GILA Community Foundation
GILA Community Foundation is a public charity based in Silver City, New Mexico. It describes its work as strengthening communities across southwest New Mexico through philanthropy, strategic grants, and capacity-building programs, and its 2025 filing reports grants to organizations in New Mexico.
Key facts about GILA Community Foundation
In short: GILA Community Foundation gave $228K across 20 grants in 2025 (avg $11K), mostly in New Mexico. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 81-0851813
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $228,000
- Grants made (2025)
- 20
- Average grant
- $11,400
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $1,142,744
- Primary geography
- New Mexico (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- For the Spring 2026 Southline cycle, applicants were directed to use the foundation’s grant application system. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- May 15, 2026 (Spring 2026 Southline cycle; past).
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$1.1M
+18.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$228K
+180.2% YoY
Grant Count
20
Avg Grant Size
$11K
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated mission is to “build a stronger, more resilient community by fostering sustainable philanthropic growth.” Its 2025 filing describes work that includes emergency relief and food-insecurity assistance, nonprofit capacity building, and community outreach and philanthropic development. The filing says its permanent endowments support donor-designated purposes such as community leadership, libraries, youth programs, arts and culture, human services, recreation, and other charitable initiatives throughout southwest New Mexico.
The foundation’s 2025 grantees illustrate a range of supported work. Mimbres Region Arts Council says it provides visual and performing arts programs; Casa de Peregrinos says it provides groceries to food-insecure residents and advocates to alleviate hunger; and El Refugio says it provides advocacy, education, and services for people affected by domestic and sexual violence. Other 2025 recipients included Deming Silver Linings, which says it serves homeless people in Luna County, and Deming Animal Guardians, which says it works to reduce companion-animal suffering and overpopulation.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation gave **$228,000 through 20 grants**. Grants ranged from **$7,500 to $30,000**, with a median of **$10,000**. All reported grant dollars went to recipients in New Mexico. The largest listed awards were **$30,000 each** to Mimbres Region Arts Council for a Slade Stage project at Whiskey and Virus Theater for new seating. Other listed awards included $10,000 to Casa de Peregrinos for a food pantry-related purpose and $10,000 to El Refugio for operations.
Review Cycle
May 15, 2026 (Spring 2026 Southline cycle; past).
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation describes its work as serving southwest New Mexico. Its Spring 2026 Southline grant opportunity listed organizations serving Grant, Hidalgo, Luna, and Doña Ana counties as eligible. The foundation’s 2025 grants all went to recipients in New Mexico.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 20 itemized 2025 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $81K (2024) to $228K (2025). In 2025 it made 20 grants totaling $228K.
Hatched bars: grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Mimbres Region Arts Council ($30K). Together the top 10 received $140K.
Grant Size Distribution
20 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 20 grants of 20 (100%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Mimbres Region Arts Council Silver City, NM | Slade Stage project at Whiskey | $30,000 |
| Virus Theater Silver City, NM | 30 something award for new seating | $30,000 |
| Cancer Support of Deming and Deming, NM | Southline Grant Award: Critical | $10,000 |
| Casa de Peregrinos Inc Las Cruces, NM | Southline Grant Award; Food Panty | $10,000 |
| Chiricahua Apache National Fo Santa Clara, NM | Grant for Chiricahua Apache Na | $10,000 |
| Deming Luna County Commission Deming, NM | Southline Community Grant Cycle; No | $10,000 |
| El Calvario Community & Immig Las Cruces, NM | Southline Grant Commercial Kitchen | $10,000 |
| El Refugio Inc Silver City, NM | Southline Grant: Operations | $10,000 |
| Silver City Gospel Mission Silver City, NM | Southline Grant Food Insecurity | $10,000 |
| Silver Regional Sexual Assa Silver City, NM | Southline Grant SA Support Services | $10,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,142,744 | $1,100,494 | $980,612 | $228,000; 20 grants |
| 2024 | $962,494 | $412,091 | $414,423 | 0 grants reported |
| 2023 | $848,566 | $476,147 | $476,475 | 0 grants reported |
The 2025 filing states that all assets were held as permanent endowments, with no board-designated or term endowments.
