Make a Grant from Your Fund

Completion of the Grant Recommendation Form

To initiate the process of recommending a grant from your fund at Taos Community Foundation, we suggest that you complete a Grant Recommendation Form.  Your recommendations should be for grants of at least $100.  If you would like assistance finding programs within your field of interest, please contact the Foundation staff.

Completing the Form

1. Please specify the name of the fund at the top of the form.  If you have two funds, please indicate whether it is a Non Permanent or Endowed fund.
2. Read the introductory paragraph on the form carefully.  It sets forth the policies of Taos Community Foundation concerning grants from component funds.  Please keep in mind that neither you nor your family members may receive goods or services, including tickets to events or invitations to events that carry a monetary value, for your recommended grant to any organization. Also, recommendations cannot represent payment of any legally enforceable pledge or obligation.  If you have questions concerning these policies, please call the Foundation.
3. Complete the information for each grant.  Necessary information includes the agency name and the amount. If you have not recommended a distribution to this agency before, also include the address, contact (if available), and telephone number.   Please indicate if the gift is anonymous, and to whom you would like the check sent.  You may list up to two recommendations on each form.
4. Sign the form.  Without the signatures of the fund advisors, the recommendation cannot be processed.

Returning the Form
The Foundation must receive recommendations by the 15th of each month to be submitted for approval at that month’s Board meeting.  Any recommendations received after the 15th may be submitted at the following month’s meeting.

Send the signed copies of the Grant Recommendation Form to:

     Foundation Director
     Taos Community Foundation
     P.O. Box 1925
     Taos, NM  87571

Donor Advised Funds
How a Donor Recommendation Becomes a Grant:

With respect to Donor Advised Funds, after your recommendation has been received at the Taos Community Foundation office, the Foundation staff reviews the recommendation.  Each organization recommended for a grant is checked against information available in our office.

• If information is available on the organization, the staff reviews it to verify approval by the IRS as a legitimate charitable agency and to determine its eligibility to receive a grant.  This review normally will be completed shortly after the form is received.
• If information is not available, the staff sends a letter to the organization informing
  the organization of your recommendation and asking for current information, including a copy of its tax exemption letter from the IRS, brochures,  current financial statements or audit, etc.  Unfortunately, this process can delay grant approval depending on the organization's response time.

Once the staff finishes its review and determines that the agency is eligible to receive a grant from the Foundation, the staff submits recommendations to the Foundation’s Board of Directors for approval.  As you know, federal tax laws require the Foundation to retain ultimate control over distributions from component funds, and all grant requests require the consent of the Board of Directors. The Foundation must receive recommendations by the 15th of each month to be submitted for approval at that month’s Board meeting.  Any recommendations received after the 15th may be submitted at the following month’s meeting.

Grant award letters and grant checks are prepared after approval by the Board of Directors.  The award letter will include any specific instructions or intended purposes of the grant, and will indicate the name of the fund unless the donor wishes to remain anonymous. If you would like, any correspondence received in regard to the grant (acknowledgements, newsletters, and the like) will be forwarded to you and a copy retained in your fund's file at the Foundation.  Please inform the Foundation if you wish to receive this correspondence.