Operating Grants

Operating Grants is sponsored by Albuquerque Community Foundation. The Albuquerque Community Foundation provides unrestricted operating support to nonprofit organizations, public educational institutions, and public agencies serving Greater Albuquerque. Their grants focus on areas like education, health, economic development, and human services.

## Annual Grant Cycle Criteria ## 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.

## Criteria and Priorities for Applicants: * Have been a nonprofit organization, exempt from Federal Income Taxes under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code; a public educational institution; or be a public agency, for a minimum of three (3) years (certain exceptions can be made to this, including: 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 three years old and you feel you meet the requirements to be eligible, please contact [[email protected]](https://abqcf.

org/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#ddbaafbcb3a9ae9dbcbfacbebbf3b2afba) * Provide services to the people of the Greater Albuquerque Metropolitan Area (Bernalillo, Sandoval, Torrance, and Valencia) * Clearly and specifically aligned with one of the Foundation’s Fields-of-Interest * Aligned with the Foundation’sValues * Be in good standing with the New Mexico Secretary of State and New Mexico Department of Justice (formerly the Office of the Attorney General) * **Please note: Organizations can ONLY apply for one field-of-interest the Annual Grant Cycle** While the Foundation remains flexible in trying to meet community needs, in general, annual grants are not made for or to: * Political or religious purposes * Annual campaigns, capital campaigns or fundraising events * Medical, scientific, or academic research * Influence legislation or elections * Private foundations and other grant-making organizations ## Grantmaking Fields-of-Interest: Grants in this field of interest support artistic and cultural expression of diverse communities and providing access to these experiences through the following: * Creative arts education including music, visual arts, and dance for youth (K-12) performing arts organizations * Enhancing cultural arts Grants encompass a wide range of educational supports to ensure historically marginalized communities receive opportunities that positively impact their lives and careers.

This may include: * Literacy education for K-12, early childhood education, and after school initiatives * Addressing adult literacy, vocational/career training and adult basic education, as well as programs to benefit seniors * Learning experiences for those with special needs and skills-based education programs Grants in this field-of-interest support preservation of environment, wildlife, and historic buildings with specific focus on: * Protecting natural land and resources, including the health and protection of wildlife * Preservation of archaeological sites and/or historical buildings, landmarks, attractions and venues * Climate justice efforts to improve environmental conditions (energy and water conservation, water recycling, renewable energy, etc.) * Educational programs and/or projects with strong community involvement related to any of the above #### Economic & Workforce Development Grants in this field-of-interest support intentional and inventive endeavors to ensure community wealth building for under-resourced populations, which can include: * Working towards ensuring a robust local economy * Contributing to social, economic, and environmental progress for entrepreneurs and the state's workforce * Providing innovative support systems for entrepreneurs Grants in this field-of-interest address essential needs for marginalized populations including the following programs: * Providing emergency care/services * Addressing food insecurity * Mental and behavioral health needs, including addressing substance abuse * General healthcare needs including home healthcare and hospice * Supporting dental health needs for individuals Grants aid individuals as they transition to more self-sustainable lifestyles, with an emphasis on fostering self-sufficiency and nurturing families, specific to supporting traditionally underserved populations.

This field-of-interest focuses on these specific areas: * Individuals experiencing displacement, homelessness, and/or individuals returning from incarceration * Assistance for sexual assault and domestic violence programs and/or support for survivors of crime * Support for vulnerable populations including children, families and seniors, youth aging out of foster care and individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities This grant opportunity will support the diverse programs for animal needs including: * Welfare for animals (may include, but is not limited to): * 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 Grants in this field of interest support artistic and cultural expression of diverse communities and providing access to these experiences through the following: * Creative arts education including music, visual arts, and dance for youth (K-12) performing arts organizations * Enhancing cultural arts #### Economic & Workforce Development Grants in this field-of-interest support intentional and inventive endeavors to ensure community wealth building for under-resourced populations, which can include: * Working towards ensuring a robust local economy * Contributing to social, economic, and environmental progress for entrepreneurs and the state's workforce * Providing innovative support systems for entrepreneurs Grants encompass a wide range of educational supports to ensure historically marginalized communities receive opportunities that positively impact their lives and careers.

