Small Orgs, Big Impact Fund

Small Orgs, Big Impact Fund is sponsored by Albuquerque Community Foundation and United Way of Central New Mexico (in partnership with W. K. Kellogg Foundation).

This fund supports grassroots, BIPOC-led, small nonprofit organizations in Bernalillo, Sandoval, Torrance, Valencia, and Santa Fe counties of central New Mexico.

Small Orgs, Big Impact Grant Program - DEI United Collaborative | UWNCNM Applications are no longer being accepted for this grant SMALL ORGS, BIG IMPACT GRANT PROGRAM Through the “Small Orgs, Big Impact” grant program the DEI United Collaborative , which includes United Way of Central New Mexico (UWCNM) and the Albuquerque Community Foundation (ACF), is seeking to support grassroots, BIPOC-led, small nonprofit organizations that intimately know and understand their communities and have the trust and inherent knowledge to address the racial/ethnic gaps in health and education through an equitable grantmaking approach.

As two local funders, the DEI United Collaborative recognizes the systemic racism inherent in the grantmaking process that has contributed to BIPOC-led nonprofits being underinvested.

The goal is to develop a grantmaking program that is based in trust and solidarity principles that effectively support grassroots, BIPOC-led, small nonprofit organizations while informing grantmaking practices for UWCNM and ACF as well as other partner funders. The Small Orgs, Big Impact grant will fund 12-15 organizations through an unrestricted, multi-year program over three grantmaking cycles.

The first round of funding will consist of four organizations identified by United Way and Albuquerque Community Foundation staff using Trust-Based Philanthropy principles. It is our intention to keep the first round small to minimize ACF/UW staff decision-making in funded organizations. The second and third round of funding will be community-led and determined.

As we move forward, we will publish updates on funding and our process. Compensation for time and expertise will be provided for individuals participating in the community-led process.

Eligibility Requirements: Be an active 501c3 organization or fiscally sponsored by 501c3 organization Have operating budgets of $500,000 or less Operating & serving the five counties of central New Mexico (Bernalillo, Sandoval, Santa Fe, Torrance and Valencia) Work to address the racial/ethnic gaps in health and education Engagement & Identification Accessibility & Application Evaluation & Storytelling Engagement & Identification The approach behind these principles acknowledge and address the traditional barriers, inequities, and racism in our grantmaking practices by building long-term, high-trust networks within grassroots, BIPOC-led nonprofits, and maintaining a high net grant value through a low-cost, low-barrier application and reporting process.

Essential to the success of this program is the ongoing journey to understand the systemic racism inherent in both of our organizations. As the DEI United Collaborative looks to support BIPOC-led nonprofits, we must also support BIPOC staff within our institutions, and continue to challenge the inequities in our organizations.

The principles of trust and solidarity that we approach in our grantmaking program will influence how we develop and design this program within our collaborative.

The DEI United Collaborative will identify and meaningfully support small, grassroots, BIPOC-led organizations through community impact grants as they effectively address issues related to these areas through a racial equity lens through their intimate knowledge of their communities and trusted relationships among the communities they serve.