State launches five-session leadership training to tackle homelessness starting Jan. 30

New Mexico launched a statewide five-session leadership training series on Jan. 30 aimed at strengthening responses to homelessness and housing instability. The program, designed for nonprofit directors, managers and decision-makers serving people experiencing homelessness or housing instability, reached capacity with 50 leaders from across the state registering to take part.

The five-session series will cover leadership, data storytelling, equitable staffing, financial stewardship, and trauma-informed critical incident debriefing. The initiative combines expert-led training with facilitated peer conversations, creating space for leaders to share proven strategies, align efforts and address real-time challenges facing communities across the state. Gallup Sun reported that all sessions are delivered virtually.

Led by the Office of Housing in partnership with the New Mexico Highlands University Center for Excellence in Social Work and CNM Ingenuity, the project is funded by the Office of Housing within the Department of Workforce Solutions. The training was described in official materials as a paid, virtual series; Gallup Sun reports that participants who complete all five required sessions will receive a $500 stipend and educational credit.

NMDWS Cabinet Secretary Sarita Nair framed the program as responsive to provider needs. “The Office of Housing asked organizations who work to end homelessness all across the state what they need to thrive, and this training series was designed to provide the support they said they needed,” said NMDWS Cabinet Secretary Sarita Nair. “The training series supports community leaders with the tools and resources they need to strengthen their organizations and advance community-driven solutions.”

The first training session started Jan. 30. Gallup Sun reported that the next session, billed as a leadership community conversation, took place on Feb. 6. With virtual delivery, the series allows McKinley County nonprofit leaders and shelter managers to participate without travel, a practical feature for rural providers balancing tight budgets and on-the-ground service demands.

For local organizations, the combination of leadership coaching, data storytelling and financial stewardship aims to tighten grant stewardship and reporting, improve staff structures and support frontline caregiver resilience through trauma-informed debriefing. Reaching capacity with 50 registrants suggests strong demand among providers seeking practical tools to coordinate services, align resources and reduce duplication across municipal and tribal service areas.

What comes next for McKinley County is whether the Office of Housing expands cohorts or shares curricula and credits more broadly. Local directors who missed the initial roster may watch NMDWS channels for announcements and further opportunities; for now, the series represents a funded effort to lift organizational capacity and push toward community-driven solutions to homelessness across New Mexico.