Name: New Mexico Acequia Association
Address: Santa Fe, NM

New Mexico Acequia Association

Santa Fe, NM 87505

Tax ID85-0440606

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About this organization

Revenue

$656,021

Expenses

$778,457

Website

lasacequias.org

Mission

Our mission is to protect water and acequias, to grow healthy food for our families and communities, and to honor our cultural heritage. Guided by our core values, the NMAA grows a movement of people of all ages and walks of life to defend and protect our precious water by resisting its commodification and contamination. Through involvement in NMAA, families and youth are inspired to cultivate the land, care for our acequias, and heal injustices. Knowledge and experience about growing food, sharing water, and saving seed are passed on from generation to generation. We grow leaders from the grassroots with youth and community education that is based on our core values of community, respect, and equity.

About

The New Mexico Acequia Association had a successful year in 2018 in working toward our mission of protecting water and acequias, growing healthy food for our families and communities, and honoring our cultural heritage. Acequias are ancient systems of irrigation based on community-based local governance, customs and traditions in water sharing and allocation, and local food production. We operate three key programs that contribute to our mission. First, the Acequia Governance Project builds capacity of local leaders for water management, infrastructure maintenance, and local governance. Second, the Sembrando Semillas program is comprised of local intergenerational agricultural and land-based projects involving youth and their families. Third, Los Sembradores is a farmer training project that prepares a cohort of apprentices to enter the vocation of farming with skills in small-scale agriculture and farm business planning. In addition to these areas, NMAA was involved in policy development and advocacy, education and outreach, communications, and leadership development. Acequia Governance ProjectThe purpose of the Acequia Governance Project is to protect the water rights and agricultural lands of acequia communities by strengthening the capacity of acequias and community ditches to protect historic acequia water rights and to manage water for the benefit of their respective communities. This project utilizes a culturally appropriate approach to community education. This includes one-on-one technical assistance and community-based workshops in addition to creating educational materials updated annually based on lessons learned in the field. We coordinated numerous educational activities and engaged acequias throughout New Mexico through outreach and communications through the following activities.Through our Acequia Governance Project, we provided direct services to acequias and individual parciantes (irrigators) on matters relating to water rights, acequia governance, easements, and legal compliance. In total, we responded to 1,943 requests for assistance. The NMAA team provided services to 254 acequias to individual members of acequias or to the elected officials of the acequias. In several instances, our team works with an acequia several times on multiple projects. These services resulted in improved water management, conflict resolution, protection of water rights and farmland, and stronger community-based water governance. Included in this total of services are bylaws and infrastructure plans. NMAA staff provided technical and legal assistance to acequias in updating their bylaws. Acequias are required by New Mexico law to have bylaws. NMAA, along with partner NM Legal Aid, provided specialized assistance that led to the completion of new or updated bylaws for 36 acequias. NMAA staff also provided technical assistance to 45 acequias in the completion of Infrastructure Capital Improvement Plans (ICIPs) which are plans used by the State of New Mexico to identify infrastructure needs across the state. Assistance includes consultation on project management, sources of funding, and the state appropriations process. NMAA partnered with the New Mexico Association of Conservation Districts and the New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission to leverage state and federal dollars for acequia projects and to collaborate on planning to improve outcomes in acequia projects. An example of one of the 254 acequias we assisted is the Pilar Acequia Association, a small, historic acequia community along the banks of the Rio Grande downstream from Taos. NMAA worked with local elected officials to update their bylaws and address other governance issues specific to their acequia. With governance documents updated, the acequia was ready to work on infrastructure improvements. NMAA dispatched one of our Acequia Infrastructure Specialists assisted the acequia in prioritizing areas that were in need of repairs and improvements. He aided them in exploring technical solutions in consideration of the local conditions, extent of the problem, and cost. With preliminary assessment and cost estimate, the NMAA team was able to assist the acequia with requests for infrastructure funding. As a result, the acequia received its first ever infrastructure funding from the State of New Mexico. Plans are underway to implement the project. NMAA staff gave presentations at 41 acequia meetings and workshops with 509 participants. NMAA staff were invited to attend several local acequia meetings to give presentations are training on water rights, acequia governance, and infrastructure funding. Many acequias received vital information from NMAA about protecting water rights and strengthening local water management. NMAA also organized other workshops for regional acequia associations or communities including Pojoaque, Taos, Bloomfield, Chimayo, Nambe, Truth or Consequences, Pecos, Embudo, and Rio Chama for a total of 269 participants. These workshops focused on acequia governance including bylaws, infrastructure planning, and open meetings requirements. A series of specialized workshops entitled, Pathways to Funding: Acequia Financial Compliance, focused on the process to secure funding for infrastructure projects and the requirements for financial compliance with state and federal agencies. Additionally, NMAA hosted a summer conference for Mayordomos and Commissioners attended by 84 participants.As part of efforts to provide services to acequias, NMAA continuously updates our statewide acequia database, which includes the name of the acequia, county, water source, and contact information for the elected officials. This list is used to maintain communications with acequias, to invite them to events, and to inform them about the services available. In 2018, we expanded our database from 598 to 640 acequias.Sembrando SemillasThrough our Sembrando Semillas Program, NMAA supported local community projects that strengthen the connection between youth and locally grown food in collaboration with local organizations and schools. NMAA provided staff and resources to four volunteer-driven Sembrando Semillas sites: Abiquiu, Chamisal, Atrisco, Santa Clara Pueblo, and Taos. Each site hosts an intergenerational community food projects which include hands-on activities about acequia agriculture such as caring for gardens, preparation and preservation of traditional foods, identification and use of herbs for food and healing, and storytelling.Each site has a core group of adult volunteers and youth participants that have activities and one site also partners with local schools to host school-based field trips to local farms. In 2018, each site had 5 youth and their families engaged with a farm mentor who hosted hands-on activities through the growing season. The total core participants were 20 youth and 40 adults in the four sites combined. NMAA worked with four local partners including Chocoyle Farm (Chamisal), Pueblo of Abiquiu Library (Abiquiu), Cornelio Candelaria Organics (Atrisco), Growing the Future (Albuquerque), and AIRE (Taos). An example of a Sembrando Semillas site was Abiquiu which is hosted by the Pueblo of Abiquiu Library. The project was focused on a family garden and orchard in which youth were involved in setting up an irrigation system for a high tunnel used for year-round food production, in assisting with orchard maintenance and harvesting of fruit, and in learning traditional food preservation methods. In Chamisal, youth worked on a family farm and assisted with vegetable production for local markets, including schools. They created seed beds, set up drip irrigation systems, assisted with weed control, and worked on harvesting and packaging for market. Youth, their families, and mentors also met for two gatherings in the Spring and Fall where each site gave presentations about their respective projects, giving youth opportunities to speak and share their experiences. Along with our youth-focused agricultural activities, NMAA also worked with local partners to host the 13th Annual Owengeh Ta Pueblos y Semillas Seed Ceremony and exchange. Along with our partners in the New Mexico Food and Seed Sovereignty Alliance (Honor Our Pueblo Existence, Tewa Women United, and Traditional Native American Farmers Association), we hosted our annual annual seed exchange with an estimated 200 participants including numerous seed savers from acequia and Native American communities. The event is instrumental in building an advocacy support base for traditional foods, traditional agricultural methods, and protection for heirloom (non-GMO) seed varieties specific to the region. The event also promotes community health, based on food security provided by increased access to healthy, fresh, locally grown food. Los Sembradores and Farmer/Rancher OutreachIn 2018, NMAA implemented its second year of Los Sembradores farmer training project intended to provide intensive training for new and beginn