This may include: * Literacy education for K-12, early childhood education, and after school initiatives * Addressing adult literacy, vocational/career training and adult basic education, as well as programs to benefit seniors * Learning experiences for those with special needs and skills-based education programs Grants in this field-of-interest support preservation of environment, wildlife, and historic buildings with specific focus on: * Protecting natural land and resources, including the health and protection of wildlife * Preservation of archaeological sites and/or historical buildings, landmarks, attractions and venues * Climate justice efforts to improve environmental conditions (energy and water conservation, water recycling, renewable energy, etc.) * Educational programs and/or projects with strong community involvement related to any of the above Grants in this field-of-interest address essential needs for marginalized populations including the following programs: * Providing emergency care/services * Addressing food insecurity * Mental and behavioral health needs, including addressing substance abuse * General healthcare needs including home healthcare and hospice * Supporting dental health needs for individuals Grants aid individuals as they transition to more self-sustainable lifestyles, with an emphasis on fostering self-sufficiency and nurturing families, specific to supporting traditionally underserved populations.

This field-of-interest focuses on these specific areas: * Individuals experiencing displacement, homelessness, and/or individuals returning from incarceration * Assistance for sexual assault and domestic violence programs and/or support for survivors of crime * Support for vulnerable populations including children, families and seniors, youth aging out of foster care and individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities This grant opportunity will support the diverse programs for animal needs including: * Welfare for animals (may include, but is not limited to): * 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 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. ## 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: * Umbrella funding organizations whose sole purpose is re-granting Potential applicants are strongly encouraged to contact theCommunity Impact Teamwith questions to facilitate a successful grant application process. **_JOIN US! _****Open Coffee Chats with the Community Impact Team are scheduled for 2025.

Check out the dates! ** 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.

## Criteria and Priorities for Applicants: * Have been a nonprofit organization, exempt from Federal Income Taxes under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code; a public educational institution; or be a public agency, for a minimum of five (5) years (certain exceptions can be made to this, including: 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]](https://abqcf.

org/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#543326353a20271435362537327a3b2633) * Provide services to the people of the Greater Albuquerque Metropolitan Area (Bernalillo, Sandoval, Torrance, and Valencia) * Clearly and specifically aligned with one of the Foundation’s Fields-of-Interest * Aligned with the Foundation’sValues * Be in good standing with the New Mexico Secretary of State and New Mexico Department of Justice (formerly the Office of the Attorney General) * **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: * Political or religious purposes * Annual campaigns, capital campaigns or fundraising events * Medical, scientific, or academic research * Influence legislation or elections * Private foundations and other grant-making organizations ## Grantmaking Fields-of-Interest: Grants in this field of interest support artistic and cultural expression of diverse communities and providing access to these experiences through the following: * Creative arts education including music, visual arts, and dance for youth (K-12) performing arts organizations * Enhancing cultural arts Grants encompass a wide range of educational supports to ensure historically marginalized communities receive opportunities that positively impact their lives and careers.

This may include: * Literacy education for K-12, early childhood education, and after school initiatives * Addressing adult literacy, vocational/career training and adult basic education, as well as programs to benefit seniors * Learning experiences for those with special needs and skills-based education programs Grants in this field-of-interest support preservation of environment, wildlife, and historic buildings with specific focus on: * Protecting natural land and resources, including the health and protection of wildlife * Preservation of archaeological sites and/or historical buildings, landmarks, attractions and venues * Climate justice efforts to improve environmental conditions (energy and water conservation, water recycling, renewable energy, etc.) * Educational programs and/or projects with strong community involvement related to any of the above Grants in this field-of-interest support intentional and inventive endeavors to ensure community wealth building for under-resourced populations, which can include: * Working towards ensuring a robust local economy * Contributing to social, economic, and environmental progress for entrepreneurs and the state's workforce * Providing innovative support systems for entrepreneurs Grants in this field-of-interest address essential needs for marginalized populations including the following programs: * Providing emergency care/services * Addressing food insecurity * Mental and behavioral health needs, including addressing substance abuse * General healthcare needs including home healthcare and hospice * Supporting dental health needs for individuals Grants aid individuals as they transition to more self-sustainable lifestyles, with an emphasis on fostering self-sufficiency and nurturing families, specific to supporting traditionally underserved populations.

This field-of-interest focuses on these specific areas: * Individuals experiencing displacement, homelessness, and/or individuals returning from incarceration * Assistance for sexual assault and domestic violence programs and/or support for survivors of crime * Support for vulnerable populations including children, families and seniors, youth aging out of foster care and individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities This grant opportunity will support the diverse programs for animal needs including: * Welfare for animals (may include, but is not limited to): * 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 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. ## 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: * Umbrella funding organizations whose sole purpose is re-granting Potential applicants are strongly encouraged to contact the Community Impact Team with questions to facilitate a successful grant application process. **_JOIN US! _****Open Coffee Chats with the Community Impact Team are scheduled for 2025.

Check out the dates! **