New Mexico Acequia Association

What New Mexico Acequia Association does

New Mexico Acequia Association (NMAA) is a nonprofit membership organization headquartered in Santa Fe, New Mexico that protects traditional acequia irrigation systems, water rights, and the cultural heritage of land-based communities across Northern and Central New Mexico. The organization operates a portfolio of programmatic offerings including the Los Sembradores Farmer Training Program (built on an 18-point curriculum covering soil health, irrigation, seed saving, and traditional food processing), the Acequia Governance Project (technical assistance on bylaws, water rights documentation, mapping, and one-on-one consulting), Youth Education programs (Acequia Youth Conservation Corps, Acequia Culture Youth Leadership Institute, Sembrando Semillas, and the Acequia Career & Livelihood Program), Legal Services, and Policy Advocacy (legislative bill tracking and lobbying). NMAA also hosts the annual Congreso de las Acequias statewide membership gathering and the Acequia Youth Conference.

NMAA serves a diverse constituency of acequia parciantes and mayordomos, young farmers from acequia communities, individual farmers and ranchers seeking USDA program assistance, and rural Hispanic and Indigenous land-grant communities. Membership is open to anyone, not only water right holders. Revenue is generated entirely through three nonprofit streams: individual donations, annual membership dues, and government grants including state legislative appropriations via the Acequia and Community Ditch Infrastructure Fund (ACDIF) administered by the New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission, federal disaster recovery assistance following the 2022 Hermit's Peak Calf Canyon Fire, and USDA outreach funding through partnerships with NRCS and FSA. Services are delivered directly by NMAA's 9-person staff through workshops, on-farm training at demonstration sites such as Chicoyole Farm and Don Bustos Farm in Chamisal, community organizing, and digital channels including the lasacequias.org website, newsletters, and YouTube. The organization has no underlying technology product; its value is delivered through human expertise, curated content such as the Acequia Governance Handbook, and partnership-enabled data products such as the Santa Cruz Basin Seasonal Climate Bulletin produced with CLIMAS and the South Central Climate Adaptation Science Center.

Name

New Mexico Acequia Association

Legal name

New Mexico Acequia Association

Website

https://lasacequias.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

New Mexico Acequia Association is a Santa Fe-based nonprofit that protects traditional acequia irrigation systems, water rights, and cultural heritage across Northern and Central New Mexico through farmer training, youth education, governance assistance, legal services, and policy advocacy, funded by donations, memberships, and government grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Fe

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations: The organization accepts donations from individuals and supporters to help fund programs including the Acequia Governance Project, Youth Education programs, and the Los Sembradores Farmer Training Program.
2. Membership Fees: Annual membership dues from individuals and acequia organizations who join to support the movement and access organizational resources.
3. Government Grants: NMAA receives funding through legislative appropriations, including the Acequia and Community Ditch Infrastructure Fund (ACDIF) and Acequia and Community Ditch Education Program at DFA, as well as federal disaster recovery assistance programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

NMAA is a nonprofit membership organization that protects acequias and water rights in New Mexico through a portfolio of community programs. Its core offerings include the Los Sembradores Farmer Training Program (18-point curriculum), the Acequia Governance Project (bylaws, mapping, technical assistance), Youth Education Programs, Legal Services, Policy Advocacy, and the annual Congreso de las Acequias. The organization also produces specialized climate bulletins and provides USDA technical assistance for acequia farmers and ranchers.

