Land Grant Technical Assistance Program

NCNMEDD has been working closely with the Land Grant communities in New Mexico to help them become economically self-sufficient. The 22 existing Land Grants manage approximately 200,000 acres of land throughout the State.

In 2004, the New Mexico Legislature passed Senate Bill 142, which elevated Land Grants to the status of political subdivisions of the State. As political subdivisions, Land Grant communities became eligible for certain state and federal funds, and can now receive direct appropriations from the Legislature. The bill also allows Land Grant communities to zone common lands, provided they have a comprehensive plan approved by DFA’s Local Government Division.

With these new tools, Land Grant communities hope to develop community and economic development infrastructure.

To help with planning, NCNMEDD partnered with the Mexicano Land Education and Conservation Trust (MLECT). MLECT is a non-profit technical assistance and advocacy organization geared towards assisting Land Grant communities. In 2003, MLECT received a $150,000 grant from HUD for comprehensive and economic development plans for six communities.

NCNMEDD planning staff conducted a kickoff event on December 1, 2005 to begin work on the Special Appropriation from the 2005 legislative session for planning and technical assistance to Land Grants throughout the State. The kickoff event was held at the State Capitol in conjunction with the final Legislative Land Grant Interim Committee meeting. The purpose of the gathering was to bring Land Grants and State and Federal agencies together to discuss the new political subdivision status of Land Grants and to review the scope of work for the technical assistance project.

On December 8th and 9th NCNMEDD planning staff participated in the 2nd Annual Rural Hispanic Community and Economic Development Summit for Land Grants and Colonias Communities in Las Cruces. The Summit featured workshops in the areas of planning, infrastructure, housing and economic development. Approximately 110 participants attended the summit from around the State, including representatives from Land Grants, Colonias, Councils of Government, the US Department of  Housing and Urban Development, New Mexico Economic Development Department, USDA Rural Development, Small Business Administration, New Mexico Energy Minerals and Natural Resources Department and various other agencies.

For the next two and a half years, NCNMEDD staff used State funds to provide technical assistance to all of the Land Grant communities.  Arturo Archuleta assisted with the development of ICIP and comprehensive planning documents, helped communities obtain capital outlay funds and worked closely with the State Auditor’s Office to develop audit guidelines for Land Grants and other smaller units of government that were more appropriate to smaller budgets.  Archuleta also secured a USDA Collaborative Forest Restoration Program grant and was appointed to the national USDA committee that reviews the CFRP program.

For more information, contact Arturo Archuleta at 827-7313.

North Central NM Economic Development District, District 2
P.O. Box 5115 Santa Fe, NM 87502
Phone: 866-699-4927, 505-827-7313 | Fax: 505-827-7414
Barbara Deaux, Executive Director