Free funder guide · New Mexico · Last checked 27 September 2026
Which New Mexico environmental funders actually accept applications
Most private foundations in New Mexico have already told the IRS they won't read your proposal. This page explains how to spot them, and lists 13 secular funders of environmental and conservation work in New Mexico that do take applications, with what they fund, what they have given, and when they next open.
New Mexico has very little open private money for secular conservation work: none of the New Mexico foundations that take applications and made environmental grants passes the religious screen, because their latest filings or grant lists include churches, faith-based hospitals, interfaith groups or other religious charities. Most of this list is public money: state outdoor recreation, youth corps and river programs, national funders active in New Mexico, and four community foundations. The two private foundations listed are based in other states and fund New Mexico groups.
From my own read of IRS filings, September 2026
In New Mexico, 101 of the 145 private foundations with $1 million or more in assets tick the box on their tax return saying they don't accept unsolicited requests. That is 70%.
That leaves 44 larger New Mexico foundations that say they will read an application. It is a lower share of closed doors than in Virginia (71%, 586 of 820), Colorado (77%, 539 of 702) and Arizona (77%, 358 of 463), counted the same way.
How I counted: every private non-operating foundation with a New Mexico address on the IRS Exempt Organizations Master File (September 2026 release) reporting assets of $1 million or more, checked against its most recent e-filed Form 990-PF (tax years 2024 to 2026, almost all 2024 or 2025). Operating foundations, which mostly run their own programs, are left out, as they were for Virginia, Colorado and Arizona. Counting them too gives 72% (118 of 164).
What the checkbox means
One small box on the tax return tells you whether to bother.
Every private foundation files Form 990-PF with the IRS each year. Part XIV, line 2 of that return has a checkbox. A foundation that ticks it is telling the IRS, in writing, that it chooses its grantees itself. A proposal sent to it is usually wasted work.
"Check here if the foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds."Form 990-PF, Part XIV, line 2
A foundation that leaves the box empty has to fill in lines 2a to 2d instead: who receives applications, what form they should take, any deadlines, and any limits on who or what it funds. For many small family foundations, those four lines are the only published guidelines they have.
The box does not tell you whether a foundation funds your kind of work. For that, read line 3a, the list of grants it actually paid. Check both before you write a letter of inquiry. Any foundation's return can be read free on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
13 funders
Open to applications, and funding environmental work in New Mexico.
Every funder below is secular, says it accepts applications (on its website or its tax return), and has paid grants to environmental or conservation groups in its most recent filing. Government programs are the exception: they file no tax return. Community foundations are listed by the program that fits environmental groups. Grant examples come from each funder's latest IRS filing unless the funder's own site is named.
Verified date on the funder's own site on 27 Sept 2026Expected based on last cycle; next not yet postedRolling applications any timeFiling only no website; from the tax return, confirm firstCheck site next date not posted; open their page
Statewide and regional public grantmakers
01
New Mexico Outdoor Recreation Division: Outdoor Equity Fund
Santa Fe · statewide
Outdoor programs for young people that build stewardship of New Mexico's lands, waters and cultural heritage and connect them to outdoor careers. Nonprofits, tribes, schools and local governments can apply; rural, tribal and historically underserved communities are the priority.
Typical grant
Tier 1 $5,000 to $40,000; Tier 2 about $40,000 to $100,000, by invitation after a letter of interest. Over $4 million is available for fiscal year 2027. Tier 1 requests cannot exceed 50% of the applicant's annual operating budget. Match: none for rural and tribal Tier 1 applicants; 50% for applicants within 10 miles of the larger cities (its FY27 grant guide).
Next deadline
Round 2: Tier 2 letters of interest January 1 to 12, 2027; applications for both tiers February 1 to 26, 2027, 5 p.m. MT Verified. Round 1 ran July 1 to 31, 2026.
How to apply
Attend one of the required info and Q&A sessions (December 2026 for Tier 2, January 2027 for Tier 1), then apply online; Tier 2 needs a letter of interest first.
New Mexico Outdoor Recreation Division: Outdoor Recreation Trails+ Grant
Santa Fe · statewide
Planning, building and improving outdoor places: trails, river parks, wildlife viewing areas, trailheads and signage, with priority for rural, tribal and historically underserved areas. Nonprofits can apply for local (Tier 1) and regional (Tier 2) projects.
Typical grant
Tier 1 $25,000 to $99,999; Tier 2 $100,000 to $499,999 (Tier 3 is closed to nonprofits). $12 million available for fiscal year 2027. Match 100% for applicants within 10 miles of the larger cities, 50% for rural and tribal applicants (its FY27 grant guide).
Next deadline
Fiscal year 2027 round, the only one this fiscal year: July 1 to September 30, 2026, 5 p.m. MT Verified. The fiscal year 2028 round is not posted yet Check site.
How to apply
Online application; the program manager offers one-on-one meetings before you apply. Subcontracts over $20,000 need a written quote with the application.
