Competitive Grants
Invitational Grants
Grantmaking Philosophy
Purpose of LANL Foundation Grantmaking:
- Invest in individual, organizational, and institutional capacity to facilitate collective learning and changemaking in the ecosystem of education across Northern New Mexico and the state of New Mexico.
LANL Foundation Grantmaking is premised on the belief that through each grant award,
we can
- Increase connections to – and cultivate relationships with – our communities of place, practice and service
which will allow us to
- Learn from and with the experiential and cultural wisdom embedded in both the evidence-based and community-based practices of our partners
which will result in
- Catalyzed shared learning to grow the vitality of our communities
Our grantmaking philosophy in practice:
Our methodologies are grounded in:
- LANL Foundation’s Guiding Principles
- LANL Foundation’s Theory of Change
- LANL Foundation’s Equity Commitment & Board Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging (DEIB) Policy
- The 6 core practices of Trust-Based Philanthropy
As a learning organization:
- We continually adapt and evolve our grantmaking practices and methods.
- We aim to be a thoughtful and responsive partner, incorporating and applying feedback at all grantmaking stages and with all stakeholders.
- We answer the distinct, differing, and changing needs of our communities of place, practice, and service, while also understanding their interdependent and intersectional nature.
Methods and practices include:
- Equitable and streamlined access to opportunities for funding
- Multi-year operational awards where appropriate/when possible
- Increased grant size and term where appropriate
- Transparent and participatory processes (selection, evaluation, cohort learning)
- Evaluation of impact is grounded in action research cycles and cohort-based shared learning opportunities (building communities of practice)
- Support and partnership beyond the grant funding
In all our grantmaking, we prioritize investing in opportunities that support:
- Rural and tribal communities
- Homegrown and regionally-based organizations and programs
- Culturally and linguistically sustaining and affirming organizations and programs
- Student and community capacity-building, efficacy, and resiliency to navigate our changing New Mexico climate
- Collaborative initiatives that build community capacity, strengthen networks, and cultivate communities of practice
- Alignment with best practices and the science of learning and development
Whom we serve:
LANL Foundation’s Grants are open to:
- Pueblos, tribal communities, and Nations
- Public schools
- School districts
- Educational Institutions
- IRS-qualified 501(c)3 organizations / Public Charities
- Governmental entities
We are a regional foundation serving babies, students, and their families in Northern New Mexico (18 pueblos, tribes and nations, and 7 counties) with an eye toward statewide influence.
Pueblos, tribes, and Nations: Cochiti Pueblo, Jemez Pueblo, Jicarilla Apache Nation, Kewa Pueblo, Laguna Pueblo, Pueblo of Nambe, Navajo Nation, Ohkay Owingeh, Picuris Pueblo, Pueblo of Pojoaque, San Felipe Pueblo, Pueblo de San Ildefonso, Pueblo of Sandia, Santa Ana Pueblo, Pueblo of Santa Clara, Taos Pueblo, Tesuque Pueblo, and Zia Pueblo
Counties: Los Alamos, Mora, Rio Arriba, San Miguel, Sandoval, Santa Fe, and Taos
Our grants support organizations, programs, and initiatives which serve students, as well as adults who work with the babies, children, and youth in the communities named above.
Learn More
For more information about our Grants program, please contact our team at grants@lanlfoundation.org
Mihaela Popa-Simil
Carmen Salazar
Denise Gonzales
