2600 El Paseo Road Las Cruces, NM 88001 Phone: 575 521.4794 Fax: 575 521.7325

Maternal/Child Wellness Fund

Request for Proposals

Release Date: September 19, 2016

Due Date: 5:00 PM on October 31, 2016

OVERVIEW

The Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico is accepting applications for the 2016 Wellness Fund. The Wellness Fund is a small grant program offering funding to non-profit organizations in Doña Ana, Hidalgo, Otero, Sierra, Grant, Lincoln, and Luna Counties.

PURPOSE

The Wellness Fund is offering a total of $68,000 in grants to assist non-profit organizations in improving maternal and child health and wellness outcomes in southern New Mexico. Non-profit organizations located in Doña Ana, Hidalgo, Otero, Sierra, Grant, Lincoln, and Luna Counties of New Mexico are encouraged to apply for funding that they may use during 2017.

For purposes of this funding announcement, maternal/child well-being is defined broadly and may include one or more of the following:

●Prevention/wellness (physical health, mental health, or emotional health)

●Education (cognitive, language, social-emotional learning)

●Direct services

●Programs that support maternal/child well-being, including positive relationships between parents/caregivers and children

●Social determinants of health (the conditions that influence the places where we live, work, and play, such as our environment, housing, food, education, jobs, etc.)

ELIGIBILITY

Proposals are requested from 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations or groups with a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor and organized and operated for charitable, educational, or religious purposes. Funding is not provided to individuals. Applicant organizations must be located in and provide services in Doña Ana, Hidalgo, Otero, Sierra, Grant, Lincoln, or Luna Counties of New Mexico.

TIMELINE

Important dates in this grant cycle are as follows:

  • September 19: Grant period opens
  • October 4: RFP informational session for potential applicants (in person)

9:00-10:00 a.m. at the Las Cruces Convention Center

RSVP to Courtney Lopez at

  • October 5: RFP informational session for potential applicants (online)

10:00-11:00 a.m.

Please register for the webinar by clicking the link below:

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

  • October 31: Proposals due by 5:00 p.m.
  • December 1: Awards announced
  • December 31, 2017: Projects completed
  • January 15, 2018: Final reports due

Funds Available

Approximately $68,000 is available. The committee anticipates making 5to 6 awards. The maximum award amount will not exceed $15,000.

Funding Objectives

The Community Foundation seeksto support both new and existing projects that:

●Demonstrate improvement in maternal, infant, and/or child well-being

●Support healthy environments where mothers, infants, and children live, work, and play

●Demonstrate improved wellness outcomes for mothers, infants, and children as broadly defined above

Activities that are Eligible for Funding

  • Direct Costs: Funding is principally for project costs and not for general operation and overhead expenses.
  • Indirect/Administrative Costs: Allowable administrative costs include an appropriate proportion of rent, utilities, and other costs directly related to the development and implementation of the project.

Activities Ineligible for Funding

  • Annual funds, galas, or other special-event fundraising activities
  • Capital campaigns/renovation projects
  • Dissertations or student research projects
  • Religious programs that primarily serve, or appear to serve, specific religious denominations or are primarily religious in nature
  • Maintenance expenses
  • Political activities, candidates, lobbying efforts, political contributions, or to support political campaign activities or for any purpose inconsistent with the CFSNM’s tax-exempt status
  • Deficit budget expenses
  • Previously committed personal pledge to a charity
  • Travel for groups, such as school classes, clubs, or sports teams
  • Ticket sales for charitable fundraising events

REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

Awardees will be asked to submit a brief report (not to exceed 5 pages) describing project outcomes, including a budget and expense summary. A report template will be provided with the award letter and grant agreement.

HOW TO APPLY

The Grant Applicationisavailable on the Community Foundation’s website at

Proposals should be emailed, return receipt requested, to both Courtney Lopez, Assistant Director for Development:and Jen Cervantes, Executive Director:with the subject line: lead organization name/Wellness Proposal. You will receive a message confirming receipt of your application. If you do not, please send a message to Courtneyto ensure your application was received.

Please scan and emailone (1)complete packet of the following information, assembled in the following order. All materials should be one-sided:

  • Completed and signedapplication summary form
  • Detailed project narrative, no more than fourpages in length, single spaced, one-sided, one-inch margins and no smaller than 12-point font
  • Detailed project line item budgetand budgetnarrativeexplaining proposed use of grant funds,showing both revenues and expenses for the proposed project/activity
  • Current Board of Directors list, including contact information and affiliations
  • Organizational budget for the current year
  • Most recent audited financial statement (if available) orend-of-year financial statement for most recently completed fiscal year
  • Organization's letter from the IRS granting 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status

Review Process

Once an application has been received, a multi-stage review will begin, which occurs over the course of about 2 weeks. Some applicants may receive phone calls and/or site visitsduring this process.

How we evaluate your application

The Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico will consider the following criteria when making final grant funding decisions:

  • Compatibility with Grant Guidelines
  • Ability for the organization to meet its mission
  • Demonstrated community need
  • Financial sustainability of the project/program as well as financial stability of organization
  • Increased likelihood that a CFSNM grant would assist the organization/leverage additional funding
  • Strength of staffing and partnerships
  • Proposed outcomes/measures of success
  • Proposals will be assessed based on the applicant's overall organizational strength, community involvement, project timeliness, and successful fiscal management experience.

