General Guidelines

General application guidelines:

• The majority of our grants go to organizations within the state of New Mexico
• Grants made to organizations outside of New Mexico are usually in support of research projects at colleges, institutes, or universities
• The Foundation makes grants to nonprofit agencies recognized as such at the federal level (i.e., 501 (c)(3) agencies)
• The Foundation does not make grants to individuals
• The Foundation maintains a focus on “high-engagement” philanthropy as “the best means of achieving our social goals” (to quote Letts & Ryan)
• The Foundation facilitates high-engagement grantmaking relationships by using an eFoundation model, which encourages use of Internet and web-based technologies
• Grant requests, request reviews, project tracking, and project reporting are handled primarily via our online application system (see Online Application under the Foundation Web Site menu above)
• Organizations are expected to have a working familiarity with Internet and web-based technologies
• The Foundation uses the GuideStar service as a part of its request review process (all organizations must first register with GuideStar before submitting a request)
• The Foundation is theory-based—we use attachment theory as a theory of social change (please browse this blog/web site for more information)
• Organizations are encouraged to learn about how the Foundation views the application of attachment theory to the world of philanthropy and social change by reading the attachment primer and practical application article by Dr. Pistole entitled Preventing Teenage Pregnancy: Contributions from Attachment Theory (use the Contact Us button above to request a copy)
• In any fiscal year (which is from August 1st to July 31st), the Foundation expects to make grants totaling approximately $250,000 (awards range from $1,000 to $20,000)
• Our board meets four times a fiscal year (August 1st – July 31st). These meetings are on or about the following dates:
  • September 30th (our annual meeting)
  • January 31st
  • April 30th
  • July 15th (our end-of-year meeting)
• For exact board meeting dates, please use the Contact Us button above.
• We consider grant requests at each of these four board meetings. All grant request forms and information must be submitted to the Foundation two weeks prior to board meeting dates. Even though we consider grant requests at each board meeting, it is not unusual for us to commit all grant funds by the third board meeting (e.g., typically by the April board meeting).

Permissions and Confidentiality Notice: All materials submitted to the Foundation as a part of the grant request, tracking and reporting process become the property of the Foundation. The Foundation will not be responsible for returning original documents, so please only submit copies. Do not submit materials that are confidential, reveal confidential or privileged information, or are copyrighted (unless permission has first been obtained from the copyright holder, and all documents contain the appropriate permissions notice).

Please use the Contact Us button above if you have any questions concerning these general guidelines.