Sustaining New Mexico Fund Grant

The Sustaining New Mexico Fund was established by the New Mexico Foundation in 2022 to bolster the long-term sustainability of nonprofit organizations across the state. This initiative reflects the Foundation’s commitment to strengthening communities through the promotion of social equity and self-sufficiency. The fund aligns with the Foundation’s core priority areas, which include community resilience, educational opportunities, environmental adaptability, healthy communities, and rural infrastructure. The overarching goal is to enhance the quality of life for all New Mexicans through targeted, equitable, and impactful grantmaking. For the current grant cycle, the Sustaining New Mexico Fund places particular emphasis on funding organizations whose operations are based in the following counties: Catron, Socorro, DeBaca, Quay, Curry, Roosevelt, Chaves, Lea, Eddy, Hidalgo, Otero, Sierra, Luna, and Grant. This targeted geographic focus is intended to direct support to areas that may be underserved or face unique challenges in sustaining nonprofit operations and community services. The fund supports projects that fall within two primary focus areas. The first includes efforts to mitigate the impacts of natural disasters on communities. The second supports initiatives that make healthy food options more accessible, such as food pantries and soup kitchens. These focus areas are consistent with the Foundation’s priorities and the evolving needs of New Mexico’s diverse communities. While the grant range for this cycle is still to be determined, past awards have varied significantly in size, as illustrated by the 2024 cycle which distributed a total of $100,000 among 13 grantees. The application process for the 2025 cycle is divided into two distinct stages. First, applicants must complete a brief inquiry form designed to help the Foundation assess alignment with the year’s geographic and thematic priorities. If an organization meets these criteria, it will be invited to the second stage and given a password to access the full application. This two-stage process ensures that the Foundation engages only with applicants whose missions align closely with the fund’s objectives, thereby increasing efficiency and relevance in the selection process. Key dates for this cycle include the opening of the inquiry form on August 18, 2025, and its closing on September 15, 2025. The full application portal opens on August 29, 2025, and all applications are due by October 15, 2025. Grant recipients will be announced on November 14, 2025. The grant period will run from December 1, 2025, through November 30, 2026. These clearly defined timelines provide applicants with ample opportunity to prepare and submit materials within a structured framework. Applicants or interested parties seeking additional information can reach out to New Mexico Foundation staff via email at jwalker@newmexicofoundation.org or edavila@newmexicofoundation.org. The Foundation encourages potential applicants to review the eligibility and focus areas carefully before initiating the inquiry process.