Product overview

The New Mexico Acequia Association is a non-profit membership organization offering a portfolio of programs and services to protect water rights and support acequia communities across New Mexico. The core offerings include the Los Sembradores Farmer Training Program for hands-on agricultural education, the Acequia Governance Project providing technical assistance on bylaws and water rights, Youth Education Programs with culturally relevant curricula, Legal Services, Policy Advocacy, and the annual Congreso de las Acequias gathering. Additional services include the Acequia Farms, Food & Seeds Program with USDA partnerships, Infrastructure Assistance for funding applications, and the Acequia Governance Handbook. The organization primarily serves acequia parciantes (water right holders), commissioners, mayordomos, and youth throughout Northern and Central New Mexico.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Los Sembradores Farmer Training Project: Hands-on farmer training program cultivating a new generation of farmers with roots in acequia customs and traditions.
• Congreso de las Acequias
• Acequia Youth Conservation Corps
• Acequia Culture Youth Leadership Institute
• Que Vivan las Acequias Awards

Products and services

• Los Sembradores Farmer Training Program Hands-on agricultural training program using an 18-point curriculum covering farm and business planning, season extension, soil health, irrigation methods, equipment maintenance, planting and harvesting techniques, organic pest management, marketing, seed saving, and traditional food processing. Participants learn from experienced mentors at demonstration sites including Chicoyole Farm in Chamisal, NM. Designed for aspiring farmers from acequia communities.
• Acequia Governance Project Technical assistance program providing acequia communities with support on bylaws development, water rights documentation, acequia mapping, one-on-one consulting, and legal assistance for governance strengthening. Serves acequia mayordomos, commissioners, and parciantes.
• Youth Education Programs Suite of culturally relevant and place-based educational programs including the Acequia Youth Conservation Corps, Acequia Culture Youth Leadership Institute, Youth Presentations and Curriculum, Sembrando Semillas project, Acequia Career and Livelihood Program, and other youth opportunities. Designed for young people from acequia communities.
• Legal Services Legal assistance and support for acequias including guidance on water rights, acequia governance, and regulatory compliance. Provided by NMAA staff attorneys including support for acequia elected officials and Spanish-language acequia governance proceedings.
• Policy Advocacy Grassroots community organizing and legislative advocacy for acequias, including bill tracking, lobbying, and policy efforts at state and federal levels. Covers water rights protections, cannabis regulation water protections, water quality standards, redistricting, and water lease due process.
• Congreso de las Acequias Annual statewide membership meeting bringing together acequias and supporters to celebrate culture, share knowledge, and plan for collective future. Functions as the organization's primary member gathering and cultural celebration event.
• Acequia Farms, Food & Seeds Program Program supporting acequia farmers and ranchers with USDA technical assistance, seed saving initiatives, and local food systems development including seed exchanges (e.g., Owingeh Ta Pueblos y Semillas Seed Exchange). Includes USDA Technical Assistance for Acequia Farmers, Ranchers & Foresters.
• Acequia Infrastructure Assistance Assistance with the Acequia and Community Ditch Infrastructure Fund (ACDIF), helping acequias navigate funding applications for planning, engineering design, and construction of irrigation works including dams, reservoirs, diversions, and ditch repairs. Also supports disaster recovery coordination with FEMA, NMDOT, and NRCS.
• Acequia Governance Handbook Comprehensive reference document providing guidance on acequia governance, bylaws development, easements, and spring cleaning (la limpia) practices. Serves as a handbook supporting the Acequia Governance Project.

