. Today, with the outbreak of Covid-19, things are much different. The Kino Border Initiative is a binational effort to serve migrants, educate the public and advocate for justice. Since 2009, part of its daily work has included providing food and a place to eat for migrants-those heading north, those recently deported from the United States and those seeking U.S. asylum. Kino workers are still serving food at their comedor, but the coronavirus has changed how they do it. "What we're trying to do is maintain a distance between migrants while they wait in line," Sean Carroll, S.J., the director of the Kino Border Initiative, told America. Families will enter together, receive their food and then... (read more)

Con Alma Health Foundation invites nonprofits improving health to apply for grants. Con Alma Health Foundation invites nonprofits that improve health in New Mexico to apply for grants starting April 6 until 5 p.m. May 8. Last year Con Alma, the state's largest private foundation dedicated solely to health, awarded 42 grants to nonprofits in every region of New Mexico. Con Alma places a special focus on supporting culturally diverse and vulnerable populations as well as working toward health equity, when everyone has an equal chance at living a healthy life regardless of their income, ethnicity or zip code. Grant applicants need to select a fixed grant amount ranging from $7,500 to $20,000. Con Alma will consider three types of requests: Project support for a specific set of activities or particular goals within the organization's mission; general operating/core support to fund an organization's mission and scope of operations in their entirety; and technical assistance/capacity building to strengthen the nonprofit sector and expand or improve an organization's ability to carry out its mission effectively.

BPP Member News

wE THANK THE SAN DIEGO FOUNDATION FOR OUR COMMUNITY OFFICE SPACE AT THE MALIN BURNHAM CENTER FOR CIVIC ENGAGEMENT:
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Phone +1 (619) 814-1388 | Fax +1 (619) 814-1389
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BPP Member News​

wE THANK THE SAN DIEGO FOUNDATION FOR OUR COMMUNITY OFFICE SPACE AT THE MALIN BURNHAM CENTER FOR CIVIC ENGAGEMENT: 2508 Historic Decatur Rd., Suite 130, San Diego, CA 92106

Phone +1 (619) 814-1388 | Fax +1 (619) 814-1389E-mail: info@borderpartnership.org

BPP Member News

wE THANK THE SAN DIEGO FOUNDATION FOR OUR COMMUNITY OFFICE SPACE AT THE MALIN BURNHAM CENTER FOR CIVIC ENGAGEMENT:
2508 Historic Decatur Rd., Suite 130, San Diego, CA 92106

Phone +1 (619) 814-1388 | Fax +1 (619) 814-1389
E-mail: info@borderpartnership.org