Interesting data from their 2020 990 filing

In the filing, the mission of the non-profit is noted as “To protect new mexicos water and acequias, grow healthy food for local families and communities, and to honor new mexicos cultural heritage.”.

When referring to its responsibilities, they were outlined as: “To protect new mexicos water and acequias, grow healthy food for local families and communities, and to honor new mexicos cultural heritage.”.

The state in which the non-profit is legally registered to operate is NM, as per legal records.
The filing documents the non-profit's address in 2020 as 805 Early Street Bldg B 204, Santa Fe, NM, 87505.
According to the non-profit's form, they have 13 employees on their payroll as of 2020.
Does not operate a hospital.
Does not operate a school.
Does not collect art.
Does not provide credit counseling.
Does not have foreign activities.
Is not a donor-advised fund.
Is not a private foundation.
Expenses are between $500,000 and $1,000,000+.
Revenue is between $500,000 and $1,000,000+.
Revenue less expenses is -$122,436.
The CEO remuneration plan within the organization is subject to review and approval by an independent source.
The organization elects its board members.
The organization has a written policy that describes how long it will retain documents.
The organization has 11 independent voting members.
The organization was formed in 1990.
The organization has a written policy that addresses conflicts of interest.
The organization is required to file Schedule B.
The organization is required to file Schedule O.
The organization engages in lobbying activities.
The organization pays $468,461 in salary, compensation, and benefits to its employees.
The organization pays $7,029 in fundraising expenses.
The organization provides Form 990 to its governing body.
The organization has minutes of its meetings.
The organization has a written whistleblower policy.
The organization's financial statements were reviewed by an accountant.

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