Timeline

To be eligible for the Wellness Fund, proposals are due on or before October 31, 2016 by 5:00 p.m. MST. Funding decisions will be made by December1, 2016. Grants will be awarded by December 31, 2016.

Proposals should be emailed to both Courtney Lopez, Assistant Director for Development: and Jen Cervantes, Executive Director:with thesubject line: lead organization name/Wellness Proposal. You will receive a message confirming receipt of your application. If you do not, please send a message to Courtney to ensure your application was received.

QUESTIONS

For questions regarding theWellness Fund, please contact Executive Director, Jen Cervantes, at or 575-521-4794

Wellness Fund- Due Date: October 31, 2016

Grant Application Summary

Organization Name
Alternate name/acronym
Address
City / State / Zip Code
County / Website
Phone # / Fax #
Executive Director or Board Chair: / Prefix (Mr., Ms., etc.)
First Name / Last Name
Title / E-Mail
Mission & Primary Activities
Counties served
Employer ID number (EIN) / Year org. established
Number of paid employees / FTE / Number of volunteers
Number of board members / Number of board members who contribute to annual budget / Number of board meetings per year
Organization Financial Information / Organization budget for currentyear
Organization expenditure total for lastyear
Organization revenue total for lastyear
Revenue breakdown
for last
fiscal year / Memberships & individual contributions
Ticket sales, fees for service, other income
Fundraising benefits
Corporate/business contributions
Government support
Foundation support
Endowment earnings
Other (identify sources):
From last year’s revenue sources, please list the five single largest contributors and amounts provided. (Contributors include specific individuals, agencies, businesses, foundations, or other groups. Individuals may be listed as Anonymous #1, #2, etc., if necessary.)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Please list grant applications to CFSNM and amounts awarded during the past three years.
Name of proposed project
Project Contact Person / Prefix (Mr., Ms., etc.)
Name / Title
Phone / E-mail
Project Description
(one sentence)
Project Budget / Total project budget / Total requested
Other proposed sources of funding and amounts for each (please note if funding secured with “Yes” or “No”)
Secured? / Secured?
Secured? / Secured?
Secured? / Secured?
Secured? / Secured?

With my signature I certify the following: (1) The above information is correct; (2) I am authorized by the governing board of this organization to submit this grant application to The Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico; (3) this organization is in good standing with the IRS, retains its 501(c)(3) taxexempt status, and is further classified as a public charity and not a private foundation; (4) this organization does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, sexual preference, physical circumstances or national origin.

Name (printed) of head of organization / Title
Signature of head of organization (director or board chair) / Date

RequiredOne (1) complete packagethat includes:

Materials:

Grant Application Summary

Grant Application Project Narrative Form describing each line item (no more than four pages, 12-point font, with one-inch margins)

Detailed line item project budget, with narrative explanation, including revenues and expenditures (does NOT count towards 4-page limit)

List of board of directors with affiliations and phone numbers

Organization budget for current year, including revenues and expenditures (one page)

Most recent audited financial statement, if available, or financial statements for most recent fiscal year

Organization 501(c)(3) determination letter from the IRS

Do NOT include any media (CDs, DVDs, books, etc.).

You may include letters of support only if they are directly related to the project.

Grant Application Project Narrative Form

Applicant Organization:

Please keep form to no more than four pages, using Times New Roman or Arial, 12-point font. This narrative is a starting point for the Wellness Fund with the Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico to determine eligibility and competitiveness, so please do not try to include everything about the project—only the essentials.More information may be requested if the project is competitive.

  1. Describe your organization. What is your mission? Highlight two or three key facts and accomplishments that best define you. (300 words)
  1. What need does your project address and what do you propose to do about it? What is the issue or problem you are addressing (support with data)? What will your project accomplish? How will the Wellness Fund objectives (see page 2) be reached as a result of your project? How does the project build on what you already do? Why does this project matter to your community? (250 words)
  1. How will you do it? What are the specificstrategies, objectives and activities of your project to be supported? If you are using evidence-based practices, specific curricula or certain models, please describe.(500 words)
  1. What is the timeline for key activities or milestones? Please provide a timeline that captures the project’s major milestones, target dates for completion and who is responsible for the activity. Please use the format below. (Use as many rows as needed)

Key Activity/ Milestone / Who is responsible? / Target date for completion / What is the outcome or measure of success?
  1. Who is responsible for your project? Provide name, title and the role for keystaff person for the project. Describe the role of any key community partners. What skills, experience or other qualifications do the staff and community partner(s) bring to this project? (300 words)
  1. How will you measure results? What will you measure to help you understand whether you are making progress or have succeeded? How will you know whether you need to adjust the program to better meet the need? Outline your evaluation plan. (250 words)
  1. How much will the project cost? What is the total project cost? Include a description of any additional funding that may be used for the project. (250 words)
  2. Attach a detailed line item budget and budget narrative for your project/program. The budget template and narrative are NOT included in the 4-page limit.

1