With support LANL operator Triad, Santa Fe-based Bicycle Technologies International was awarded a no-interest loan from the Regional Development Corporation to grow its business, hire more workers. Courtesy/LANL

LANL News:

Students, small businesses, and other community members and groups in Northern New Mexico will benefit this year from a $2.5 million grant from Triad National Security, LLC, the operator of Los Alamos National Laboratory.

The Triad board of directors approved the investment to fund education, economic development, and community giving in the region.

“This grant underlines Triad’s commitment to supporting Northern New Mexico as we go through this challenging time and look to build a brighter future,” LANL Director Thom Mason said. “The board’s decision will also magnify the impact of Laboratory programs and our employees’ generous support of nonprofits.”

Triad is a public service-oriented organization equally owned by its three founding members: Battelle Memorial Institute, The Texas A&M University System and the University of California. Funds approved by the Triad board are administered through a Community Commitment Plan managed by the Laboratory’s Community Partnerships Office. The Community Partnerships Office focuses its efforts on the seven-county region surrounding the Laboratory. These counties are: Los Alamos, Mora, Rio Arriba, Sandoval, San Miguel, Santa Fe and Taos. 

From the $2.5 million, three key long-term partners will receive major investments: 

• LANL Foundation receives $700,000 for STEM education, scholarships, and teacher support 
• Regional Development Corporation receives $700,000 to support economic diversity, including an internship program and awards to small businesses
• United Way of Northern New Mexico receives $150,000 to support nonprofit collaboration and capacity-building, and tackle substance abuse issues

The rest of the funding will go to administer and support other nonprofits and programs in the region.

“Triad’s investment allows us to continue our work providing investment opportunities and technical assistance to facilitate job growth and diversify the Northern New Mexico economy,” said Val Alonzo, Executive Director of the nonprofit Regional Development Corporation. “With many small businesses and job seekers facing difficulties as a result of the pandemic, this partnership can have a real impact in the lives of people in our communities.”

The Triad investment will also be used to match employees’ nonprofit giving in Northern New Mexico and fund a range of smaller grants and sponsorships to organizations in the region. 

“The Laboratory is a part of the fabric of Northern New Mexico as a major employer and driver for the economy, and as a partner in a range of community programs and initiatives,” said Kathy Keith, director of the Laboratory’s Community Partnerships Office. “We’re proud to support education programs that prepare our young people for jobs at LANL and elsewhere, helping both the region and the Laboratory thrive.”

To apply for a grant or sponsorship: https://www.lanl.gov/community/grantapplication.php

About Los Alamos National Laboratory (www.lanl.gov)

Los Alamos National Laboratory, a multidisciplinary research institution engaged in strategic science on behalf of national security, is managed by Triad, a public service oriented, national security science organization equally owned by its three founding members: Battelle Memorial Institute (Battelle), the Texas A&M University System (TAMUS), and the Regents of the University of California (UC) for the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration. 

Los Alamos enhances national security by ensuring the safety and reliability of the U.S. nuclear stockpile, developing technologies to reduce threats from weapons of mass destruction, and solving problems related to energy, environment, infrastructure, health, and global security concerns.

About LANL Foundation, Española, (www.lanlfoundation.org)

Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) Foundation has been investing in education, learning, and human potential in Northern New Mexico since 1997. The organization works across the cradle to career spectrum, driven to provide learning opportunities and inspiration to the children of Northern New Mexico. 

About the Regional Development Corp., Española (www.rdcnm.org)

The Regional Development Corporation (RDC) is a private non-profit 501(c) 3 organization dedicated to improving economic development through business retention and expansion programs and workforce training initiatives in Los Alamos, Mora, Rio Arriba, Sandoval, San Miguel, Santa Fe, Taos, and the municipalities and Native American Pueblos therein. 

About United Way of Northern New Mexico, Los Alamos (www.unitedwaynnm.org)

United Way of Northern New Mexico supports the health, education and financial stability of children and families in Los Alamos and Rio Arriba counties.