GRANTS, N.M. – The City of Grants, New Mexico, has been selected as one of 25 communities nationwide to receive support through T-Mobile’s Hometown Grants program, with funding expected to help improve the ramada and amphitheater area at River Walk Park for future public events.
According to T-Mobile’s March 26 announcement, the Grants Project will focus on revitalizing the Riverwalk Park space so it can better host free, family-friendly movies, music and live theater events. The company said the project is intended to foster civic pride, encourage local engagement and support downtown revitalization efforts.
For Grants and the broader Cibola County community, the recognition is notable because it brings national attention to a local public space that has the potential to serve families, community groups and downtown activity. Improvements to the park could help create a more functional gathering place for events that are accessible to residents and visitors alike.
Denise Hanson, executive director of the Cibola Communities Economic Development Foundation, said she is proud of the community and glad Grants has been recognized.
T-Mobile said its Hometown Grants program supports small towns and rural communities with populations under 50,000. Since the program began in 2021, the company said it has invested more than $21.5 million in 475 communities across 49 states and Puerto Rico. Grants was named alongside Farmington as one of two New Mexico communities included in this latest round.
The company said grant recipients are selected in partnership with Main Street America, a nonprofit organization focused on place-based economic development and community preservation. Applications are reviewed based on project detail, feasibility and potential community impact.
For local residents, the practical significance of the award is the possibility of added community programming in a central public space. If the project moves forward as described, the Riverwalk Park amphitheater area could become a more active venue for free entertainment and community events in Grants.
T-Mobile also announced that one final round of Hometown Grants remains before the program reaches its goal of supporting 500 towns. Eligible communities with populations under 50,000 can apply through March 31, according to the company.