• Frieda Arth, President
• Lisa Freeman, Vice President
• Melanie Patten, Secretary
• Judi Hadfield, Treasurer
• Jackie Counter
• Jane Davis
• Celia Lopez-Chavez
• Lynda Rodolitz

Board Member Emeritus

• Hilary Tompkins

Grants Committee

• Helen Brandt
• Gwendolyn Gritton
• Stephanie Lyon
• Sara Julsrud

Director of Special Projects

• Geraldine (Gerry) Cerf

New Mexico Women’s Foundation is dedicated to creating economic opportunities for women, under our Women’s Cottage Industries banner,  that allow them to stay in their communities and produce products or establish services. Examples are: creating arts-oriented retreats or centers such as those that include writers or visual artists; establishing a tortilla factory; creating a sewing or weaving cooperative. The Women’s Cottage Industries program helps women produce and sell handmade crafts as simple as rag rugs, as complex as developing computer software programs, or as intense as catering for community events.

Who May Apply

We give Micro Grants to emerging or established groups or organizations located in New Mexico that help women participate in and/or develop cottage industries. Groups must consist of three or more women and have some type of governing body. At least 85% of the organization’s members/participants, and people served must be women and/or girls.

The NMWF requires that an organization show evidence that it:

• Responds to the needs of women by helping them become entrepreneurs.
• Promotes and develops women’s leadership abilities.
• Creates programs that allow women to stay in their communities and produce services or products.
• Provides an environment conducive to awakening dormant creativity that exists in most women.

Eligibility

Groups or organizations, including guilds, cooperatives, and/or other community projects, must qualify under the 501c3 tax-exempt section of the Internal Revenue Code or have a 501c3 fiscal agent.

Fiscal Agent: Fiscal Sponsorship allows your non-commercial program or project to apply for funding from organizations that require non-profit status. Non-profit tax-exempt status is required by many foundations, corporations and government agencies in order to be eligible for funding since many do not accept application proposals from individuals. Additionally, 501c3 status allows you to receive charitable deductible contributions from individuals-a major incentive for individuals considering making a donation to your project.

Organizations must be in compliance with the New Mexico Charitable Organization and Solicitation Act which defines the standard of care at Section 57-22-10 NMSA 1978 as: All officers, directors, managers, trustees, professional fundraisers, professional fundraising counsel or other persons having access to the money of a charitable organization intended for use for charitable purposes shall be held to the standard of care defined for fiduciary trustees under common law.

Ineligibility

An individual, unless they are a member of a qualified nonprofit group or organization, including a guild, cooperative, and/or other community project, whose mission it is to develop and promote women’s cottage industries. Note: the organization, not the individual, must apply for funding.

• Campaigns to elect public officials.
• Religious organizations for religious purposes.
• Programs or projects inconsistent with federal, state and local discrimination or ordinances regarding equal employment opportunity.
• Applications submitted after the stated deadline and hour.

Letter of Agreement

If your application is approved for a grant, you will be required to sign an agreement between your organization and the NMWF stating the following:

We agree. . . .

• All funds will be utilized exclusively for the expenditures set forth in the grant application;
• The grant will be utilized within the time period stated in the application;
• We will return all remaining funds if the grant is not utilized exclusively for the expenditures set forth in the application unless approval is given by NMWF;
• We will acknowledge the New Mexico Women’s Foundation’s funding in all related program publicity, and we will provide copies of any and all publicity garnered by our organization during the grant period.

Granting Process Dates

2012 Grants Application Process

NOTE: We currently have one grant period per year.

Application due: April 20, 2012
Site visits: May 15 – June 20
Awards determined: June 25

Application Remittance

Please provide the following information in the order listed below and send it to info@nmwf.org, and, in addition, send one hard copy by traditional mail to arrive on or before 5pm on the deadline date. If you choose to send an application by traditional mail only, you must submit 2 (two) copies of the narrative sections and copies of each of the enclosures designated below to arrive on or before 5:00 p.m. on the deadline date.

New Mexico Women’s Foundation
551 Cordova Road #411
Santa Fe, NM 87505

If you have any problems with transmitting this information and completing this application, please e-mail us at info@nmwf.org, or call 505.983.6155.

Application Format

1. Date.
2. Organization name, address, telephone, fax, email and website address, and name of person who is head of the organization.
3. Federal ID number (as evidence of tax exempt status) for the organization.
4. If you do not have tax exempt status, state name, address, telephone, fax, email and website addresses, and Federal ID number of your fiscal agent.
5. Project Manager’s name, title, and address (if different from above).
6. State the purpose of your request (example: operating funds, project, program, etc).
7. Grant amount requested.
8. Total project cost and budget if different than organization’s budget.
9. Start and end date of the project or grant period request.
10. Annual organization budget.
11. State who will be served. At least 85% of organization’s members/participants, and people served must be women and/or girls.
12. State geographic area that will be served.
13. Provide a 50 word or less summary of funding request.
14. Provide a 50 word or less summary of your evaluation process, and what results you expect.

Organization Information (two pages or less not including enclosures)

1. Describe the history/mission/purpose of your organization including its major accomplishments.
2. Provide a list of your board of directors or trustees, and a description of their relevant background and experience.
3. Provide a list of all other sources of organization support.
4. Enclose recent press coverage if any.
5. Enclose one copy of the organization’s most recent audit OR your most recent reviewed OR compiled financial statement including a balance sheet AND one copies of your most recent Form 990, or that of your fiscal agent.

Proposed Project or Purpose Requiring Operating Funds (two pages or less not including enclosures)

1. Provide a description, including goals and objectives.
2. What determined the need?
3. Was your constituency involved in the planning process? How?
4. Will it help women become more financially self-sufficient? If so, how?
5. What are the anticipated outcomes?
6. How will you evaluate and measure its effectiveness?
7. What are your plans for continuation past stated grant date, including funding?
8. Include or enclose information about principal staff and/or volunteers who will implement the program or project.

NOTE: You may apply for OPERATING FUNDS specifically.

New Mexico Women’s Foundation is an operating foundation with a corps of professional and skilled volunteers who provide training, consulting, consultation, and services to those we mentor and support. If you are interested in volunteering please email your resume including areas of interest and skill level to info@nmwf.org.

New Mexico Women’s Foundation was established in 1988 to maintain and administer a fund for the benefit of women and girls in New Mexico. We support emerging and established groups or organizations located in New Mexico that help women participate in or develop cottage industries.

Our Women’s Cottage Industries Program helps women and girls who want to open businesses, by giving grants to nonprofit organizations serving them, by providing technical assistance, and by giving them opportunities to display and sell their handmade products at Rag Rug Festivals and other venues. We help them achieve strength and independence by encouraging development of their talents, skills, and leadership abilities.

 Members of our Board and Grants Committee mentor and deliver professional services onsite. These services can include organizing space for work and product displays, providing furnishings and equipment, teaching fundraising techniques and initiating strategic planning. By bringing resources to women in their own communities, we experience the richness of cultural diversity and learn about local economic conditions.