Conservation projects carried out by paid crews of New Mexico residents aged 14 to 25: trail work, watershed and forest restoration, habitat and park improvements. Nonprofits can sponsor projects and must employ at least five corps members.
Typical grant
Up to $225,000 per project; no more than two applications per sponsor (2027 request for proposals).
Next deadline
Proposals for calendar year 2027 projects closed September 23, 2026. The next request for proposals is expected about July 2027 Expected; this year's opened July 7.
How to apply
Download the request for proposals and submit a Proposal Response form and a Cost Response spreadsheet for each project. Pre-proposal webinars are recommended but not required.
New Mexico Environment Department: River Stewardship Program
Santa Fe · statewide
Planning, design and construction of projects that improve river habitat or surface water quality by fixing the causes of the problem. Nonprofits are eligible along with governments, conservation districts and tribes; projects are chosen through a state request for proposals.
Typical grant
About $1.5 million to $7 million a year in total; past projects ranged from $50,000 to $2.4 million, averaging about $500,000. No match required (its FAQ).
Next deadline
The 2026 request for proposals ran March 19 to June 18, 2026 and has closed. Next round about spring 2027 Expected.
How to apply
Proposal in response to the request for proposals, through state procurement; while the RFP is open, questions go only to its procurement manager.
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation: Five Star Grant Program
Washington, DC · Albuquerque (the program's New Mexico priority area)
Community restoration with hands-on outreach and education, such as riparian and wetland habitat, urban tree canopy, and pollinator and bird habitat. Each project needs five or more partners.
Typical grant
$30,000 to $150,000, with a 1:0.75 non-federal match to be competitive (2026 request for proposals). New Mexico grants in its filing for the year to September 2025, which does not name the programs: NACA Inspired Schools Network $37,825 (community agriculture for birds and pollinators), Rio Grande Return $19,377 (Rio Cebolla trout habitat).
Next deadline
About June 2027 Expected. The 2026 round closed June 4, 2026; the 2027 request for proposals is not posted yet.
National Forest Foundation: Matching Awards Program
Missoula, MT · national forests and grasslands, including New Mexico's
Community engagement and stewardship projects on national forests and grasslands, such as the Carson, Santa Fe, Cibola, Lincoln and Gila: volunteer trail and restoration work, youth crews, watershed repair. Nonprofits, tribes and universities are eligible.
Typical grant
Requires a 1:1 non-federal cash or in-kind match (its site). New Mexico grants in its filing for the year to September 2025, which does not name the program: Rio Grande Return $170,304, Forest Stewards Guild $50,960, Gila Resources Information Project $49,999.
Next deadline
Twice a year. Round 2 of 2026 ran May 27 to July 9, 2026 and has closed; dates for the next round are not posted yet Check site.
How to apply
Follow the request for proposals for the open round, linked from the program page.
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation: Western Big Game Seasonal Habitat and Migration Corridors Fund
Washington, DC · state-identified big-game focal areas in New Mexico and ten other western states
Restoring winter range, stopover areas and migration corridors for elk, deer and pronghorn: removing encroaching trees, treating invasive plants, wildlife-friendly fencing and conservation easements. Nonprofits can apply for the main track (Option A); a second track is for states and tribes only.
Typical grant
The most competitive grants are at least $100,000, with a 1:1 non-federal match (2026 request for proposals). New Mexico grants in its filing for the year to September 2025 went to public bodies, for example Pueblo of Sandia $37,153 (big-game habitat on Bobcat Ranch) and Chaves Soil and Water Conservation District $18,628 (pronghorn grasslands in southeast New Mexico).
Next deadline
About April 2027 Expected. The 2026 round closed April 21, 2026; the 2027 request for proposals is not posted yet.
How to apply
Full proposal in NFWF's Easygrants system; the fund offers an applicant tip sheet and a contact for match problems.
Santa Fe Community Foundation: Community Grants (Environment)
Santa Fe · Santa Fe, Rio Arriba, Mora and San Miguel counties
General operating grants in its fall cycle for work that addresses climate change: protecting watersheds and water quality, preserving open space, land remediation, renewable energy, environmental justice and sustainable food production. Applicants must be at least three years old.
Typical grant
$5,000 to $20,000 of general operating support, set by budget: $5,000 for budgets up to $50,000, $10,000 up to $150,000, $15,000 up to $500,000 and $20,000 above that (its site). Environmental grants in its 2024 filing include New Mexico Wilderness Alliance $91,250, WildEarth Guardians $89,217, Forest Stewards Guild $75,250 and Santa Fe Conservation Trust $69,039 (the filing does not separate these from donor-advised gifts).
Next deadline
Environment is in the fall cycle; the 2026 fall cycle ran July 13 to August 16, 2026. Next fall cycle about July to August 2027 Expected. No open grants are listed now.
