Annual Grant Cycle Criteria

About Us

Annual Grant Cycle Criteria

About Us

About Us

Annual Grant Cycle Criteria

Submitting a proposal to the Annual Grant Cycle begins with reviewing your organization’s eligibility and Albuquerque Community Foundation’s criteria and priorities to determine if the Foundation aligns with your needs. By submitting a proposal, you give the Foundation permission to share your information with other interested individual donors.

Organizations must meet the following criteria in order to apply for a grant:

  • Provide services to the people of the Greater Albuquerque Metropolitan Area (Bernalillo, Sandoval, Torrance and Valencia)
  • Be a nonprofit organization, exempt from Federal Income Taxes under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or be a public educational institution or be a public agency
  • Have been incorporated in the state of New Mexico for a minimum of 5 years – verified by the NM Secretary of State, Business Services Division (certain exceptions can be made to this, including, but not limited to: an organization operating with a fiscal agent or an organization spinning off from a parent nonprofit and establishing its own separate entity). If your organization is less than five years old and you feel you meet the requirements to be eligible, please contact [email protected]
  • Be in good standing with New Mexico Secretary of State and Office of the Attorney General
  • Be current with all state and federal reporting requirements
  • Clearly demonstrate how the organization provides access to economic opportunities
  • Have 100% of its Board of Trustees providing a meaningful contribution/engagement or bringing an added value to the organization. Board support will differ for organizations and should reflect the needs of your organization
  • Please note: Organizations can ONLY apply for one field-of-interest in our annual grant cycle

While the Foundation remains flexible in trying to meet community needs, in general, annual grants are not made for or to:

  • Individuals
  • Political or religious purposes
  • Retire indebtedness
  • The payment of interest or taxes
  • Annual campaigns, capital campaigns or fundraising events
  • Travel for individuals or groups
  • Conferences, workshops, symposia; including speaker fees, room and board, related travel
  • Endowments
  • Medical, scientific or academic research
  • Influence legislation or elections
  • Private foundations and other grant-making organizations

Criteria and Priorities for Applicants:

  • Well-established organizations with a proven track record of providing services benefiting people in the Greater Albuquerque area (Bernalillo, Sandoval, Torrance and Valencia)
  • Clearly and specifically aligned with one of the Foundation’s Fields-of-Interest
  • Have clearly defined organizational goals and measurable program outcomes
  • Organizations should address systemic inequities in the community
  • Should align with the Foundation's newly established values

Grantmaking Fields-of-Interest:

Arts & Culture

Arts and Culture grants focus on two primary funding areas:

  1. Organizations and programs that provide access to arts and culture for our community.
  2. Organizations supporting Albuquerque's creative economy through visual and performing arts.

Education

Education grants focus on supporting students to ensure they receive educational opportunities to enhance the course of their lives and careers. Specific focus areas in this field are: elementary education literacy programs, students from underserved communities, youth from under-resourced communities, students with special needs and skills-based education for youth and adults.

Environmental &
Historic Preservation

Environmental and Historic Preservation grants focus on the “environmental and agricultural economy” and the preservation of historic landmarks, attractions, buildings and venues. The “environmental and agricultural economy” can be defined as organizations working to preserve the environment and improve environmental conditions and/or working within the agricultural sector to bolster economic growth.

Economic & Workforce Development

Economic and Workforce Development grants support intentional, inventive efforts to ensure a strong local economy. This field promotes social, economic and environmental growth by supporting innovative systems for entrepreneurs and the state’s workforce.

Health

Health grants have two focus areas:

1) Meeting the mental health needs (including behavioral health and addiction recovery) of residents in the Greater Albuquerque Metropolitan Area (Bernalillo, Sandoval, Torrance and Valencia).

2) Supporting dental health needs of individuals from early childhood-aged to seniors.

Human Services

Human Services grants serve as “springboard” grants to help individuals transition to more self-sustainable lifestyles. Organizations that serve one or more of the following: parental or guardian skills training, teen pregnancy, job training, independent living and children aging out of foster care particularly stand out in the grantmaking process.


