Local Focus Groups Help Shape Taos County Economic Priorities

Working-age Taos County residents are leaving the county at significant rates because of high housing costs and limited economic opportunities—and they have not had a meaningful voice in shaping the local decisions that affect them. Recognizing this gap, a member of the County’s Economic Mobility & Opportunity team developed a solution: engage residents with lived experience to help shape countywide economic mobility priorities and projects. LOR’s funding will help Taos County contract seven local co-facilitators to recruit residents for seven community focus groups, co-facilitate sessions alongside a professional research partner, and support the distribution of a countywide survey. Funding will also cover participant stipends, Spanish translation services, childcare, gas cards, food, venue rentals, and printed materials, reducing practical barriers to participation for the residents the project aims to engage. This community-driven process will produce actionable recommendations to guide future economic mobility efforts and help long-term Taos County residents find pathways to stay and thrive in their community.

This project is fiscally sponsored by Downtown Taos.