Grants
About Us
About Us
Grants
Grant Opportunities
Annual Grant Cycle
Each year, Albuquerque Community Foundation awards grants through an annual grant cycle. Awards are granted to organizations providing services that support residents in the four-county Greater Albuquerque Metropolitan Area (Bernalillo, Sandoval, Torrance and Valencia). The Annual Grant Cycle is supported by over 90 endowment funds. In order to respond to the community’s specific needs, distributions from the funds are pooled and aligned directly with the Foundation’s fields of interest.
Through many conversations in the community, input from a survey to the nonprofit community, trainings with national philanthropic hubs, and our newly updated values, the Community Impact Committee has adopted the following changes for the Annual Grant Cycle:
- A seventh field-of-interest to support Animal Welfare will be included in Round 1 of the Annual Grant Cycle in 2023. Funding to support this field-of-interest is the result of several donor-advised funds pooled to support this common interest. Read more about the priorities of the Animal Welfare field-of-interest.
- In an effort to ease the burden on nonprofits, we will no longer require presentations and are removing that component of the Application Process; funding decisions will be based solely on the application.
- In lieu of presentations, we will host a series of PEEP (Party to Enhance Equity in Philanthropy) events throughout the year to create space for nonprofits to share their work with one another, with staff, Trustees, Committee members and community members. These will be informal events intended to support community building and relationships.
Save the Dates for Upcoming PEEP Events: June 15, September 14, October 26
- We have updated the application to the Annual Grant Cycle and included a scoring rubric that is available to all nonprofits here. This scoring rubric will be used by all panelists on the review committee. If you're interested in participating on a review panel, please sign-up.
- We will continue to host Coffee Chat hours. This year, we will be available during the application cycle to offer support in answering any questions or provide space for feedback. Coffee Chat hours will be available three times per Round and folks can join at any time. Join us for a Coffee Chat via Zoom.
Coffee Chat Dates
- 2024 dates coming soon!
Our ongoing work in grantmaking, asset development and community leadership is focused on supporting organizations that meet the basic needs of our community and work toward creating lasting positive change.
As a result, we identified a common theme in the Annual Grant Cycle: providing access to economic opportunities. Like many major cities, Albuquerque faces many complex issues. The root cause of many of these issues is the inequity of economic opportunity. By integrating this theme into our grantmaking, we aim to move the needle towards prosperity for more Albuquerque residents.
Strategic Grant Lens
Access to economic opportunities could apply (but is not limited) to the following areas:
- Providing and supporting economic opportunities for individuals living in the four-county Greater Albuquerque Metropolitan Area (Bernalillo, Sandoval, Torrance and Valencia). This may include life-skills and career development programs, educational opportunities and/or social services programs that create opportunities for community members.
- Providing and supporting opportunities that will bolster the economic growth of Albuquerque. This may include strengthening access to art and culture; increasing workforce development and job creation to bolster economic growth; and/or ensuring the surrounding natural environment remains a preserved, protected, and valued aspect of the city.
This two-pronged approach to providing access to economic opportunities holistically addresses economic inequities and supports our city’s collective economic growth and development.
Grants are awarded in two rounds each year. For the full application, please visit our Grants Portal.
Grant Opportunities
Annual Grant Cycle
Each year, Albuquerque Community Foundation awards grants through an annual grant cycle. Awards are granted to organizations providing services that support residents in the four-county Greater Albuquerque Metropolitan Area (Bernalillo, Sandoval, Torrance and Valencia). The Annual Grant Cycle is supported by over 90 endowment funds. In order to respond to the community’s specific needs, distributions from the funds are pooled and aligned directly with the Foundation’s fields of interest.
Through many conversations in the community, input from a survey to the nonprofit community, trainings with national philanthropic hubs, and our newly updated values, the Community Impact Committee has adopted the following changes for the Annual Grant Cycle:
- A seventh field-of-interest to support Animal Welfare will be included in Round 1 of the Annual Grant Cycle in 2023. Funding to support this field-of-interest is the result of several donor-advised funds pooled to support this common interest. Read more about the priorities of the Animal Welfare field-of-interest.
- In an effort to ease the burden on nonprofits, we will no longer require presentations and are removing that component of the Application Process; funding decisions will be based solely on the application.
- In lieu of presentations, we will host a series of PEEP (Party to Enhance Equity in Philanthropy) events throughout the year to create space for nonprofits to share their work with one another, with staff, Trustees, Committee members and community members. These will be informal events intended to support community building and relationships.
