Celebrate National Non-Profit Day with The RMP Foundation
Vicki Vasques and her father Ronald Maese Peralta celebrating the opening of the Washington, DC National Museum of the American Indian in 2004.
National Non-Profit Day
Every year on August 17, the U.S. celebrates National Non-Profit Day. This day recognizes the positive impact non-profit organizations have on communities. Whether through awareness, research, or funding, these organizations work to benefit those who need support the most and be a beacon of hope for marginalized communities.
There are approximately two million non-profits in the U.S., and one that Tribal Tech is involved with is The RMP Foundation, established in 2016 by our Owner & Chairwoman, Vicki Vasques. The foundation is named after her father, Ronald Maese Peralta, who along with his wife, had a major impact on Vicki and her values in helping those in need.
The RMP Foundation’s Mission and Goals
Vicki Vasques and Ronald Maese Peralta.
“Our mission is to serve the Native communities and to complement their services in the area of education,” Vicki stated. “I would add mental health and wellness because that is what we do at Tribal Tech.”
Vicki has always loved giving back to her community. She began when she was a federal employee, working under the Department of Education, where she had the opportunity to donate money from her paycheck to a non-profit of her choosing through the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC). During those years, Vicki always looked to support a non-profit serving Native communities.
After Tribal Tech was established and successful, she brainstormed new ways of giving back to her community, which led to the creation of her own non-profit.
“My father had passed away a few years before I started The RMP Foundation, and it was just the right step to begin my formal philanthropic giving,” Vicki noted.
The mission of The RMP Foundation is to improve the education, health, and wellness of all people, but it focuses on supporting Native communities, especially youth, in education. The emphasis on this area comes from Mr. Peralta’s dedication to academics within his Tribe and family.
During his lifetime, Mr. Peralta started the first education program in the San Pasqual Band of Mission Indians in the Valley Center reservation. While he was Tribal Chairman, he and his wife worked to instill the values of education and philanthropy to their children. Both Vicki’s parents did not attend college, so it was essential to them that their kids grew up understanding the importance of education and helping those in need.
Partnerships
Throughout the years, The RMP Foundation has established several close partnerships that have played key roles in its launch and growth. One of the most important partners was William Hansen, former Deputy Secretary of the Department of Education, who served between 2001 and 2003. He introduced Vicki to the organization, Strada Education Foundation, where he was CEO and President, because they wanted Vicki’s help in getting involved with Native communities.
This partnership played a vital role in connecting the foundation with Roadtrip Nation for a documentary film called “Native Way Forward.”
Three Native students were selected to share their success stories and the direction they decided to take with their education and future. One of the students, Elizabeth, Arizona, considered studying Tribal Law and Governance to better understand the role policy plays in Native identity. Another student from Arizona, Isaac, overcame addiction and homelessness. He studied non-profit leadership and management at Arizona State University. The third student from North Dakota, Kimberlee, showed how she worked towards her master’s degree in environmental science while raising a family.
Some other organizations that The RMP Foundation has been involved with include UNITY Inc., which offers programs that promote personal development, citizenship, and leadership among Native American youth. Another partner is Stop Child Abuse Now (SCAN), which works to stop child abuse in Northern Virginia through family programs, professional development, and child advocacy.
Of all that Vicki has accomplished since starting the non-profit, she described the greatest one as its inception and the ability to start fundraising.
“To me, just getting to that point of our own bank account, our little symbol and website was my first accomplishment,” Vicki stated.
Currently, Vicki is planning to work with her husband to establish partnerships with corporations that integrate giving into their operations.
Commitment to a Non-Profit
The path to starting a non-profit or giving back may not always be clear. However, Vicki stated that all it really takes is passion. Whether you have $10, $100, or $10 million to give, or even volunteering and spreading awareness to others, you will be making a difference to those in need.
“Take that step,” she said. “If you give $5, you’ve made a commitment to that. You can grow or just continue the $5. People don’t realize how much that adds up.”
More information about The RMP Foundation and how to support its mission can be found on its website.