Case Study
Project: Develop a State-Specific Resource Guide to Support Nonprofits Across New Mexico
Role: Project Director
Published: 2018
The Challenge:
New Mexico’s nonprofit sector was (and continues to be) one of the largest sources of employment (>9% ) but lacked a unified, state-specific guide to help nonprofit professionals and volunteers lead effectively and legally. As Director of the Center for Nonprofit Excellence, I led the development of the first-ever New Mexico Nonprofit Principles & Practices Guide (NMPPG) and its Companion Workbook to meet this need and strengthen nonprofit capacity statewide.
What I Led:
Coalition Building: Recruited and coordinated over 50 subject matter experts and volunteers, including nonprofit leaders, attorneys, finance professionals and policy advocates to develop sector-specific, legally accurate content.
Stakeholder Engagement: Secured buy-in and public advocacy from the Governor, Secretary of State, and Attorney General of New Mexico — ensuring alignment and authority for the guide.
Fundraising & Resource Development: Raised funds to support the development, printing and statewide distribution of both the guide and its workbook.
Team Leadership: Managed a cross-functional internal team of 6 staff and contractors to oversee writing, editing and production timelines from concept to completion.
Cross-State Learning: Consulted with national and state nonprofit associations to model best practices and customize for New Mexico’s unique needs.
Content Development: Contributed to writing and editorial to ensure the final product was thorough, accessible and technically sound.
Impact:
Successfully published and distributed the New Mexico Nonprofit Principles & Practices Guide and Companion Workbook — now widely adopted as a standard across the state by nonprofit professionals, boards, funders and networks statewide.
Provided a comprehensive, accessible tool that continues to serve thousands of nonprofit organizations, boards and funders.
Continues to serve as a cornerstone resource for legal compliance and operational excellence in the sector.
Strengthened alignment and accountability for New Mexico’s nonprofit ecosystem.
Reflections:
This project called on my top strengths: strategic planning, values-driven leadership, deep relationship-building and the ability to move large-scale initiatives from vision to implementation with lasting impact.
It affirmed that meaningful, community-serving tools are only possible when built through collaboration, clarity of purpose and shared ownership. The process was as important as the product — and both continue to serve as a model for inclusive, effective change.