How to apply
Online application in its grantee portal. One community grant application a year; groups funded last calendar year sit out a year.
Albuquerque Community Foundation: Annual Grant Cycle (Environmental and Historic Preservation)
Albuquerque · Bernalillo, Sandoval, Torrance and Valencia counties
Unrestricted operating grants, with a field for protecting natural land and resources, including wildlife. Applicants need a physical presence in the four counties, at least three years of operation and a budget of $8 million or less.
Typical grant
$10,000 to $20,000 (its site). Environmental grants in its 2024 filing include New Mexico Wilderness Alliance $38,422, New Mexico Environmental Law Center $27,500, Amigos Bravos $16,000 and River Source $11,000 (the filing does not separate these from donor-advised gifts).
Next deadline
The 2026 cycle ran February 2 to March 31, 2026, 5 p.m. MT. Next cycle about February to March 2027 Expected.
How to apply
One consolidated online application for all fields through its grants portal, scored on a published rubric; staff hold drop-in video chats during the cycle.
The foundation's largest annual cycle, giving project or core operating support across needs that include environmental sustainability.
Typical grant
Generally $2,000 to $5,000 (its site). Its 2026 awards went to 61 groups, including Amigos Bravos, Taos Land Trust, Rivers & Birds, Enchanted Circle Trails Association, Friends of the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument and Taos Valley Acequia Association. Its filing for the year to June 2025 shows Amigos Bravos $214,073, New Mexico Wilderness Alliance $53,400, Rivers & Birds $45,873 and Taos Land Trust $18,336 (not separated from donor-advised gifts).
Next deadline
The 2026 cycle ran February 3 to April 1, 2026, 5 p.m. Next cycle about February to April 2027 Expected.
How to apply
Online application in the foundation's grant portal, reviewed by a community volunteer panel.
New Mexico Community Foundation: Thriving Environments
Santa Fe · statewide, with a rural focus
A new statewide priority for local eco-regeneration: small freshwater ecosystems, local land regeneration, outdoor recreation access and local food systems. It sits beside Thriving Rural and Thriving Indigenous priorities.
Typical grant
Not published. Environmental grants in its 2024 filing: Trees, Water & People $100,000 (watershed-scale work), Conservation Legacy $100,000 (Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps), Santa Clara Pueblo $100,000 (forestry and water resources).
Next deadline
Its page says the Thriving New Mexico grant cycle opens in 2027; no dates are posted yet Check site.
How to apply
Watch the Thriving New Mexico page for the 2027 cycle; the grants director is named on its Apply for a Grant page.
Carbondale, CO · New Mexico and five other Rocky Mountain states
Small grants to grassroots groups protecting wild lands, rivers, wetlands, biodiversity and public lands. It rarely funds groups with budgets over $1 million and does not fund buildings, recreation facilities or parks, tree planting, recycling or wildlife rehabilitation.
Typical grant
Most awards $1,000 to $5,000 (its site). New Mexico grants in its 2025 filing: New Mexico Environmental Law Center $5,000, River Source $5,000, University of New Mexico Museum of Southwestern Biology $4,200, Conservation Voters New Mexico Education Fund $3,000.
Next deadline
Once a year; the 2026 deadline was April 30. Next deadline about April 30, 2027 Expected.
How to apply
New applicants email a brief letter of inquiry first; past grantees send the application form and narrative by email.
San Francisco, CA · national, with several New Mexico grants
Funds the environment, peace and arms control, reproductive rights and civil rights. Its New Mexico grants go to public-lands, wildlife and environmental law groups. It warns that its budget for new applicants is very limited and it does not usually fund land or easement purchases.
Typical grant
Its 2024 filing shows 92 grants totaling $1,975,000. New Mexico examples: WildEarth Guardians $70,000, Water Protector Legal Collective $20,000, New Mexico Environmental Law Center $15,000, New Mexico Wild $10,000.
Next deadline
Twice a year, by March 1 and September 1 (its standing schedule) Verified. Next: March 1, 2027.
How to apply
Application form, a narrative of four pages or less (its page also says five in one place), board list, budgets, tax exemption letter and latest annual report or audit, by email.
It is not exhaustive and it is not a ranking. Deadlines and guidelines change, so open each funder's own page before you start. Grants are competitive, and past grant sizes describe what a funder gave, not what it will give you. I list secular funders only.
The full version
Want this done for your own organization?
A Funding Roadmap ($1,200, flat fee) gives you ten to fifteen funders matched to your mission, place and size, the grants each one paid to groups like yours, how to apply, and a 12-month grant calendar. Every deadline is labeled the same way as on this page.
Email me your organization's name, rough budget and what you'd like funded. You'll get a written reply within two business days.
You fill in a short intake questionnaire, then answer one round of written follow-up questions.
About three weeks later you get the roadmap, a two-page note on how to use it, and 14 days of email questions.
Everything happens in writing. There are no calls or meetings.