Community Highlights

Workforce and Economic Development

The Laboratory invests and partners in workforce and economic development initiatives that train future employees, create jobs and help businesses grow.

• The Laboratory’s pipeline programs address critical skills for a growing workforce: 
• The Laboratory has four formal partnerships with regional colleges for workforce development pipeline programs.
• In partnership with NNSA, the Laboratory also provided funding for additional workforce development programs at 11 regional colleges.
• An agreement with Northern New Mexico College under the Department of Energy’s Mentor Protégé Program builds capacity for the college and supports workforce development in IT and cybersecurity areas.
• The Laboratory hosted 2,040 student interns.
• The New Mexico Small Business Assistance program assisted 110 for-profit businesses in New Mexico with access to subject matter experts and cutting-edge technologies at Los Alamos and Sandia national laboratories to solve technical challenges, attracting $14 million in new financing and creating or retaining 371 jobs. (2023 data, the latest available). 
• The Laboratory spent $1.05 billion on procurement in New Mexico in the 2024 fiscal year, including $636 million with New Mexico small businesses.
• The New Mexico Lab-Embedded Entrepreneur Program (New Mexico LEEP) announced the fellows in the program’s 2024 cohort. The program, offered at Los Alamos National Laboratory, provides a two-year fellowship for entrepreneurs focusing on deep tech for national security.

Community Giving

Laboratory employees are committed to community service and work to improve the quality of life for people in the region by giving their time, talent, and money to STEM projects and other nonprofit activities.

• Employees donated
• $2.6 million to nonprofit organizations in the 2024 employee giving campaign
• More than $400,000 to the Los Alamos Employees’ Scholarship Fund (LAESF) to provide scholarships for students from Northern New Mexico
• $30,157 and more than 2,690 toys for the holiday Toy Drive
• $36,791 for backpacks and school supplies for distribution to middle and elementary school students in need in 16 schools and school districts across the region
• The Community Technical Assistance program allowed nonprofit, tribal, and non-Federal government entities in Northern New Mexico to access the unique expertise and capabilities of the Laboratory on a variety of technical challenges at no cost to the organizations. Among the projects was a data sprint in which Laboratory data scientists partnered with New Mexico Highlands University, Los Alamos Public Library, and the Taos Center for the Arts.
• The Laboratory organized 18 blood drives with 918 donors giving 1,108 units of blood, enough to save 3,324 lives.
• The Laboratory’s Community Partnerships Office team hosted 40 employee volunteer events supporting local nonprofit organizations including The Food Depot, Española Humane, Santa Fe Animal Shelter, Habitat for Humanity of Santa Fe, San Martin de Porres Soup Kitchen, and The New Mexico Ramp Project.
• In the 2024 Laboratory Food Drive, employees donated $79,738 and 7,509 pounds of food, providing 289,000 meals to Northern New Mexicans. In addition, 37 employees took part in six volunteer events.

Support for Education

Triad made grants totaling $784,750 to 18 education nonprofits and organizations supporting education programs across Northern New Mexico.

Triad’s investment in the LANL Foundation supported a range of initiatives with the aim of unlocking the potential of the region’s young people in four areas: scholarships and post-graduation support, expanding access to college and career pathways, preparing and supporting teachers, and promoting STEM education. Initiatives include the following:

• Strengthening education opportunities with additional support for needs-based scholarships (both four-year, and two-year or trade certification) and support for LANL Scholars during their studies and after graduation
• The College, Career and Community Pathways Program expands career technical education opportunities through partnerships with high schools, higher education institutions, and education and workforce leaders
• Preparing and supporting teachers in Northern New Mexico by expanding the current National Board Certification (NBC) training programs
• Cultivating excellence in science teaching and learning in public schools through the Inquiry Science Education Consortium (ISEC) program
• Supporting the work of the Northern NM STEAM Coalition to nurture a thriving coalition for STEAM in the region

Support For Economic Diversity

Triad’s investment in the Regional Development Corporation (RDC) helped the regional economy throughout 2024:

• 58 regional businesses were awarded an average of $2,574 in Micro-Grant Fund grants to acquire services or equipment needed for growth.

• Eight regional businesses were awarded no-interest loans totaling $145,978 through the Technology and Manufacturing (TEAM) Fund which supports growth-oriented companies that are on track to add jobs, grow revenues, and attract additional funding/investment.

• Eight tribal member–owned businesses from six Northern New Mexico pueblos were awarded grants averaging $7,433 through the Tribal Economic Diversity Fund.

• Partnerships with five regional institutions under the Higher Education Workforce project provided funding for workforce training, internships, and education programs tailored to the region’s needs.

Support for Child Care

The Triad-supported child care center in Los Alamos is now fully open, serving 150 children. 

While priority is given to Lab employees, applications are open to everyone.

One of Triad's parent entities, the University of California, provided $2 million for the remodeling and furnishings at the center. Additionally, Triad's board of directors has pledged ongoing financial support for its operations. 

The facility is part of the effort to address the shortage of child care spaces in Northern New Mexico. Neither Los Alamos National Laboratory nor the Department of Energy are financially invested in the initiative.

Letter from the Triad Board Chair, Jay Sures

It has now been more than six years since Triad National Security, LLC took over the management and operation of Los Alamos National Laboratory. In that time, Triad has invested $14 million through its Community Commitment Plan expanding and enhancing the reach of the Laboratory’s community work in education, economic diversity, and community giving.

The three members of Triad—Battelle Memorial Institute, the Texas A&M University System, and the University of California—are all public service–oriented organizations, and Triad is committed to sustaining and deepening the Laboratory’s partnership with the community for the benefit of the region and the Laboratory.

In 2024 Triad invested $3.1 million in the region through support for organizations including our major partnerships with the LANL Foundation, the Regional Development Corporation and the United Way of Northern New Mexico. A list of our nonprofit grants and sponsorships is provided above.

 A particular highlight in 2024 was Triad and Triad member UC providing financial support to create a new child care center in Los Alamos. Expanded child care addresses a pressing need in the region and is essential to the Laboratory’s important national security mission—it means more caregivers will be able to pursue jobs at the Lab and that those employees can come to work confident that their kids are safe and happy.

Triad wholeheartedly supports the Laboratory’s continued commitment to be recognized as a force for good by Northern New Mexico communities, and we look forward to building on the impact of our investment in the years ahead.