Albuquerque Community Foundation
/OVERVIEW: The Albuquerque Community Foundation has a competitive grants program that awards grants in the areas of arts and culture, education, environment, environmental and historic preservation, health, human services, and economic and workforce development.
FUNDING AREAS: Arts and culture, education, environment, environmental and historic preservation, health, human services, economic and workforce development
IP TAKE: This is a great foundation to pitch an Albuquerque-based program for nearly any large or small charitable cause. Keep requests between $1,000 and $15,000.
PROFILE: Established in 1981, the Albuquerque Community Foundation (ACF) supports the Greater Albuquerque area and aims to "build, invest, and manage endowment funds to enhance the quality of the community through informed strategic grantmaking." Funding areas of interest for this community foundation include arts and culture, education, environment, environmental and historic preservation, health, human services, economic and workforce development.
Much of this funder’s giving comes from donor-advised funds, although its agency endowment funds and competitive grant program are significant too. ACF’s general grants consist of the Mayor’s Prize, student aid, impact grantmaking, giving circles, and Concours du Soleil. To apply for the Competitive Grants Program, nonprofits must be incorporated in the state of New Mexico for a minimum of five years. Both large and small organizations are considered for competitive grants. Arts and culture grants have an emphasis on low-income populations and at-risk youth. Education grants support early childhood, K-12 programs, and adult learning programs that promote literacy and vocational training. Environmental and historic preservation grants have an emphasis on K-12 and overall community involvement. Health grants support access to care, including mental health, and human services grants benefit at-risk youth, senior citizen, and the homeless.
The average competitive grant in past years has been around $8,350. View a list of past competitive grant recipients by year on the funder’s website. The Albuquerque metro area is the focus of this funder, but it also awards competitive grants to groups outside of that improve the quality of life here. Since 2017, ACF has offered operating grants only within the arts and culture field of interest, and this field now no longer accepts program grant proposals. The foundation does not make multi-year grants for its competitive program.
ACF accepts unsolicited grant requests from nonprofits and posts current grant deadlines on its website. There are different deadlines for the various areas of focus. Direct general questions to the staff at 505-883-6240 or foundation@albuquerquefoundation.org.
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