Grant Opportunities
A donor advised fund hosted at Vanguard Charitable
Application Guidelines
How to Apply:
- Complete the online Application.
- Email 2-3 JPEG photos of your program in action for our use in online marketing.
- Contact us in a week to check your application status. If we have any questions or concerns, we rely on your follow-up call to address them. We do not contact you.
Persons Authorized to Apply
Applications should be submitted by an authorized employee, such as the executive director or grants manager named in the latest COROS report. If another individual applies, email us written confirmation from the executive director approving the application.
Application Frequency
Apply annually to remain active in the grant pool. Grants may be given without a current application, but usually for smaller amounts.
Grant Cycle
Grants are distributed on a quarterly basis, at the end of March, June, September, and December. Application deadlines for each period fall on the 10th day of the respective months.
Upon approval, you will receive the initial grant within the quarter in which you applied. And, with continued eligibility and subject to re-approval, the application will be considered again for a second grant six months later. While the second grant is not guaranteed, it is likely.
Grant Disbursement and Approval Process
All grants are subject to final approval by Vanguard Charitable, who is responsible for issuing them. When possible, grant funds are deposited directly into your PayPal account for efficient and secure transfer.
Grant Service Area
New Mexico nonprofits classified as public charities and filing annual COROS reports are eligible. Nonprofits outside New Mexico can apply if registered with NM COROS and if they submit separate New Mexico financials from the last two years. Grants will fund only New Mexico programs.
Types of Grants
Unrestricted Grants
Our standard grant is unrestricted — meaning you determine the best use of our funding.
Nonprofits, classified as public charities and working in New Mexico to improve life quality or the environment may qualify. They must have a minimum of the last three years of US-990 long forms (not postcards) uploaded to their New Mexico COROS page for our review.
Grant Amount Limitations
Grant amounts are typically capped at no more than 5% of the organization’s direct program expenses, after deducting program income and any government grants received. In addition, this calculated amount must not exceed 5% of total contributions, after subtracting unusually large donations, government grants, disqualified person contributions, and non-cash donations. This dual limitation ensures both prudent use of grant funds and equitable distribution among eligible applicants.
If gross income far exceeds direct program expenses, we may reduce or deny the grant, or offer a Token of Appreciation Grant instead.
For larger nonprofits, semi-annual grants are capped at $25,000.
Targeted Grants
These grants address unique (often one-time) expenses and may require extra documentation. They are available to organizations that regularly receive unrestricted funding from us. Please contact us before submitting a Targeted Grant request.
Token of Appreciation Grants
Nonprofits that don’t fully meet our eligibility criteria, but align with our program’s spirit, may, at our discretion, receive a one-time $500 Token of Appreciation Grant.
Program Exclusions and Disclosures
Program Exclusions
- Organizations that fail to comply with government regulations are excluded as are organizations whose most recent IRS approval was issued less than 3 years ago.
- Research-focused entities, event-driven programs, faith-based programs, grant-giving, lobbying and political organizations are not eligible.
- Organizations with an annual income exceeding $10 million or a net worth greater than 20 million are generally excluded. For national or regional organizations these ceilings are based solely on their New Mexico-specific financials.
Program Disclosures
- If your application is approved, you will be placed in the selection pool from which grant recipients are chosen. Should the number of applications in the pool exceed our allotted grant budget, it is possible that an approved application may not receive a grant during that period.
- Failure to acknowledge an earlier grant may hinder future grant opportunities
- If your total grants exceed $20,000, we suggest setting up an annual in-person meeting (over lunch or coffee) in Santa Fe to share updates about your goals and programs. Keeping us informed this way is important for ongoing funding at that level.
- We reserve the right to modify or discontinue the amount, frequency of grants, and your involvement in this program at any time.