Animal Welfare

Understanding the many diverse needs of animals in an urban-rural environment, this grant opportunity will provide support for programs that strengthen:

  • Welfare for animals (may include, but is not limited to):
    • Spay and neuter
    • Shelters
    • Basic animal health
  • Education/training
    • Resources on how best to care for animals
    • Veterinary career support, including veterinary techs
    • Education about wildlife and ecosystems
  • Programs involved in the training and certification of service animals
  • Health and protection of wildlife


Arts & Culture


Arts and Culture grants focus on two primary funding areas:

  1. Organizations and programs that provide access to arts and culture for our community.
  2. Organizations supporting Albuquerque's creative economy through visual and performing arts.

Economic & Workforce Development

Economic and Workforce Development grants support intentional, inventive efforts to ensure a strong local economy. This field promotes social, economic and environmental growth by supporting innovative systems for entrepreneurs and the state’s workforce.

Education


Education grants focus on supporting students to ensure they receive educational opportunities to enhance the course of their lives and careers. Specific focus areas in this field are: elementary education literacy programs, students from underserved communities, youth from under-resourced communities, students with special needs and skills-based education for youth and adults.

Environmental &
Historic Preservation

Environmental and Historic Preservation grants focus on the “environmental and agricultural economy” and the preservation of historic landmarks, attractions, buildings and venues. The “environmental and agricultural economy” can be defined as organizations working to preserve the environment and improve environmental conditions and/or working within the agricultural sector to bolster economic growth.

Health


Health grants have two focus areas:

1) Meeting the mental health needs (including behavioral health and addiction recovery) of residents in the Greater Albuquerque Metropolitan Area (Bernalillo, Sandoval, Torrance and Valencia).

2) Supporting dental health needs of individuals from early childhood-aged to seniors.

Human Services


Human Services grants serve as “springboard” grants to help individuals transition to more self-sustainable lifestyles. Organizations that serve one or more of the following: parental or guardian skills training, teen pregnancy, job training, independent living and children aging out of foster care particularly stand out in the grantmaking process.

Animal Welfare

Understanding the many diverse needs of animals in an urban-rural environment, this grant opportunity will provide support for programs that strengthen:

  • Welfare for animals (may include, but is not limited to):
    • Spay and neuter
    • Shelters
    • Basic animal health
  • Education/training
    • Resources on how best to care for animals
    • Veterinary career support, including veterinary techs
    • Education about wildlife and ecosystems
  • Programs involved in the training and certification of service animals
  • Health and protection of wildlife

Scope of Funding

As a short-term funder providing relatively small grants, award sizes will be determined based on organizational budget, rubric score and available funding.

Awards range in size from $10,000 - $20,000.

VIEW RUBRIC

Operating Support Grants

In an effort to ensure that local nonprofits have the flexibility they need to support the community, all grants in the Annul Grant Cycle will be general operating grants. This means, funding will be unrestricted and grantees may use the funds as needed throughout the year. Program-based grants will not be accepted.
The Foundation considers requests for General Operating Support to be awarded as core support or unrestricted grants. Organizations may use operating grants to cover day-to-day activities or ongoing expenses such as administrative salaries, utilities, office supplies, technology maintenance as well as for project costs, capital, technology purchases and professional development.

Types of organizations ineligible to apply for Operating Support are:

  • Government entities
  • Umbrella funding organizations whose sole purpose is re-granting

Potential applicants are strongly encouraged to contact the Community Impact Team with questions in order to facilitate a successful grant application process.

 JOIN US! Open Coffee Chats with the Community Impact Team are scheduled for 2023. Check out the dates!

Submitting a proposal to the Annual Grant Cycle begins with reviewing your organization’s eligibility and the Albuquerque Community Foundation’s criteria and priorities to determine if the Foundation aligns with your needs. By submitting a proposal, you give the Foundation permission to share your information with other interested individual donors.

Organizations must meet the following criteria in order to apply for a grant:

  • Provide services to the people of the Greater Albuquerque Metropolitan Area (Bernalillo, Sandoval, Torrance and Valencia)
  • Be a nonprofit organization, exempt from Federal Income Taxes under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or be a public educational institution or be a public agency
  • Have been incorporated in the state of New Mexico for a minimum of 5 years – verified by the NM Secretary of State, Business Services Division (certain exceptions can be made to this, including, but not limited to: an organization operating with a fiscal agent or an organization spinning off from a parent nonprofit and establishing its own separate entity). If your organization is less than five years old and you feel you meet the requirements to be eligible, please contact [email protected]
  • Be in good standing with New Mexico Secretary of State and Office of the Attorney General
  • Be current with all state and federal reporting requirements
  • Clearly demonstrate how the organization provides access to economic opportunities
  • Have 100% of its Board of Trustees providing a meaningful contribution/engagement or bringing an added value to the organization. Board support will differ for organizations and should reflect the needs of your organization
  • Please note: Organizations can ONLY apply for one field-of-interest in our annual grant cycle