Save the Dates for Upcoming PEEP Events: June 15, September 14, October 26
- We have updated the application to the Annual Grant Cycle and included a scoring rubric that is available to all nonprofits here. This scoring rubric will be used by all panelists on the review committee. If you're interested in participating on a review panel, please sign-up.
- We will continue to host Coffee Chat hours. This year, we will be available during the application cycle to offer support in answering any questions or provide space for feedback. Coffee Chat hours will be available three times per Round and folks can join at any time. Join us for a Coffee Chat via Zoom.
Coffee Chat Dates
- 2024 dates coming soon!
Our ongoing work in grantmaking, asset development and community leadership is focused on supporting organizations that meet the basic needs of our community and work toward creating lasting positive change.
As a result, we identified a common theme in the Annual Grant Cycle: providing access to economic opportunities. Like many major cities, Albuquerque faces many complex issues. The root cause of many of these issues is the inequity of economic opportunity. By integrating this theme into our grantmaking, we aim to move the needle towards prosperity for more Albuquerque residents.
Strategic Grant Lens
Access to economic opportunities could apply (but is not limited) to the following areas:
- Providing and supporting economic opportunities for individuals living in the four-county Greater Albuquerque Metropolitan Area (Bernalillo, Sandoval, Torrance and Valencia). This may include life-skills and career development programs, educational opportunities and/or social services programs that create opportunities for community members.
- Providing and supporting opportunities that will bolster the economic growth of Albuquerque. This may include strengthening access to art and culture; increasing workforce development and job creation to bolster economic growth; and/or ensuring the surrounding natural environment remains a preserved, protected, and valued aspect of the city.
This two-pronged approach to providing access to economic opportunities holistically addresses economic inequities and supports our city’s collective economic growth and development.
Grants are awarded in two rounds each year. For the full application, please visit our Grants Portal.
Our Fields of Interest
Through the Annual Grant Cycle, we make grants in seven diverse priority areas. This allows us to meet a broad spectrum of needs while also following Albuquerque’s changing demands.
Please note: Organizations can ONLY apply for one field-of-interest in our Annual Grant Cycle.
Arts & Culture
Arts and Culture grants focus on two primary funding areas:
- Organizations and programs that provide access to arts and culture for our community.
- 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.
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.
Health
Health grants have two focus areas:
- Meeting the mental health needs (including behavioral health and addiction recovery) of residents in the Greater Albuquerque Metropolitan Area (Bernalillo, Sandoval, Torrance and Valencia).
- Supporting dental health needs of individuals from early childhood-aged to seniors.
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
Need To Know Grants
Need to Know grants provide an opportunity for nonprofits to submit rolling grant requests throughout the year. By submitting these requests, your organization can keep us informed of new programs or ongoing funding needs throughout the year.
If your organization submitted a grant application in the Annual Grant Cycle and was not selected, it will rollover into a Need to Know grant.
- Need to Know grants must serve populations within one of the following counties: Bernalillo, Sandoval, Torrance, and/or Valencia.
- The Foundation will review requests monthly, but there is no deadline to submit and there is no designated date on which the Foundation makes funding decisions. This is a rolling process throughout the year. If your organization receives funds, we will contact you directly.
- While grants may vary in size, we suggest you submit your requests in the $5,000 – $10,000 range.
Sign-Up for Community Impact Updates
Our Fields of Interest
Through the Annual Grant Cycle, we make grants in six diverse priority areas. This allows us to meet a broad spectrum of needs while also following Albuquerque’s changing demands.
Please note: Organizations can ONLY apply for one field-of-interest in our Annual Grant Cycle.
Arts & Culture
Arts and Culture grants focus on two primary funding areas:
- Organizations and programs that provide access to arts and culture for our community.
- 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:
- Meeting the mental health needs (including behavioral health and addiction recovery) of residents in the Greater Albuquerque Metropolitan Area (Bernalillo, Sandoval, Torrance and Valencia).
- 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
Need To Know Grants
Need to Know grants provide an opportunity for nonprofits to submit rolling grant requests throughout the year. By submitting these requests, your organization can keep us informed of new programs or ongoing funding needs throughout the year.
If your organization submitted a grant application in the Competitive Grant Program and was not selected, it will rollover into a Need to Know grant.
- Need to Know grants must serve populations within one of the following counties: Bernalillo, Sandoval, Torrance, and/or Valencia.
- The Foundation will review requests monthly, but there is no deadline to submit and there is no designated date on which the Foundation makes funding decisions. This is a rolling process throughout the year. If your organization receives funds, we will contact you directly.
- While grants may vary in size, we suggest you submit your requests in the $5,000 – $10,000 range.