@time just named LOR founder Amy Wyss to the second-annual 2026 TIME100 Philanthropy List. This list of the most influential leaders in philanthropy recognizes singular figures who are shaping the future of giving. Wyss was recognized in the Innovator category for the LOR Foundation's work supporting rural solutions.
The full list will appear in the May 25, 2026 issue of TIME, available on newsstands on Friday, May 15, and now at ti.me/100-philanthropy.
📸 by John Dolan
April is National Volunteer Month. 🙋 In rural communities, local leadership isn’t a trend—it’s how things get done.
Last year, LOR supported 460 people leading 620 community projects across the Mountain West. That’s 460 neighbors who raised their hands and said, “I’ve got an idea.” 💡
LOR helps them turn those ideas into action fast. Most eligible projects receive funding in under 30 days, so volunteers can start making a difference right away.
📍 Monte Vista, CO | Cortez, CO | Questa, NM
#NationalVolunteerMonth #VolunteerImpact #CommunityLeadership #RuralCommunities #MountainWest #LORFoundation
Every big change starts small. 🌱 Every solution begins with a seed—sometimes literally!
Whether it’s launching a compost class, restoring beloved local trails, or teaching the next generation to care for the land through time-honored farming practices, every community-led project LOR supports begins with a simple idea.
We can’t wait to see which ideas take root this spring across our Mountain West communities! 🥬 🌼 🫘
📍 Taos, NM | Lander, WY | Monte Vista, CO
#CommunityImpact #MountainWest #SeedsOfChange
We're springing forward this Sunday! ⏰🌼🕰️🌸 And as the days get longer, so do the possibilities!
In rural communities across the Mountain West, neighbors are turning great ideas into real community projects every day. What could take root in your town this spring?
📍Questa, NM | Weiser, ID | Monte Vista, CO
#SpringForward #MountainWest #RuralCommunity #LocallyLed
All the snow talk from out east has us feeling a little nostalgic for our own chilly days across the Mountain West. ❄️ From portable heaters to winter craft markets and trail maintenance, winter has a way of sparking some of our most creative community projects. Browse our favorite cold-weather solutions (or share your own) at lorfoundation.org. ⛄️🧣🌨️
📍 Lander, WY | Questa, NM | Weiser, ID | Taos, NM | Libby, MT
#MountainWest #WinterInTheWest #SnowDay #RuralAmerica
Galentine’s Day is tomorrow, and we’re celebrating the incredible women who strengthen communities across the Mountain West. ❤️💪🏻🏔️
Women play a central role in volunteering and community action; organizing, advocating, caring for neighbors, and stepping up to ensure local needs are met. We see it every day at LOR as women of all ages and backgrounds bring forward bold ideas and lead projects that make life better for everyone.
We’re honored to support their vision and leadership as they turn compassion into action and ideas into impact. ✨ #galentinesday #womenincommunity #mountainwest #womenwholead
SMALL TOWN, BIG IDEA: In Taos, New Mexico, an innovative electrical co-op is launching a home battery initiative to protect medically vulnerable residents.
More than 4.5 million U.S. households that rely on electricity for medical devices report experiencing outages that put their health at risk. For these households, a power outage is not an inconvenience, but a medical emergency that can shut off oxygen concentrators and life-sustaining devices. This is especially true for residents of rural communities who typically lack easy access to backup options in the case of an emergency.
In Taos, New Mexico, between 2020 and 2024, unplanned power outages in Taos increased by 51%, jeopardizing the health of some of community’s most vulnerable residents, including those dependent on oxygen concentrators, dialysis machines, and other life-sustaining equipment.
Recognizing the critical need, staff with Kit Carson Electric Cooperative came up with a plan to launch a pilot program that would install home battery backup systems for five households with medically vulnerable residents. The systems will provide up to eight hours of backup power during outages, while excess energy will be returned to the grid. If the model proves effective, Kit Carson hopes to scale their solution with additional funding, expanding protection for some of northern New Mexico’s most at-risk residents.
SMALL TOWN, BIG IDEA: In Questa, New Mexico, a youth internship program is preserving Questa's heritage and preparing the next generation of farmers.
In the town of 2,000, farmers and ranchers are, on average, among the oldest in the nation. As they begin to retire or leave the industry, very few young people are prepared to take their places—in part because of the cost of land and equipment but also because of a lack of training and knowledge.
Enter @cultivo_keepitgrowing . Launched in 2024 at Cerro Vista Farm as a training ground for youth interns, apprentices, and mentors, Cultivo is helping create Questa's next generation of farmers, and the produce grown through the program is sold at the @questafarmersmarket . “This really small experiment that we’re doing here can be part of a bigger solution,” says Gaea McGahee, Cultivo’s program director.
This kind of innovative program that can create an immediate impacts in a community is exactly the kind of project LOR is excited to support. Learn more about Cultivo’s efforts to preserve local agricultural knowledge and prepare the next generation of Questa farmers and ranchers at cultivoproject.org
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours from the LOR Foundation!
We are thankful for the opportunity to support the 350+ projects locals in the rural Mountain West have led already this year. Thank you for the incredible work!
📸 Photo by Craig Okraska
This Go, Baby, Go project led by Lander locals is just one of the more than 350 that LOR has supported in the Lander, and highlights the power an individual to spark change.
Of the seven communities LOR works with, Weiser, Idaho, is the newest. And what incredible work locals have already done in just about a year and a half!
This delightful letter from Weiser's Mayor Hibberd is generous to LOR, but really, those 26 ideas came from Weiser locals themselves who were willing to step up and lead a project that helped their neighbors. We're just happy to support the the people making a difference for Weiser—and all the communities where we work.
Read more at /content/lor-foundation-has-helped-city-26-projects-and-events or click the link in our bio.