While the Foundation remains flexible in trying to meet community needs, in general, annual grants are not made for or to:

  • Individuals
  • Political or religious purposes
  • Retire indebtedness
  • The payment of interest or taxes
  • Annual campaigns, capital campaigns or fundraising events
  • Travel for individuals or groups
  • Conferences, workshops, symposia; including speaker fees, room and board, related travel
  • Endowments
  • Medical, scientific or academic research
  • Influence legislation or elections
  • Private foundations and other grant-making organizations

Criteria and Priorities for Applicants:

  • Well-established organizations with a proven track record of providing services benefiting people in the Greater Albuquerque area (Bernalillo, Sandoval, Torrance and Valencia)
  • Clearly and specifically aligned with one of the Foundation’s Fields-of-Interest
  • Have clearly defined organizational goals and measurable program outcomes
  • Organizations should address systemic inequities in the community
  • Should align with the Foundation's newly established values

Grantmaking Fields-of-Interest:

Arts & Culture

Arts and Culture grants focus on two primary funding areas:

  1. Organizations and programs that provide access to arts and culture for our community.
  2. Organizations supporting Albuquerque's creative economy through visual and performing arts.

Education

Education grants focus on supporting students to ensure they receive educational opportunities to enhance the course of their lives and careers. Specific focus areas in this field are: elementary education literacy programs, students from underserved communities, youth from under-resourced communities, students with special needs and skills-based education for youth and adults.

Environmental & Historic Preservation

Environmental and Historic Preservation grants focus on the “environmental and agricultural economy” and the preservation of historic landmarks, attractions, buildings and venues. The “environmental and agricultural economy” can be defined as organizations working to preserve the environment and improve environmental conditions and/or working within the agricultural sector to bolster economic growth.

Economic & Workforce Development

Economic and Workforce Development grants support intentional, inventive efforts to ensure a strong local economy. This field promotes social, economic and environmental growth by supporting innovative systems for entrepreneurs and the state’s workforce.

Health

Health grants have two focus areas:

1) Meeting the mental health needs (including behavioral health and addiction recovery) of residents in the Greater Albuquerque Metropolitan Area (Bernalillo, Sandoval, Torrance and Valencia).

2) Supporting dental health needs of individuals from early childhood-aged to seniors.

Human Services

Human Services grants serve as “springboard” grants to help individuals transition to more self-sustainable lifestyles. Organizations that serve one or more of the following: parental or guardian skills training, teen pregnancy, job training, independent living and children aging out of foster care particularly stand out in the grantmaking process.

Animal Welfare

Understanding the many diverse needs of animals in an urban-rural environment, this grant opportunity will provide support for programs that strengthen:

  • Welfare for animals (may include, but is not limited to):
    • Spay and neuter
    • Shelters
    • Basic animal health
  • Education/training
    • Resources on how best to care for animals
    • Veterinary career support, including veterinary techs
    • Education about wildlife and ecosystems
  • Programs involved in the training and certification of service animals
  • Health and protection of wildlife

Scope of Funding

As a short-term funder providing relatively small grants, award sizes will be determined based on organizational budget, rubric score and available funding.

Awards range in size from $10,000 - $20,000.

VIEW RUBRIC

Operating Support Grants

In an effort to ensure that local nonprofits have the flexibility they need to support the community, all grants in the Annul Grant Cycle will be general operating grants. This means, funding will be unrestricted and grantees may use the funds as needed throughout the year. Program-based grants will not be accepted.
The Foundation considers requests for General Operating Support to be awarded as core support or unrestricted grants. Organizations may use operating grants to cover day-to-day activities or ongoing expenses such as administrative salaries, utilities, office supplies, technology maintenance as well as for project costs, capital, technology purchases and professional development.

Types of organizations ineligible to apply for Operating Support are:

  • Government entities
  • Umbrella funding organizations whose sole purpose is re-granting

Potential applicants are strongly encouraged to contact the Community Impact Team with questions in order to facilitate a successful grant application process.

 JOIN US! Open Coffee Chats with the Community Impact Team are scheduled for 2023. Check out the dates!