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles8 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through the Acequia Farmer and Rancher Outreach project to provide support to farmers and ranchers with operations, training workshops, and USDA program participation assistance including EQIP, RCPP, and high tunnel funding. NMAA helps historically underserved producers navigate NRCS applications.
• USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNMAA provides outreach and assistance to acequia farmers and ranchers seeking to access FSA financial services and programs.
• High Water MarkcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerWorks on contract with NMAA to assist acequias with disaster recovery efforts following the Hermit's Peak Calf Canyon Fire, helping navigate FEMA, NMDOT, and NRCS programs.
• New Mexico Association of Conservation Districts (NMACD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead partner on NRCS Resource Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) grant focused on acequias. Works with ISC, local SWCDs, and NMAA for outreach and acequia irrigation improvements.
• New Mexico Farmers' Marketing Association (NMFMA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Covid-19 Local Food Supply Chain Response Fund Infrastructure Grant Program to support farmers and ranchers including acequia producers.
• New Mexico State University (NMSU) College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental SciencescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNMSU published decade-long research on acequias affirming traditional knowledge. Partnership includes hosting online events to discuss research and future research topics benefiting acequias.
• CLIMAS (Climate Assessment for the Southwest)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership producing the Santa Cruz Basin Seasonal Climate Bulletin with geographically specific climate projection data to inform acequia water management and agricultural decisions.
• South Central CASC (Climate Adaptation Science Centers)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on climate resilience project producing Santa Cruz Basin Seasonal Climate Bulletin for acequias and Santa Cruz Irrigation District.
• Santa Cruz Irrigation District (SCID)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership on the Acequia Drought Resilience Project, creating climate bulletins tailored to inform SCID water management decisions and acequia farmers.
• Greenroots InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in climate bulletin collaboration and Santa Cruz Basin Seasonal Climate Bulletin project, representing Santa Cruz Land Grant and multiple stream systems.
• Rio Quemado, Rio en Medio, Rio Frijoles, Rio Santa Cruz Stream Systems Acequia AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partners providing leadership and insights for the Acequia Drought Resilience Project and Santa Cruz Basin Seasonal Climate Bulletin.
• Taos SCRAPSminorOthersLocal organization turning food waste into compost, supporting sustainable farming practices at partner farms visited by Los Sembradores.
• ASFC (Agriculture from the School for Agroecological Research)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners who created the 18-point curriculum used by the Los Sembradores Farmer Training Program, based on the farm model pioneered by Don Bustos.
• Interstate Stream Commission (ISC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency administering the Acequia and Community Ditch Infrastructure Fund (ACDIF) and other acequia infrastructure programs. NMAA assists acequias with applications and advocates for adequate staffing.
• New Mexico State Engineer (OSE)coreOthersState agency overseeing water rights and administration. NMAA advocates for acequia interests, water lease due process, and provides input on water quality standards.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Quivira Coalition: New Mexico-based nonprofit advancing land stewardship and regenerative agriculture through apprenticeship, education, and policy work — closely aligned with NMAA's farmer training and acequia/community land ethic.
• Communities for Clean Water: New Mexico coalition in which NMAA is a member, advocating for stronger surface water quality standards. Directly comparable constituency and water-policy advocacy model.
• Greenroots Institute: Santa Cruz Land Grant organization partnering with NMAA on the Santa Cruz Basin Seasonal Climate Bulletin; comparable constituency, water-rights focus, and climate-adaptation programming.
• Sangre de Cristo Acequia Association: Another New Mexico acequia-focused membership association serving traditional irrigation communities with governance, water rights, and cultural support. Highly comparable mission and constituency to NMAA.
• New Mexico Association of Conservation Districts (NMACD): Statewide association representing conservation districts and supporting NRCS-aligned programs for soil, water, and range stewardship. NMAA is already a lead partner with NMACD on RCPP grants, reflecting operational overlap.
• New Mexico Land Grant Council: Coalition of Hispanic land grant communities in New Mexico that manages common lands and water rights — directly comparable constituency and overlapping policy/water rights agenda with NMAA.

Emerging players

• National Young Farmers Coalition: National membership organization supporting young and beginning farmers with policy advocacy, training, and USDA navigation — directly comparable to NMAA's Los Sembradores and youth programming at a national scale.

Regional players

• Rio Grande Water Fund: Regional collaborative restoring forested watersheds in the Rio Grande basin to secure water supplies. Operates in the same geography and mission space (watershed/water security) as NMAA, though with a forest-restoration rather than acequia-governance focus.

Others

• Holistic Management International: Nonprofit promoting regenerative land management and farmer/rancher training worldwide — thematic peer to NMAA's traditional-knowledge-based farmer training curriculum.

Broad incumbents

• American Farmland Trust: National nonprofit protecting farmland, advancing regenerative agriculture, and shaping federal farm policy. Overlaps with NMAA on agricultural preservation and USDA program advocacy at a much broader scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@NewMexicoAcequiaAssociation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/new-mexico-acequia-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about New Mexico Acequia Association