About Prosperity Works
Since 1996, Prosperity Works has been working to build the capacity of organizations and advocating for policies that generate economic prosperity in New Mexico. We work to provide limited-income New Mexico households with social and financial assets to ensure sustainable, equitable solutions for building strong, thriving communities.
Prosperity Works uses out-of-poverty and ending-poverty initiatives to increase opportunities, knowledge, and relationships for all in New Mexico. Through our four main programs – our matched child savings accounts, our individual development accounts (IDAs), our fair lending options, and our energy savings solutions – we’re working towards stabilizing families and increasing financial stability that lasts for generations.
Prosperity Works operates with an amazing staff and an experienced board of directors, all of whom have a history of working with community-driven organizations across New Mexico.
Our History
Prosperity Works was founded by Ona Porter in 1996. Its advocacy framework started in 1987 when the first comprehensive study of kids and families in New Mexico was published, titled “Kids in Crisis: New Mexico’s Other Bomb” (learn more). After a year of research with the support of the Coalition For Children (now NM Voices for Children), Porter’s findings were published. The critical finding was that poverty was the root cause of all of the symptoms of child and family breakdown. Therefore, starting an organization with the goal of ending poverty in our state was a logical extension of her research. Ona knew from her work that there were successful policy strategies to end poverty.
Ona’s goal was to create social and economic conditions in our state so that families, communities, and businesses could thrive together. By removing barriers and creating pathways to opportunity and inclusion through high-impact out-of-poverty initiatives, Ona was able to build community engagement and collaboration to make this goal a reality.
Built by several leaders of the Community Action Agencies, the New Mexico Community Action Agency (NMCAA) was created. It expanded to include six tribes and tribal entities, an indigenous farmers organization, Central New Mexico Community College, Lutheran Advocacy Ministries, and more. After 11 years of hard work, the NMCAA wanted to expand to work with other community organizations and businesses outside of the limited CAA organizations and decided to rebrand as Prosperity Works to do so.
We now celebrate partners in our NM Assets Consortium who collaborate with us to deliver our programs. Our partners include community-based organizations, banks, credit unions, counties, cities, legislators, mayors, business people, and our state leaders.
Support Ona’s Legacy by giving to Prosperity Works today!
Our Founder – Ona Porter
Ona Porter started her career in education with roles from high school teacher to university administrator in Puerto Rico and New Mexico. From there she became the co-leader of the ABQ Area Indian Health Board for six years where she had the benefit of learning from the tribes they served. She was the founding Executive Director of the Coalition for Children (now New Mexico Voices for Children) and developed the Family Friendly Work Places with her wife, Miriam Rand.
After returning to the nonprofit world, Porter was recruited to lead New Mexico’s Community Action Association where she directed the resources of the $50 million network to end poverty rather than just taking the rough edges off. She led the transformation of New Mexico’s Community Action Association into Prosperity Works to broaden the scope and potential partnership opportunities beyond community action agencies. Ona has been a national leader on high-impact strategies that eliminate poverty for more than 20 years.
Today, Ona serves as our Founder Emerita & Clean Energy Leader working to lessen the energy burden for all New Mexicans through our proven capital stacking model to increase the energy efficiency of homes for our most vulnerable community members.
Our Goal
Our goal at Prosperity Works is to improve the social and economic conditions in our state so that families, communities, and businesses can thrive together. We aim to remove barriers and create pathways toward opportunity and inclusion in New Mexico by developing and deploying high-impact out-of-poverty initiatives.
We utilize policy advocacy, community engagement, litigation, and communication to achieve lasting systemic and institutional change.
