In keeping with our mission, we strive to make the grant application process simple and learn what we can through direct communication with our grantees. We value your time so ask that, if you have questions about whether your organization qualifies for a Brindle grant or if you wish to discuss specific ideas, to contact
Mary Nell, Brindle’s Executive Director, with questions or to request a brief phone call.
The following are our key funding guidelines:
- Proposals are accepted in response to specific Requests for Proposals and via our online portal (the login portion of this website).
- At this time, our funding is focused on early childhood in New Mexico, which we define as prenatal to three.
- Grants generally are given for a one-year period towards projects or programs; multiyear, challenge, or matching grants will also be considered. Collaborative efforts between two or more organizations are encouraged.
- In most cases, the limit for a first-time grant is $15,000. Exceptions may be made for larger initiatives.
- At this time, the Brindle Foundation is not able to support a Facilities and Administrative rate applied to grants awarded to institutes of higher education.
- All grantees are expected to provide updates and share learnings. Specifically, an interim conversation with the Executive Director or a brief written report is requested within the first six months of receipt of funds, as well as a final written report within two months of the end of the grant period.
- Grants are only made to organizations recognized as nonprofit by the IRS, that have a fiscal sponsor classified as such, or are a government or other tribal nonprofit entity.
- We do not fund grants to individuals, for religious purposes, or for political activity.
- The Foundation will only support organizations whose boards have passed a comprehensive policy of non-discrimination applying to employees, volunteers, and services. Organizations applying for first-time funding are required to submit a policy (guidelines may be found here).
Research shows most brain development occurs within the first three years of life; there is a narrow window of opportunity to create a solid foundation for future health and well-being. To address this important need, Brindle focuses grantmaking on prenatal to three, with particular interest in underserved populations and equity.
We have two funding streams: one for direct services in six counties and tribal lands in NM and one for systems strengthening statewide:
Geography: Services must be in one of the following counties: Santa Fe, Sandoval, San Miguel, Mora, Rio Arriba, Taos or tribal lands in New Mexico
Grants for providers of direct services that benefit babies and toddlers prenatal to age three and their families/caregivers or local collaborations around the delivery of early childhood services. We seek programs to advance the well-being of infants and toddlers (and of underserved populations in particular). We recognize the broad range of approaches this may include such as prenatal support, maternal/infant healthcare, home visiting, parent/caregiver education, early childhood development, etc.
Geography: New Mexico statewide
By one or more of the following means:
(A) Through advocacy or policy: Grants that support organizations engaged in local or statewide early childhood advocacy, policy development, and awareness campaigns that will benefit our youngest and most vulnerable.
(B) Through innovation: Grants that will attempt to meet critical prenatal and/or early childhood needs in new or catalytic ways. Brindle seeks innovative strategies for systems strengthening that have potential for impact statewide.
(C) Through coordination and collaboration: Grants that foster partnerships, coalitions, or networks (or other mechanisms) to increase efficiency and effectiveness. The emphasis of these grants is to improve systems and collaborations that address the needs of the youngest New Mexicans and their families/caregivers by working together and/or using shared resources.
(D) Through higher education programs: Grants that promote higher education to impact system-level changes in the state’s early childhood sector. Opportunities include expanding the quality of New Mexico’s infant and toddler care workforce, excellence in teaching, lab schools, model programs, research, building leadership and capacity.
In a program empowering teen moms, a
Mother Tongue Project student reads her essay along with an admiring onlooker.
August 30th
Portal opens for submission of grant proposals
September 20th
Proposals due by 5 PM, MDT
Early December
Grant award announcements, funds dispersed
Brindle’s early childhood initiative represents the majority of the foundation’s grantmaking, which is distributed across a range of program types. See below for our 2022 grants list and those of previous years.
We also award a small number of invited grants outside of our early childhood focus. Some of these complement our passion for babies; others reflect long-standing interests such as social justice and protection of our natural environment.
