Rio Grande Foundation

Rio Grande Foundation
Basic facts
Location:	Albuquerque, New Mexico
Type:	501(c)(3)
Top official:	Paul J. Gessing, President
Founder(s):	Hal Stratton and Harry Messenheimer
Year founded:	2000
Website:	Official website

The Rio Grande Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization located in New Mexico. The group describes itself as "an economic policy think tank located in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The Foundation is affiliated with the U.S. nationwide State Policy Network."

Background

Hal Stratton and Harry Messenheimer founded the organization in 2000. Stratton was an attorney who was active in electoral politics as a member of the Republican Party, having previously served as a state representative and as state attorney general. Messenheimer was an economist who, at the time the organization was founded, taught at George Mason University.

As of September 2025, the Rio Grande Foundation described its mission as "to increase liberty and prosperity for all of New Mexico by informing citizens of the importance of individual freedom, limited government, and economic opportunity."

Leadership

As of September 2025, the following individuals held leadership positions at the Rio Grande Foundation:

• Paul J. Gessing, president
• Rebecca Dow, director of Opportunities for All Kids NM
• Jacqueline Pickrell, director of engagement
• Marina Herrera, director of development and communications

As of September 2025, the following individuals sat on the board of directors of the Rio Grande Foundation:

• Paul J. Gessing, president
• Julie Wright, chairwoman
• Barbara Ralph, treasurer
• David Hampton, secretary
• Tom Mullins
• Steve Dodson
• Harry Montoya

Work and activities

Legislative and policy work

Freedom Index

As of September 2025, the Rio Grande Foundation maintained the Freedom Index, a legislative scorecard rating New Mexico's state legislators on "issues of individual liberty and economic freedom during the New Mexico Legislative Session? View all representatives below or enter your address to find your specific representatives."

The Index rates individual bills on a +12 to -12 scale. Legislators gain points from supporting bills with a positive score and opposing bills with a negative score and lose points by opposing bills with a positive score and supporting bills with a negative score. As of September 2025, the rating metric for bills was as follows:

“

Does it create, expand, or enlarge any agency, board, program, function, or activity of government? Conversely, does it eliminate or curtail the size or scope of government? Does it transfer a function of the private sector to the government? Examples include government ownership or control of any providers of goods or services such as the Land Board’s purchase of a self-storage facility, mandatory emissions testing, or pre-kindergarten. Conversely, does it eliminate a function of government or return a function of government to the private sector? Does it give government any new, additional, or expanded power to prohibit, restrict, or regulate activities in the free market? Conversely, does it eliminate or reduce government intervention in the market? Does it increase barriers to entry into the market? Examples include occupational licensure, the minimum wage, and restrictions on home businesses. Conversely, does it remove barriers to entry into the market? Does it directly or indirectly create or increase any taxes, fees, or other assessments? Conversely, does it eliminate or reduce any taxes, fees, or other assessments? Does it increase government redistribution of wealth? Examples include the use of tax policy or other incentives to reward specific interest groups, businesses, politicians, or government employees with special favors or perks; transfer payments; and hiring additional government employees. Conversely, does it decrease government redistribution of wealth? Does it increase government spending (for objectionable purposes) or debt? Conversely, does it decrease government spending or debt? Does it in any way restrict public access to information related to government activity or otherwise compromise government transparency or accountability? Conversely, does it increase public access to information related to government activity or increase government transparency or accountability? Does it violate the principle of equal protection under the law? Examples include laws which discriminate or differentiate based on age, gender, or religion or which apply laws, regulations, rules, or penalties differently based on such characteristics. Conversely, does it restore or protect the principle of equal protection under the law? Does it directly or indirectly create or increase penalties for victimless crimes or non-restorative penalties for nonviolent crimes? Conversely, does it eliminate or decrease penalties for victimless crimes or nonrestorative penalties for non-violent crimes? Does it violate the spirit or the letter of either the United States Constitution or the New Mexico Constitution? Examples include restrictions on speech, public assembly, the press, privacy, private property, or firearms. Conversely, does it restore or uphold the protections guaranteed in US Constitution or the New Mexico Constitution? Does it violate the principles of federalism by increasing federal authority, yielding to federal blandishments, or incorporating changeable federal laws into New Mexico statutes or rules? Examples include citing federal code without noting as it is written on a certain date, using state resources to enforce federal law, and refusing to support and uphold the Tenth Amendment. Conversely, does it restore or uphold the principles of federalism?

”

Notable endorsements

See also: Ballotpedia: Our approach to covering endorsements

This section displays endorsements this organization made in elections within Ballotpedia's coverage scope. Know of one we missed? Click here to let us know.

Affiliations

As of September 2025, the Rio Grande Foundation is the only New Mexico organization affiliated with the State Policy Network.

Finances

The following is a breakdown of the Rio Grande Foundation's revenues and expenses from 2001 to 2023. The information comes from ProPublica

Rio Grande Foundation financial data 2001-2023

Year	Revenue	Expenses
2001	$0.08 million	$0.09 million
2002	$0.04 million	$0.02 million
2003	$0.03 million	$0.02 million
2004	$0.05 million	$0.05 million
2005	$0.03 million	$0.03 million
2006	$0.1 million	$0.1 million
2007	$0.2 million	$0.1 million
2008	$0.3 million	$0.2 million
2009	$0.3 million	$0.4 million
2010	$0.5 million	$0.4 million
2011	$0.4 million	$0.3 million
2012	$0.4 million	$0.4 million
2013	$0.2 million	$0.3 million
2014	$0.3 million	$0.2 million
2015	$0.3 million	$0.3 million
2016	$0.2 million	$0.2 million
2017	$0.3 million	$0.2 million
2018	$0.2 million	$0.3 million
2019	$0.3 million	$0.3 million
2020	$0.3 million	$0.3 million
2021	$0.3 million	$0.3 million
2022	$0.3 million	$0.3 million
2023	$0.8 million	$0.4 million

See also

• What is an influencer?
• 501(c)(3)

External links

• Rio Grande Foundation
• Rio Grande Foundation on X
• Rio Grande Foundation on YouTube
• Rio Grande Foundation on Facebook
• Rio Grande Foundation on LinkedIn
• Rio Grande Foundation on Instagram