El Ranchito de los Niños is dedicated to keeping brothers and sisters together in a stable home where they grow into adulthood together.
El Ranchito De Los Ninos Foundation’s recent giving is centered on one place and one mission: sustaining El Ranchito de los Niños in Los Lunas, New Mexico, so brothers and sisters can remain together in a stable home as they grow into adulthood. The two largest recent grants both went to El Ranchito De Los Ninos Inc. in Los Lunas, each labeled for general support of the organization. That pattern points to a funder that prioritizes core operating support over narrowly designated project funding. The foundation’s work aligns with children’s services, youth development, and community-based child welfare, especially foster care alternatives, sibling preservation, residential care, education support, and trauma-informed services. Its grantmaking also reflects a local focus: every grant in the provided data went to a recipient in New Mexico. The foundation’s leadership is listed as Kathy Mechenbier, and its public-facing programs include general one-time donations, monthly recurring donations, partnership opportunities, community-hosted fundraisers, and event sponsorship packages tied to its fundraising events.
A defining theme in the foundation’s grantmaking is general support for the children’s home itself. In 2024, it gave $925,399 to El Ranchito De Los Ninos Inc. for general support of El Ranchito de los Niños, Inc., following a $830,000 grant in 2023 with the same stated purpose. The foundation’s stated focus areas place children and youth at the center, with child welfare, foster care alternatives, sibling preservation, and residential care all part of its work. Education support and trauma-informed services also appear in the organization’s focus list, linking its funding to both day-to-day care and longer-term development for the children it serves. Because the recent grants are described as general support, the data suggests a preference for flexible funding rather than tightly restricted project grants.
The two recent grants shown are large and tightly grouped: the 25th percentile is $853,850, the median is $877,700, and the 75th percentile is $901,549. Both recent awards were made to the same recipient in Los Lunas, and both were for general support. The available data shows an ongoing relationship rather than one-off support, with grants recorded in both 2023 and 2024. The foundation operates as a private foundation with annual grants given of $1,755,399 and total assets of $4,224,401. Its public giving channels include one-time donations, monthly recurring donations, partnership support, and event sponsorships, all of which are marked as accepting unsolicited contributions.
$840K
$5M
$949K
$878K
Most grants fall between $854K and $902K, with a median of $878K.
25th Percentile
$854K
Median
$878K
75th Percentile
$902K
KATHY MECHENBIER
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The foundation’s giving is entirely local in the data provided: 100% of grants went to recipients in New Mexico, and New Mexico is also the top state by grant count. The recent grants both went to Los Lunas recipients, matching the foundation’s own headquarters city. No recipient countries outside the United States appear in the grant record provided. The geographic pattern is therefore concentrated in a single state and a single community, rather than spread across multiple regions.
Its stated focus areas are children and youth, foster care alternatives, sibling preservation, residential care / group home, education support, and trauma-informed services. The recent grants also show general support for El Ranchito de los Niños in Los Lunas, indicating a strong emphasis on the organization’s core operations.
The recent grant-size distribution is very high and tightly clustered: p25 is $853,850, median is $877,700, and p75 is $901,549. The two recent grants shown were $925,399 in 2024 and $830,000 in 2023.
The grant record provided is entirely local. All grants went to recipients in New Mexico, and the recent grants both went to Los Lunas organizations. The recipient country distribution is 100% United States.
Yes. The active programs list general one-time donations, monthly recurring donations, corporate and community partnerships, host-a-fundraiser opportunities, and charity cruise sponsorship packages. Each of these programs is marked as accepting unsolicited support.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Current and upcoming funding from El Ranchito de Los Ninos Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Companies, organizations, and community groups interested in supporting El Ranchito in various ways; specific criteria not stated.
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Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EL RANCHITO DE LOS NINOS INC | LOS LUNAS, NM | $840,000 | 2026 | SEE PART IV |
| EL RANCHITO DE LOS NINOS INC | LOS LUNAS, NM | $855,079 | 2025 | SEE PART IV |
| EL RANCHITO DE LOS NINOS INC | LOS LUNAS, NM | $925,399 | 2024 | FOR GENERAL SUPPORT OF EL RANCHITO DE LOS NINOS, INC. |
| EL RANCHITO DE LOS NINOS INC | LOS LUNAS, NM | $830,000 | 2023 | FOR GENERAL SUPPORT OF EL RANCHITO DE LOS NINOS, INC. |
FOR GENERAL SUPPORT OF EL RANCHITO DE LOS NINOS, INC.
FOR GENERAL SUPPORT OF EL RANCHITO DE LOS NINOS, INC.