Rio Rancho families chasing new tech skills just got a boost: R4Creating’s Community Hub is getting a fresh $5,000 grant from internet provider Sparklight to keep its STEM classes, job training and community gathering space humming.
The money comes from Sparklight’s Charitable Giving Fund, which handed out more than $125,000 to 28 nonprofits across its service area this cycle, the company announced Aug. 3. It’s the second time the fund has backed R4Creating.
“Technology has the power to bring people together and open doors to new opportunities,” said Jay Macleod, Sparklight’s senior regional director for the Southwest.
R4Creating founder Dr. Shelly Gruenig said the grant keeps the Community Hub running as a space where “children, families, educators and older adults can learn together.”
The organization traces back 21 years to Gruenig’s kitchen table, where a homeschool robotics club for her son grew into a statewide nonprofit built around a “learners to leaders” philosophy, Gruenig told The Paper. in a May 2026 interview.
“It’s so much deeper than that,” Gruenig said. “It’s helping shape identity.”
Sparklight has awarded more than $1.3 million to over 300 nonprofits since launching the fund in 2020. Other nonprofits can apply during the fall 2026 window.
Get involved with R4Creating:
- Website: r4creating.org
- Apply for a Sparklight Charitable Giving Fund grant: Oct. 1–31, 2026 at www.sparklight.com/charitablegiving