Listen Locally
Community officers are local to the places they serve, helping LOR hear about emerging needs and resident-led ideas early.
HeyTaos Free Guide
Taos, New Mexico
LOR Foundation in Taos
LOR Foundation is a private foundation that works with Taos residents and organizations to turn locally identified problems and ideas into practical community solutions, including funding, connections, and other resources when appropriate.
How LOR helps
Local ideas lead the work.
LOR is a private foundation whose name reflects its values: Livability, Opportunity, and Responsibility. Its current public framework is Listen Locally, Act Quickly, and Share Widely.
Act Quickly
LOR aims to move quickly on community-defined priorities. Support can include funding, connections, expertise, or other useful resources.
Share Widely
LOR shares what it learns and connects communities with advocates, experts, and other funders to extend local impact.
Where ideas can fit
LOR works across eight issue areas.
Ideas may come from individuals, local government, nonprofits, businesses, and other organizations. LOR groups its work across eight broad areas of community life.
- Economy
- Education
- Engagement
- Environment
- Health
- Housing
- Transportation
- Water
Recent Taos solutions
What local ideas look like in practice.
These are the first three projects currently listed on LOR Foundation’s Taos page, showing how community-defined ideas can move into practical local work.
Engagement · In Progress
Taos Plaza Events Strengthen Community Connections
LOR support will help Taos MainStreet purchase reusable event equipment and supplies for free “Coffee on the Plaza” gatherings designed to strengthen local connection on Taos Plaza.
Taos Plaza events projectWater · In Progress
Rio Grande Water Quality Monitoring
Monitoring equipment, laboratory supplies, sampling materials, and project support will help local partners better understand changing river conditions.
Rio Grande monitoring projectWater · In Progress
Pet Waste Program Improves Rio Fernando Watershed Health
Funding will help Amigos Bravos expand the Rio Fernando Pet Waste Program with new disposal stations, cleanup supplies, sanitation materials, and support for weekly volunteer work.
Rio Fernando pet waste projectProject titles, local champions, dates, amounts, and status were verified against LOR Foundation’s official Taos pages on August 9, 2026.
LOR in Action
When Taos stopped recycling plastic, locals turned waste into building material.
Taos Initiative for Life Together tested the idea with a shed built from 450 plastic-filled bags, then used 2,000 bags for windbreaks, sound barriers, and benches at the Questa Farmers Market.
LOR support helped the group purchase a mechanical baler and expand the Repurposing Plastic Project. LOR later reported that the program had grown to nearly 300 members, showing how a locally identified problem could become a practical community response.
Read the official LOR story
Your local connection
Meet Sonya Struck
LOR Foundation Taos Community Officer
Born and raised in Taos, Sonya brings local knowledge and more than 15 years of experience in corporate finance and operations management to her role. Before joining LOR, her banking career led to a senior position at Centinel Bank of Taos.
As Taos Community Officer, Sonya engages residents and organizations to identify urgent needs and help local ideas move toward useful resources and action. Her community involvement has also included the Taos Charter School Governing Council, Taos Chamber of Commerce, Taos MainStreet, and Enchanted Circle Community Organizations Active in Disaster (ECCOAD).
Start a conversation
What problem are you trying to solve in Taos?
You do not need a finished proposal to begin. LOR invites Taos residents and organizations to share the problem they see and the idea they want to explore.
Free Guide.
This HeyTaos page is independent editorial coverage. For current programs, eligibility, project information, and appointments, use LOR Foundation’s official website.