Because New Mexico is one of the most underserved states in America, it’s of the utmost importance that organizations have access to information about how to apply for nonprofit grants. If you’re wondering how to get nonprofit funding in New Mexico, you’re in the right place! It doesn’t matter if you’re from Taos Pueblo, Grants, Roswell, Santa Fe, or another locale within the state— we’re here to help you find the New Mexico nonprofit funding you’re looking for.
An invaluable New Mexico nonprofit grant resource is SHARE NM, a unique on-line system created by state grantmakers to post, find and apply for grant opportunities. This resource also functions as a “first stop” for community information within New Mexico.
Facilitated by Groundworks New Mexico, the New Mexico Grantmakers Directory is a searchable database of New Mexico grantmakers, as well as out-of-state grantmakers who fund New Mexico nonprofits. The Grantmakers Directory is a great resource for New Mexico nonprofits in need of foundation funding and corporate funding!
A significant and unique (the only one of its kind in NM) resource is New Mexico Women, which leverages philanthropic investments in programs serving women and girls of color and those in rural, low income communities statewide through donor education and strategic grant-making efforts.
Below you’ll find a list of some New Mexico grant resources- know of a resource we may have missed? Reach out and let us know!
General New Mexico Resources
Legislator Lookup
Below are links to elected officials, funding sources and other useful agencies for grant-seeking groups in New Mexico. Please let us know about others that you feel would be helpful so that we can continue to improve this listing. Thanks!
Government offices:
Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham - (505) 476-2200, Santa Fe
Senator Ben Ray Juján - (202) 224-6621, Washington, DC
Senator Martin Heinrich - (202) 224-5521, Washington, DC
Attorney General Raúl Torrez - (844) 255-9210 (toll free), Santa Fe
If you’d like to know the names and addresses of other elected officials that represent you and your area, click here to locate them: New Mexico Elected Officials.
New Mexico Office of African American Affairs
New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs
New Mexico Environment Department
New Mexico Indian Affairs Department - Multiple grants available to Native American Communities.
The Governor's Commission on Disability Quality of Life Grant
New Mexico Humanities Council Grant Program
Community Facilities Direct Loan & Grant Program in Rural New Mexico
Other helpful organizations:
An invaluable New Mexico nonprofit grant resource is SHARE NM, a unique, on-line system created by state grantmakers to enable nonprofit organizations to find and apply for grant opportunities. This resource also functions as a “first stop” for community information within New Mexico.
Another excellent resource is the New Mexico Grantmakers Directory, a searchable database of New Mexico grantmakers and out-of-state grantmakers who fund New Mexico nonprofits. It is maintained by Groundworks New Mexico, who have a wide variety of resources, including the CNPE Principles & Practices Guide. This guide covers legally required practices and recommended standard practices for nonprofit organizations in New Mexico.
Also, check out New Mexico Women, the only fund of its kind in New Mexico that works to advance opportunities for women and girls statewide so they can lead self-sufficient, healthy and empowered lives. NMW leverages philanthropic investments in programs serving women and girls of color and those in rural, low-income communities through donor education and strategic grant-making efforts.
New Mexico Thrives - New Mexico’s Nonprofit Association advocates for the New Mexico nonprofits sector and promotes, strengthens and connects individual organizations.
Keep New Mexico Beautiful - KNMB is the official clearing house for beautification projects in the State of New Mexico granted by the Litter Control & Beautification Act H.B. 158. It is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting and educating New Mexicans about beautification, xeriscape, graffiti eradication, litter control, recycling, community stewardship, volunteerism and pride in our state. Its grant program is supported by New Mexico Clean & Beautiful, a program of the New Mexico Tourism Department. The grant program supports projects that improve communities, public spaces, and institutions. Approval of grants and allocation of funds is dependent upon KNMB Grant Committee review, availability of funds, the number of applications received, and compliance with grant requirements set forth in the Grant Guidelines section.
The Loan Fund - TLF is an award-winning nonprofit organization that provides loans, as well as consulting and training services, to small businesses, entrepreneurs and nonprofit organizations across New Mexico. Most of our clients are unable to obtain financing through banks or credit unions. TLF was founded in 1989 to help alleviate poverty by creating and preserving job opportunities throughout New Mexico, particularly in low-income and underserved communities. The Loan Fund has made over $75 million in loans that have helped create or preserve over 9,000 jobs in New Mexico since inception.
