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Lago Alianza Newsletter – May 2026
Lago Alianza Quarterly Meeting
Building Stronger Donor Relationships
Monday, June 8, 2026
3:00–5:00 p.m.
Casa Linda West Ajijic
Río Bravo 7, Ajijic
Optional pre-meeting session at 2:30 p.m. for organizations interested in learning more about the CAF America/Canada vetting process.
Lago Alianza invites Lakeside nonprofit leaders, board members, staff, and volunteers to join us for our next quarterly meeting, focused on one of the most important questions facing local organizations: How do we build stronger, more sustainable relationships with donors?
This gathering will offer practical ideas, peer learning, and opportunities to strengthen the way nonprofits communicate their mission, tell their story, and invite support. And this will be only the beginning of this important conversation.
Featured Keynote: Moving from Surviving to Thriving
We are pleased to welcome Myra E. Williams as our keynote speaker. Myra is a seasoned fundraising and development leader with 24 years of nonprofit experience in Naples, Florida. Her career has included serving as Major Gifts Officer at The Conservancy of Southwest Florida, Vice President of Development for a regional women’s health organization, and development leader at the Golisano Children’s Museum, where she helped raise $23.5 million toward a $25 million capital campaign.
Known for connecting people with purpose through strategic branding, thoughtful events, and authentic donor engagement, Myra will share her experience and expertise on building sustainable donor relationships and lasting community impact.
What to Expect
- The meeting will include:
A keynote presentation on donor engagement and nonprofit sustainability - Breakout sessions, offered by language, focused on donor-centered topics
- A practical “elevator speech” activity, where three volunteer organizations will have the opportunity to practice a brief donor-focused message with the group
- Announcements about upcoming Lago Alianza resources and trainings, including advanced AI training, legacy giving guides, the resiliency questionnaire, and more
- Snacks, conversation, and networking time with fellow nonprofit leaders
Whether your organization is just beginning to think about donor development or looking to strengthen an existing fundraising strategy, this meeting is designed to offer encouragement, practical tools, and connection with others doing this important work across the Lakeside community.
Please join us for an afternoon of learning, sharing, and building stronger support for the nonprofits serving our region.
Lago Alianza Announces Advanced AI Training for Lakeside Nonprofits
Lago Alianza, in partnership with PILU.mx, is pleased to announce the next stage of AI training for civil society organizations serving the Lake Chapala region.
This free bilingual program is designed for nonprofits that are ready to move beyond basic AI awareness and begin using artificial intelligence in practical, mission-focused ways — social media, translation, strategic planning, cybersecurity, and more.
The program builds on PILU’s introductory AI workshop held for Lago Alianza NGOs in March 2026. Feedback from that session showed strong interest in deeper, more hands-on training, especially training that helps organizations apply AI directly to their daily work.
Beginning in June, participating organizations will have access to more than 50 hours of training, office hours, practical exercises, and permanent resources. The cost will be covered by Lago Alianza, so there is no fee for NGOs.
The program will use Claude as the primary AI tool, with comparisons to ChatGPT and Gemini. Sessions will focus on real nonprofit needs, including social media design, copywriting, impact reporting, email marketing, donor management, translation, meeting minutes, strategic planning, crisis communication, and cybersecurity.
Each workshop will be offered in both English and Spanish. The schedule is intentionally paced, with one topic per week, allowing participants time to practice, apply what they learn, and bring questions to open office hours.
The goal is not simply to learn about AI. The goal is to help nonprofits build useful systems, stronger communications, better donor materials, and more capacity to serve their missions.
Program Details
- Promotion and registration: May 25–June 14, 2026
- Program dates: June 15–September 4, 2026
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Optional In-Person session September 17 and 18.
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Closing Presentations and Cocktail hour September 18.
- Format: Online via Zoom
- Language: Fully bilingual, with each session offered in English and Spanish
- Cost: Free
- Access: A la carte; each nonprofit may choose which sessions to attend
Regular weekly workshops will be held Mondays from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. in English and Tuesdays from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. in Spanish. Open office hours will be offered Wednesdays from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. every other week.
