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One Albuquerque Fund Is An Opportunity To Join The Fight On City’s Biggest Challenges

Will raise funds to supplement city priorities: recruit more police officers, expand youth program access, put more workers into job training.

September 19, 2019

Today, the City of Albuquerque is announcing the launch of the One Albuquerque Foundation/City of Albuquerque Foundation. The foundation will raise funds in support of and to supplement city priorities, including the housing voucher program for people experiencing homelessness, recruiting and retaining public safety officers, expanding opportunities for young people in Albuquerque, and equipping our workforce with the skills they need to succeed. Historically similar efforts included the Mayor's Ball. Many other cities have a supporting nonprofit, including New York, Detroit, and Los Angeles and others. Here in Albuquerque, other entities like CNM and APS also have supporting foundations.

Additional funding for these priorities will accelerate progress and help scale significant investments the City is already making go much farther, much faster. In addition to contributing, individuals who want to get involved may also volunteer in support of one or more of these efforts through the One Albuquerque Volunteer Program at https://www.cabq.gov/abq-volunteers

“The challenges faced by Albuquerque are more vast and more complex than any one entity – even government – can solve on its own. Every day, people in Albuquerque ask how they can step up and part of addressing our city’s greatest challenges. So we’re coming together as One Albuquerque to take responsibility and take action,” said Mayor Tim Keller.

Former New Mexico Treasurer Doug Brown and his wife Sarah, two of the foundation’s first donors, said, “Even if it’s something as simple as sponsoring a swim lesson scholarship for a local child, I know my contribution is going to address Albuquerque’s biggest needs. These are the things we see every day in our community that we wish we could do more to solve: homelessness, the need for more police, and making sure every child has opportunities. Now we can.”

The One Albuquerque Fund board consists of Charles Ashley III, President; Drew Dolan, Vice President and Treasurer; and Pilar Westell, Secretary. Steering committees for each of the four initiatives are in formation.

“The One Albuquerque Fund is about coming together as a community to improve the quality of life for people from all walks of life. I am excited to support City initiatives through this non-partisan foundation and look forward to the impact it will make on our community,” stated One Albuquerque Foundation Board President Charles Ashley III.

The One Albuquerque Fund is a tax-exempt 509(a)(3) supporting organization for the City of Albuquerque. It will follow all applicable laws and guidelines governing tax exempt entities, and will be audited regularly. It will also file an annual 990 report with the IRS with information on contributions, grants, and expenditures. That report is open to the public. In addition, the One Albuquerque Fund will also be subject to the Inspection of Public Records Act (IPRA) and the Open Meetings Act.

For more information on how to get involved, please visit www.onealbuquerque.org.