New Mexico Health Equity Partnership - HEP focuses on building the organizational and community infrastructure necessary to improve the living conditions in our communities. We are the glue that brings people, community organizations and decision makers together to improve living conditions for historically impoverished communities. We are the coach, cheerleader, connector, mentor and project manager that make healthy communities possible in New Mexico. We build infrastructure through trainings, coaching and by sharing tools that allow both residents and community groups to hold policymakers accountable. We help elevate the community’s voice so residents can be the drivers of change. In 2017, 254 parents and 214 young people and children advocated for systemic change. Overall 70 decision makers were engaged.
Nonprofit Back Office Resources - NBOR’s mission is to help nonprofits accomplish more through our team-based, professional financial management and administrative services. By taking care of everything behind the scenes, 501(C)PA reduces risk and improves financial wellness so nonprofits can spend their time and energy where it matters most: their missions.
Nonprofit Resource Group - NRG is a program of The National Center for Frontier Communities (NCFC), a research and advocacy organization dedicated to improving the health and quality of life in frontier America. NRG staff and consultants are dedicated to helping build and sustain nonprofit and other community organizations so that they can fulfill their roles effectively and sustainably, in partnership with private business and government. Most services are provided on a sliding-scale fee. One free service is our “Curbside consulting,” which offers brief consultations to nonprofit leaders and staff on any nonprofit topic, including grant opportunities from around the country.
Non-Profit Support and Success Program at Las Cruces Green Chamber of Commerce - The LCGCC Nonprofit Support and Success program helps nonprofits become better organized, operate more efficiently and works with them to develop plans and strategies that ensure their sustainability.
SCORE - (National website) is a uniquely American organization that synthesizes two historic national ideas: entrepreneurial spirit and volunteerism. We are passionate about using our knowledge and expertise to assist and support local business owners, entrepreneurs and nonprofits during every phase of business. Listed below are the local SCORE organizations in New Mexico:
Albuquerque SCORE - Based in Albuquerque and serving the counties of Bernalillo, Sandoval, Torrance and Valencia, SCORE is a catalyst for businesses, nonprofit organizations and job creation. SCORE helps strengthen our local economy. We're committed to helping small businesses grow from start-up through maturity with thoughtful guidance from our team of experienced entrepreneurs, business owners, corporate executives and managers. Business owners have unique professional development needs. This is why we offer different ways to help you build the skills and clarity you need to move forward.
Las Cruces SCORE - SCORE is a nonprofit association dedicated to helping small businesses and nonprofit organizations get off the ground, grow and achieve their goals through education and mentorship.
Santa Fe and Northern NM SCORE - In any business, the more you know, the better opportunity you have to grow. SCORE Santa Fe, in partnership with the Santa Fe Economic Development Department, makes this possible by offering a variety of free educational programs including workshops and seminars. Topics include business plans and money management, fundraising basics, pitching your ideas, QuickBooks and more. Our workshops and seminars are offered yearly in spring and fall. For information/online registration, go to www.score.org/santafe/local-workshops.
Training Resources for the Environmental Community - TREC has a vision of leaders, organizations and diverse coalitions working effectively for environmental protection, conservation, and sustainability in Western North America. TREC cultivates effectiveness by providing premier capacity-building services, delivered in-depth and over time.
NEW MEXICO COMMUNITY FOUNDATIONS
Have you checked out your local Community Foundation yet? These are potential funders who know the needs of your community in great detail, and who will want to learn how your organization fits within the local service network. Each Community Foundation is entirely unique, but their general goal is to recruit donors and their contributions, then help distribute those dollars to local nonprofits, schools, artists, churches and other groups. Click here on New Mexico Community Foundations to see a list of them and the geographic areas they serve, or simply click on the specific Foundation names below.
Want to learn more about Community Foundations before approaching your nearest one for funding, or learn about their other resources? Click here on What’s a Community Foundation? Remember, research and insight are key to developing a successful Letter of Intent (LOI) and proposal writing approach.
Santa Fe Community Foundation - SFCF is devoted to building healthy and vital communities in the region where: racial, cultural or economic differences do not limit access to health, education or employment; diverse audiences enjoy the many arts and cultural heritages of our region; and all sectors of our community take responsibility for ensuring a healthy environment. To this end, we commit our resources to building Philanthropy that is robust, effective, and focused on critical issues facing communities, and nonprofits that achieve their missions with excellence. The SFCF Giving Together catalog allows fundholders to see a summary of SFCF’s community grant cycle applicant proposals and provides an opportunity to fund those proposals. Fundholder participation has allowed us to increase our discretionary grantmaking dollars by nearly 100%.
