Tourism Department ready to elevate more cleanup efforts across New Mexico
SANTA FE, NM – The New Mexico Tourism Department (NMTD) is awarding $831,874 through the New Mexico Clean & Beautiful Program to a record 76 community partners for beautification and litter reduction initiatives for fiscal year 2027.
Roughly 72% of grant funding for FY27 is dedicated towards reducing waste, beautifying communities and eliminating litter. The remaining grant funding is directed towards youth empowerment initiatives and increasing local program capacity.
“New Mexico communities understand that keeping New Mexico clean and beautiful boosts state pride for residents and creates a more pleasant experience for travelers,” said Acting Tourism Secretary Lancing Adams. “We’re happy to contribute to a cleaner New Mexico that everyone can be proud of.”
Twelve of the 76 grant recipients are first-time program participants, which is also a record for NMTD.
First-time program participant Otero County will dedicate its grant funding towards a targeted billboard campaign along US Highway 82 and US Highway 54 to remind residents about proper secured-load practices, which is a key contributor to roadside litter.
NMTD welcomes a record seven Pueblo communities to the New Mexico Clean & Beautiful Program in FY27. Jemez Pueblo, Santa Ana Pueblo, Zia Pueblo and Pueblo of Isleta, join the program as first-time partners alongside Pueblo of Acoma, Pueblo of Pojoaque and Santo Domingo Pueblo.
In FY26, Santo Domingo Pueblo dedicated part of its grant funding towards the launch of the inaugural Keep Kewa Beautiful initiative, which activated local youth engagement to tackle litter in the area. Through the first year, Keep Kewa Beautiful mobilized 276 volunteers through 21 community events to remove 228 bags of litter. Santo Domingo Pueblo plans to build on the success of the Keep Kewa Beautiful initiative by committing $20,000 of its total grant funding to youth group stipends and operationalizing youth leadership pathways. This is the largest financial commitment by any individual grant recipient to the goal of youth empowerment for FY27, and Santo Domingo Pueblo is quickly establishing an ideal model for how communities can leverage Clean & Beautiful grant funding to invest in local youth.
Click here for the complete list of FY27 Clean & Beautiful grant recipients.