Center for Civic Policy (CCP) is a state-level left-of-center advocacy group in New Mexico. It mobilizes voters in New Mexico to support left-of-center policies. ¹

Activities

In 2021, Center for Civic Policy created a map to visualize its recommended realignment of  the boundaries of U.S House and state legislative seats across New Mexico. This map won endorsement from a “citizens” redistricting advisory board known as Citizens Redistricting Committee, in effect recommending it to the New Mexico Democratic-led Legislature panel that was planning to hold a redistricting conference in December of 2021. ² New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) signed a version of the proposed maps into law in December 2021. ³

In December 2021, Center for Civic Policy released a report that discussed issues related to short- and long-term policies required to transition to so-called “clean energy.” Some of its “short term” policy suggestions included a proposed “Community Solar Act” to foster “grassroots” solar energy development as well as a proposed “New Mexican Community Ownership and Power Administration” that would serve as a catalyst for weather-dependent energy systems. Its “long term” policy suggestions included forcing state agencies to enter into “Power Purchase Agreements” that would support community-owned energy systems, forcing the breakup and restructuring of New Mexican utility companies, and creating an “Energy Democracy” office that would transition the state away from conventional energy sources. CCP wrote this report in partnership with the multi-issue left-of-center think tank and advocacy group Institute for Policy Studies. ^{4 5}

On November 1, 2022, Center for Civic Policy announced that it sought to intervene in an appeal filed by the Independent Petroleum Association of New Mexico (IPANM) with the New Mexico Court of Appeals relating to state oil and gas air-pollution rules. IPANM opposed Gov. Lujan Grisham’s energy regulations, and CCP demanded that IPANM the oil industry it represents continue to be subjected to such regulations. ⁶ CCP partnered with the Environmental Defense Fund, ⁷ an environmentalist group known for its left-wing advocacy climate change issues. ⁸

Funding

Center for Civic Policy receives funding from organizations such as the Solidago Foundation, ⁹ a left-of-center grantmaking organization that supports activist organizations that advocate for environmentalist regulations, increased unionization, increased government spending, and left-of-center social policies on issues such as immigration and race. ¹⁰ CCP also received a grant for $200,000 in 2018 for a term of 24 months from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, ¹¹ a left-of-center foundation that is one of the wealthiest and most generous grant making organizations in the world. ¹² CCP also received funding from the Collaborative for Gender + Reproductive Equity, a coalition of left-of-center groups that promote abortion rights, changes to the judiciary, and organizing at the state and local level. ¹³

People

Oriana Sandoval is the CEO of the Center for Civic Policy. Since 2015, she has also been co-director of the New Mexico Civic Engagement Table, ¹⁴ which aims to coordinate the efforts of other left-of-center activist groups in New Mexico. ¹⁵

Before this, Sandoval worked at the Center on Race, Poverty and the Environment as a clerk researching litigation on climate change issues and cases involving air quality standards in California’s Central Valley. She was also a clerk at the Centro Legal de la Raza in Oakland, California, where she provided legal services in the areas of housing, immigration, and employment. In 2011, she worked as the founding executive director of a left-of-center voter mobilization organization called New Mexico Vote Matters, which assisted 21,000 New Mexicans in registering to vote in 2012. ¹⁶

1. “About The Center for Civic Policy.” Center for Civic Policy. Last modified October 21, 2022. https://civicpolicy.com/about/.
2. Lee, Morgan. “Advisory Panel Endorses Redistricting Maps for New Mexico.” U.S. News & World Report. Last modified October 15, 2021. https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/new-mexico/articles/2021-10-14/deadline-arrives-for-redistricting-advice-in-new-mexico
3. Boschma, Janie; Rigdon, Renee; Manley, Byron; and Cohen, Ethan. “Redistricting in New Mexico.” CNN, November 8, 2022. Accessed May 28, 2023. https://edition.cnn.com/interactive/2022/politics/us-redistricting/new-mexico-redistricting-map/.
4. De Luna Navarro, Josue. “People-Powered: The Case for Renewable Energy Democracy in New Mexico Josue De Luna Navarro.” Institute for Policy Studies. Last modified December 9, 2021. https://ips-dc.org/report-people-powered/.
5. “Our History.” Institute for Policy Studies. Last modified February 22, 2018. https://ips-dc.org/about/history/.
6. “Conservation and Community Leaders Intervene in Oil Industry Appeal to Defend New Mexico Air Pollution Rules.” Western Environmental Law Center. Last modified November 1, 2022. https://westernlaw.org/conservation-and-community-leaders-intervene-in-oil-industry-appeal-to-defend-new-mexico-air-pollution-rules/.
7. “Conservation and Community Leaders Intervene in Oil Industry Appeal to Defend New Mexico Air Pollution Rules.” Western Environmental Law Center. Last modified November 1, 2022. https://westernlaw.org/conservation-and-community-leaders-intervene-in-oil-industry-appeal-to-defend-new-mexico-air-pollution-rules/.
8. “Our Mission and Values.” Environmental Defense Fund. Accessed November 26, 2022. https://www.edf.org/our-mission-and-values.
9. “Our Partners.” Solidago. Accessed November 26, 2022. https://solidago.org/partners/.
10. “About Us.” Solidago. Accessed November 26, 2022. https://solidago.org/about/.
11. “Center for Civic Policy.” Hewlett Foundation. Last modified August 5, 2022. https://hewlett.org/grants/center-for-civic-policy-for-southern-new-mexicos-clean-energy-strategy/.
12. “About Us.” Hewlett Foundation. Last modified August 19, 2022. https://hewlett.org/about-us/.
13. “About Us.” CGRE. Accessed November 26, 2022. https://cgre.org/about.
14. “Meet Our Center for Civic Policy Staff.” Center for Civic Policy. Last modified October 21, 2022. https://civicpolicy.com/staff/.
15. “New Mexico Civic Engagement Table.” Center for Civic Policy. Last modified October 21, 2022. https://civicpolicy.com/nmcet/.
16. “Meet Our Center for Civic Policy Staff.” Center for Civic Policy. Last modified October 21, 2022. https://civicpolicy.com/staff/.