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Lago Alianza Newsletter – August 2026
Founding Board Members Wanted
Consejo Directivo — Lago Alianza (Mexico)
Lago Alianza is entering a formative and exciting chapter, and we are looking for three founding members to join the Consejo Directivo (Board of Directors) of Lago Alianza (Mexico) — a Mexican Asociación Civil currently being formed as the sister organization to Lago Alianza’s U.S. 501(c)(3).
Lago Alianza strengthens nonprofit organizations and philanthropy in the Lake Chapala region of Jalisco, Mexico, through collaboration, shared learning, and ecosystem development. Since publishing the first-ever community-wide survey of Lakeside nonprofits in late 2025 — reaching 45 of 59 area organizations — Lago Alianza has become a trusted capacity-building partner for the dozens of small, volunteer-dependent nonprofits serving this community, offering training, consulting, and shared infrastructure across the sector.
For more details please visit www.lagoalianza.org
The Opportunity
As a board member you will be impacting dozens of nonprofits in the Lakeside area—helping to strengthen them and help create a strong nonprofit and donor ecosystem.
As a founding Consejo Directivo member, you will help shape the governance, strategic direction, and financial oversight of a brand-new organization at a pivotal moment — building its foundations rather than inheriting an existing structure. The Consejo Directivo sets strategic direction, oversees financial and compliance matters, and safeguards the organization’s mission; day-to-day program work is carried out by staff and contracted administrators.
What We’re Looking For
- Deep knowledge of the Lakeside community and its nonprofit sector
- Proven experience governing a nonprofit organization, ideally in Mexico
- A track record of building a young organization from the ground up and mentoring staff
- Not currently in a leadership position with another Lakeside nonprofit organization.
Lago Alianza Funding Is Already Committed for Five Years
The administrative expenses of Lago Alianza are already paid for five years. Board members will concentrate on organizational strengthening and not have any fundraising responsibilities.
Time Commitment
Board members should expect to attend regular board meetings (anticipated quarterly) and to be actively engaged during this founding period, when many of the organization’s foundational strategic and structural decisions will be made.
How to Apply
If you’re interested in helping build something lasting for the Lakeside nonprofit community, we’d love to hear from you. Please contact Joan Machlis-Crasemann at joan@lagoalianza.org with a note about your background and interest. Following that we’ll have a one-on-one meeting to discuss the project and your interest in depth.
Nonprofit Spotlight: Club de Ajedrez Huarachess
Building community, confidence and connection one chessboard at a time!
On Saturday mornings in Ajijic, a chessboard becomes much more than a game.
For nearly 10 years, Club de Ajedrez Huarachess has been introducing children and adults throughout the Ajijic and Chapala communities to chess — completely free of charge. The club promotes the game not only as a recreational activity, but as a way to develop concentration, problem-solving skills, confidence and connections across generations and cultures.
Founded in October 2016 and led by Director Roberto Serrano, Huarachess operates entirely through volunteers. Its six-person volunteer team provides instruction and opportunities to practice for anyone interested in learning or improving their game.
A longtime community partnership
Much of Huarachess’ story has unfolded at the Lake Chapala Society (LCS), which has provided space for the club’s Saturday youth classes throughout its history. The LCS grounds also serve as the setting for Huarachess’ annual chess tournament each November.
The club also works closely with Salto, a local youth mentorship program. Some young people participate in both organizations, giving them access to a broader network of educational, cognitive and personal support.
Those partnerships are especially important because Huarachess sees chess as more than competition. Sitting across a board from another person can bring together people who might otherwise have little opportunity to meet — children and adults, Mexican and international residents, beginners and highly accomplished players.
Saturday classes, Sunday activities, and a major regional tournament
Huarachess’ most visible success is its Annual Youth and Open Chess Tournament, which has grown into one of the region’s most anticipated chess events.
Recent tournaments have brought approximately 600 competitors, family members and spectators together in a single day. Participants have ranged from young local players to international grandmasters, and the event has also drawn strong interest from local media.
For Huarachess, the tournament demonstrates something important: there is tremendous enthusiasm for chess in the Lake Chapala community.
The challenge now is turning some of that enthusiasm into regular participation throughout the year.
Before the pandemic, Huarachess often welcomed around 50 children to its Saturday sessions. Today, weekly attendance is typically between three and six students.
Rather than accepting that decline, the organization is working to rebuild.
Plans include stronger outreach through the Lake Chapala Society network, developing a rotating group of international “back-up teachers,” and creating a clearer connection between the excitement generated by the November tournament and the club’s free weekly classes.
Chess para Tod@s is a free activity held every Sunday at the Ajijic plaza, where local families and tourists come together to enjoy chess while the organizations promotes this wonderful game in the community.
Looking toward the next 10 years
Huarachess celebrates its 10th anniversary this October, and the organization hopes the milestone will mark the beginning of a new period of growth.
A professional photographer has recently joined the effort to document not only the chess being played, but also the friendships, mentoring and cross-cultural connections developing around the boards.
Most importantly, Huarachess remains committed to keeping its programs 100% free and accessible to local youth.
And you don’t have to be a chess master to become part of it.
Local residents, expats and neighboring organizations are invited to participate as volunteers, players and mentors. Whether someone can teach strategy, help a beginner understand how the pieces move, assist at an event or simply encourage a young player, there is room at the table.
Sometimes strengthening a community happens through large programs and ambitious projects.
And sometimes it begins with two people sitting across from one another, a chessboard between them, deciding whose move comes next.
Learn more or get involved:
- Email: huarachess@zapateriamagica.com
- Phone: 33 1428 4180
