05/18/2026
Last week, we celebrated our 2026 Meta Data Center Community Action Grant recipients at the Los Lunas Data Center — and it was a joy to bring together this year’s grant recipients, community partners, Meta team members, and local leaders!
Through our Data Center Community Action Grants program, Meta provides funding for nonprofits and schools — addressing critical community needs by putting technology to use for community benefit, enabling people to build strong, sustainable communities, improving local STEAM education — to support the long-term vitality of Valencia County. Learn more on this year’s projects:
Belen Consolidated Schools: To engage gifted K–8 students in hands-on aerospace engineering and satellite design to master the principles of physics, robotics and orbital mechanics.
Belen Consolidated Schools - High Schools: To empower high school students to design and operate a solar-powered greenhouse that integrates renewable energy engineering with sustainable agricultural research.
Belen Public Library: To foster lifelong learning and innovation by expanding diverse collections and enhancing the community makerspace with modern technology and art supplies.
Explora: To introduce students and educators to computer science through collaborative programming, game design and immersive workshops with industry professionals.
Los Lunas Museum of Heritage and Arts, Government: To bring hands-on robotics, coding, and 3D design experiences directly to middle school classrooms through a community-enhanced learning initiative.
Los Lunas Schools: To provide students with immersive work-based learning and industry-recognized certifications through virtual reality career exploration and technical training.
National Museum of Nuclear Science & History: To expand equitable access to high-quality STEAM education by providing monthly free admission days for Valencia County residents, students and veterans.
New Mexico Technology Council: To equip high school students and young adults with practical AI skills, ethical literacy and technical guidance to prepare for the future digital workforce.
We R4Creating: To empower educators and students through a “train-the-trainer” model that establishes sustainable, student-led STEM leadership and peer-mentoring programs.
Valencia County Amateur Radio Association: To expand the middle school amateur radio and robotics elective, providing students with technical skills, field trips and FCC licensure opportunities.
Valencia County Literacy Council: To advance digital equity by strengthening rural tech centers and launching a mobile library that delivers technology and tutoring to isolated adult learners.
Valencia Shelter Services: To create secure digital pathways that link rural survivors to 24/7 crisis intervention, virtual advocacy and technology-driven safety planning.
WeCare4U: To transform local classrooms into real-world science labs where students test, map, and present water quality data to drive community environmental action.
Our thanks to Los Lunas Mayor Charles Griego for joining us and warmly welcoming the recipients.