Our History

Building a better future in New Mexico since 1986.

The Rio Grande Community Development Corporation (RGCDC) was initiated in 1986 by the Atrisco Land Rights Council and members of the community, to provide a vehicle for public and private resources to serve needs identified by residents and business owners of communities in the unincorporated South Valley of Bernalillo County.

The RGCDC became a New Mexico non-profit corporation on September 17th, 1986, and was designated as a 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization by the Internal Revenue Service in 1987. The organizing purpose became:

  • To promote community-wide interest for economic, social and environmental issues faced in the South Valley.
  • To expand opportunities to own, manage and operate businesses by developing entrepreneurial and management skills in addition to language and financial literacy.
  • To conduct educational efforts to eliminate prejudice and discrimination that will foster sound relationships among South Valley business and the financial communities.
  • To expand housing and social services, health and wellness programs and technical assistance, and to support other programs through gifts, contributions, loans and grants to further the primary purposes of RGCDC.

What We Have Achieved

  • Supported the development of the South Valley Pathways Collaborative (EleValle) to create collaborative planning and improvement of health policies in the South Valley.
  • Fundraised, organized, and, in partnership with Bernalillo County, built the South Valley Economic Development Center.
  • Helped create the South Valley Partners for Environmental Justice, which, from 2001 – 2010, did groundbreaking environmental monitoring work in the South Valley.
  • From 2003 to 2007, RGCDC organized consultants and volunteers organized for the Southwest Improvement Council, a community based council to identify and describe priority health concerns and develop strategic steps to address the issues.
  • Supported the development and establishment of Casa de Salud, a national best-practice South Valley health clinic.
  • Since 1991, provided a home for multiple community efforts, including Dragon Farm/Project Renaissance, Mountain View Community Action, KooKooee Community Education Association, JAZZ for Health, Centro Savila, Generation Justice, Delicious NM and others.
  • In 2008, with 1000 Friends of NM executed a food and fitness campaign to raise awareness of needs and importance of local food.
  • With St. Joseph’s Community Health Foundation, RGCDC built the Community Leadership Institute, focused on leadership development to support organizing, empowerment and local cultural needs.