New Mexico Foundation - We improve the quality of life in New Mexico by building and managing charitable funds established by individuals, families, groups, organizations, and institutions. Grants to nonprofit organizations are made from these funds that both anticipate and respond to community need. In addition, we offer a wide variety of services dedicated to helping nonprofit organizations achieve their missions with excellence, including workshops in Advocacy, Board Management, Collaboration, Communications and Marketing, Evaluation, Finance, Fundraising, Grant Proposal Writing (provided by The Grantsmanship Center!), Human Resources, Leadership and Planned Giving.
Albuquerque Community Foundation - The Foundation is a New Mexico philanthropic entity concerned with all aspects of community well-being. Since our establishment in 1981, over $58 million has been granted to nonprofit organizations serving the greater Albuquerque area. Our Foundation grants in the following fields-of-interest through the competitive-grant programs: Arts & Culture, Economic & Workforce Development, Education, Environmental & Historic Preservation, Health and Human Services.
Carlsbad Community Foundation - The Carlsbad Community Foundation is a charitable nonprofit organization that promotes and enhances the lives of people in Carlsbad and South Eddy County. The Foundation was established in 1978 and has been a primary supporter of education, arts and humanities health and human services and other key issues for four decades.
El Paso Community Foundation - The El Paso Community Foundation was established in 1977 to foster philanthropy and provide a long term endowment to address the unique opportunities and challenges of the El Paso, southern New Mexico and Ciudad Juárez region. Today, the El Paso Community Foundation provides a wide-range of philanthropic services in the region as a grantmaker, convener and leadership organization to the community.
Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico - Based in Las Cruces.
C.W. and Dee McMullen Community Foundation - Based in Tucumcari.
Taos Community Foundation - TCF is dedicated to serving the unique needs of the communities of Taos and western Colfax Counties. Our philanthropic efforts support and enrich the lives and opportunities of citizens and protect the environment which sustains us. Our initiatives amplify donor investments which directly and powerfully support growth in our community.
UNITED WAYS OF NEW MEXICO
All United Way organizations around the country are dedicated to supporting projects within the four main areas of Health, Education, Financial Stability and Disaster Recovery of Individuals. While they share this common focus, each UW chapter also provides funding and support for programs customized to the needs of its home area. To find out more about a specific UW and its resources and nonprofit funding opportunities, please click on the links below:
San Juan United Way - Based in Farmington, serving San Juan County.
United Way of Carlsbad & South Eddy County - Based in Carlsbad, serving South Eddy County.
United Way of Central New Mexico - We serve our neighbors in Bernalillo, Sandoval, Torrance and Valencia Counties. In some cases, our reach extends further, serving the entire state of New Mexico and beyond through our 2-1-1 information hotline and Tax Help New Mexico.
United Way of Chaves County - Based in Roswell, serving Chaves County.
United Way of Eastern New Mexico - Based in Clovis and Portales, serving Curry and Roosevelt Counties.
United Way of Lea County - Based in Hobbs, serving the cities of Eunice, Hobbs, Jal, Lovington, and Tatum in Lea County.
United Way of Northern New Mexico - Based in Los Alamos, serving Los Alamos, and Rio Arriba Counties.
United Way of Santa Fe County - Based in Santa Fe, serving Santa Fe County.
United Way of Southwest New Mexico - Based in Las Cruces, serving Dona Ana, Luna, Grant, Sierra and Hidalgo Counties.
One of the keys to successful grant proposal writing is understanding the vocabulary used. You’ll avoid problems down the road if you fully understand the funder’s requirements from the outset. Case in point: we’ve heard of confusion about the terms supplement and supplant. They sound similar but have very different meanings.
The person reviewing your grant proposal is often someone who is not familiar with your organization, your community, or the problems your community is facing. Therefore, you want your proposal to be easy to comprehend on the first reading.
As the developer, writer and steward of funding proposals, you might consider approaching 2024 with new ideas and new energy for the task. It’s a wonderful/terrible tradition that we make resolutions at this time of year, so why not think about these for your proposal-writing list.
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