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $1,142,744 | $962,494 | $848,566 |
| Revenue | $1,100,494 | $412,091 | $476,147 |
| Expenses | $980,612 | $414,423 | $476,475 |
| Net Investment Income | $150,879 | $36,725 | $4,445 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 10, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS January 30, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS September 9, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS September 9, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 15, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 8, 2026)
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Jamie Sechrist as Executive Director. It lists Margaret E Hutchinson as Secretary and Dana Rosser, Lloyd Parker, Hugh Epping, Vladimir Gnilozubov, Nick Seibel, Pamela Williams, April Crosby, and Jennifer Klotz as directors.
GILA Community Foundation is led by Jamie Sechrist, Executive Director since 2025 (on filings since 2024); 1 of 14 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Jamie Sechrist
Executive Director
Director → Executive Director, 2025
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$81K (2025)
Stephen Lindsey
Chairman
Director → Board Chair, 2024
Board Chair → Chairman, 2025
On filings since 2023
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Nick Seibel
Director
Director → Vice Chair, 2022
Vice Chair → Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Priscilla Lucero
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lloyd Parker
Director
Director → Secretary, 2022
Secretary → Director, 2025
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Hugh Epping
Director
On filings since 2022
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Dana Rosser
Director
Director → Vice Chair, 2024
Vice Chair → Director, 2025
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Pamela Williams
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Vladimir Gnilozubov
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
April Crosby
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ike Foster
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jennifer Klotz
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Margaret E Hutchinson
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2025
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Katelyn Church
Treasurer
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (17)
- Former: Shelby Hallmark (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Leonard Lambert (2021–2024) — Treasurer
- Former: Lara Leavitt (2024) — Assistant to Executive Director
- Former: Barrett Brewer (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Len Lambert (2020–2023) — Treasurer
- Former: Mary E. Hotvedt (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Steve Chavira (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Mattie Eagle (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Susie Trujillo (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Lauro Phelps (2021) — Director
- Former: Valerie Plame (2021) — Director
- Former: Fred Barraza (2020) — Vice Chair
- Former: Jane Gillespie (2020) — Director
- Former: Patrick Conlin (2020) — Director
- Former: Stacey Cox (2020) — Board Chair
- Former: Tyler Bingham (2020) — Director
- Former: Victoria B. Johnson (2020) — Secretary
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $81K, to Jamie Sechrist (Executive Dir.).
Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 1767, Silver City, NM 88062
Phone: (575) 956-6095
Website: https://gilacf.org
Frequently asked questions about GILA Community Foundation
How much does GILA Community Foundation give each year?
GILA Community Foundation gave $228K across 20 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it reported $81K in grants paid.
What is GILA Community Foundation's typical grant size?
GILA Community Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $11,400, across 20 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Where does GILA Community Foundation give grants?
GILA Community Foundation gives mostly in New Mexico: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Silver City, NM (8 grants), Las Cruces, NM (5 grants), Deming, NM (4 grants) and Santa Clara, NM (2 grants).
Does GILA Community Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 20 grants with a stated purpose on GILA Community Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Southline Grant: Food insecurity" (3 grants).
Who are GILA Community Foundation's largest grantees?
GILA Community Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Mimbres Region Arts Council ($30,000), Virus Theater ($30,000) and Cancer Support of Deming and ($10,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 31% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is GILA Community Foundation?
GILA Community Foundation reported $1.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $1.1M.
What does GILA Community Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated mission is to “build a stronger, more resilient community by fostering sustainable philanthropic growth.” See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from GILA Community Foundation?
For the Spring 2026 Southline cycle, applicants were directed to use the foundation’s grant application system. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is GILA Community Foundation's EIN?
GILA Community Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-0851813. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Here's the math on researching GILA Community Foundation by hand.
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