This advanced training is part of Lago Alianza’s ongoing work to strengthen Lakeside nonprofits through practical tools, collaboration, and long-term capacity building.
Registration information will be available soon. Space will be limited. For more information, please email velia@lagoalianza.org
About the facilitation team
Maria "Fer" Fernanda Ramirez Coutino
Marketer with socio-environmental purpose, consultant and speaker with over 15 years of experience strengthening the social sector. MBA in Social Entrepreneurship, Master's in Social Innovation, Specialty in Ethics and Citizenship, and bachelor's degrees in Corporate Social Responsibility, Marketing, and Graphic Design. Faculty at UMA's Green MBA and at IBERO Mexico City. Through PILU.mx she supports NGOs and socio-environmental projects across Latin America to integrate strategic tools -including AI- that amplify their impact without sacrificing their values.
James Turner - Consultant
James Turner is an IT Engineer, Tech Solutions Architect, and Military Veteran who has been applying AI daily across IT support, growth, and operations roles since 2020, including using tools like Google Gemini, Perplexity, Claude, ChatGPT, and AI Studio to automate high-volume data migrations and workflow tasks. Through his firm, TurnerX Solutions, he implemented AI-powered marketing and CRM platforms that drove a 170% increase in web traffic and a 200% increase in online orders for multiple clients, while also designing centralized operations applications that integrate member databases, equipment tracking, and logistics logging for community-focused organizations. His background spans technical success management, IT engineering, and clinical software support, where he consistently uses data, automation, and emerging AI capabilities to improve system performance, customer experience, and business outcomes.
Nonprofit Spotlight: Mama Cleo’s Boys Home, A.C.
What began as a simple act of love—a family opening their doors to boys in need—has grown into something much larger. Since 2019, Mama Cleo’s Boys Home, A.C. has become a safe haven for vulnerable children across Lakeside, offering not just shelter, but a true sense of belonging.
Founded by Jesús Alejandro Bernardino Garcia (Alex), the organization serves boys from Chapala, Mezcala, and Ixtlahuacán de los Membrillos. In partnership with DIF (Desarrollo Integral de la Familia), Mama Cleo’s identifies children from across Mexico who need stability, care, and a chance to heal.
More than a home
Mama Cleo’s is not simply a group home—it is intentionally built to feel like a family. Many of the boys arrive carrying deep emotional wounds. Beyond meeting basic needs, the focus is on helping each child rebuild trust, rediscover their worth, and begin to imagine a different future.
With a team of 10 staff members and about 20 volunteers, the organization provides daily care, education, and emotional support in a structured, nurturing environment. Over time, boys who once felt rejected and alone begin to feel accepted, protected, and part of something real.
Building connections and community
The organization extends that sense of family beyond its walls. Through a partnership with a local girls’ orphanage, the boys form sibling-like relationships that help restore a sense of normalcy and connection.
These experiences, combined with trauma-informed care, support Mama Cleo’s larger vision: guiding boys to grow into strong, compassionate men who can contribute positively to society.
A mission rooted in love—and tested by reality
Like many nonprofits, Mama Cleo’s faces the ongoing challenge of financial stability. Providing consistent meals, housing, education, and care requires reliable funding, which is not always guaranteed.
What makes this especially difficult is that the children remain unaware of these pressures. They simply depend on the adults around them to show up each day with consistency and care—and that commitment never wavers.
Looking ahead
The organization has recently expanded to a new property near Santa Cruz de la Soledad, offering greater potential but also requiring significant renovations to meet government standards. It’s a step forward, carrying both opportunity and responsibility.
At its core, Mama Cleo’s remains grounded in a simple belief: every child deserves to feel loved, safe, and supported—and to have the chance to define their own future.
How to help
Ongoing support makes this work possible. Monthly donations provide the stability needed to care for the boys and plan for the future.
A contribution of $25 per month helps cover essentials like food, clothing, shelter, and education—creating a dependable foundation these children can rely on.
For those looking to make a meaningful difference, Mama Cleo’s offers a direct way to change a child’s life.
To learn more, visit: mamacleosboys.org