SPECIAL PROJECTS FUNDS
MANAGED BY THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF
SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO

special Interests funds are created for groups who have a specific mission, but either do not wish to create a separate 501(c)(3) or are in the process of becoming a 501(c)(3) but wish to start their programs in the meantime. 

• SpringBoard!  (Empowering Every Woman)
        A scholarship and grant fund to benefit women
• Over The Rainbow
        A fund to provide scholarships for economically disadvantaged women
• Bill and Renee Cupit Fund
        A fund to benefit local nonprofit organizations
• Mayor's Top Teens 
        A fund to recognize and celebrate deserving teenagers
• AGUA -- Aquatics Get Us Active
        A fund to promote swimming
• Honor Flight of Southern New Mexico
        A fund to recognize World War II Veterans
• Mesilla Valley Preservation Inc.
       A fund for preservation of historic buildings
• Mesilla Valley Skeet & Trap Club
        A fund to construct a skeet and trap sports facility
• Ziacase
        Provide handmade pillowcases to every deployed New Mexico National Guard
• Monagle Second Chance Scholarship
        Provide scholarships to students attending Doña Ana Community College part time
• For the Sake of Animals
        A fund to support the Animal Services Center of the Mesilla Valley
• Hearts for Autism
        Provide an autism summer caqmp and therapy scholarships to needy families for autism therapy
• Pi Delta Chapter of Chi Omega
        Renovate the Pi Delta chapter of Chi Omega sorority's current house
• Young Philanthropists
        A fund from which to award grants to local causes and charitable organizations
• Sensory Kids of New Mexico
        A resource center serving children with sensory integration needs, to include family support and outreach
• Frank Hartman Dyslexia Scholarship
        Provide assistance to dyslexic individuals needing therapy and instruction
• AWARE --Animal Welfare and Responsibility Education
        Increase awareness of humane treatment of cats and dogs
• Dr. Bishnu Rauth
        Scholarships for students attending Doña Ana Community College part ime
• R.W. Van Pelt Education Fund
        Scholarships for graduates from Mayfield High School majoring in Education at New Mexico State University
• The Disability Coalition from Southern New Mexico
        Creating a common voice for the purpose of advocating for disability rights for all
• Southern New Mexico Basset Hound/Beagle Rescue
        Rescuing, providing care for and finding homes for cast out basset hounds and beagles
• Southern New Mexico Sheperds
        Rescuing, rehabilitating and finding homes for German Sheperds and German Sheperd mixes
• Willie's Heroes   
     Assist active duty and U.S. military personnel and their families; especially the Army's 1st Calvary Division in Afghanistan
• Feral Cat Management Program (FCamp)
      Maintain a stable feline population on the New Mexico State University campus through Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) and adoption
    

ENDOWMENTS 

An endowment is a permanent fund created in the Community Foundation.  The donor's gift is invested over time.  A portion of the earnings from the principal of the endowment is used to make grants addressing community needs.  The donor's gift is a permanent source of community capital, helping do good work today and in the future. 

The Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico also holds endowments that are purposed for healthcare.  For a list of those funds, please visit our "Healthcare Committee and Healthcare Funds" page on this website.

DONOR ADVISED FUNDS

Simply stated, a donor advised fund is a charitable vehicle in which a donor contributes cash or assets to create a fund in a "sponsoring organization" such as The Community Foundation.

The donor, or someone the donor names, makes recommendations to the Community Foundation about how the funds should be used. Some donor advised funds will be fully expended during the donor's lifetime; others will be a permanent legacy, benefiting communities into the future.

The Community Foundation educates donors about community needs and about the charities that are working effectively to meet those needs. The Community Foundation also takes care of the administrative details - tax, legal and accounting matters.

The most important reason why donors establish donor advised funds is they are generous and committed people with a passion for their causes and their communities. Donor Advised Funds can be set up as permanent funds, preserving the donor's legacy long after the donor has passed away.

Donor Advised Funds are professionally managed and maintained in The Community Foundation. The Foundation is overseen by a public board of directors that reflect their community. The organization conducts an audit and files Form 990 - making key financial information available to the public.

Because a public charity supervises activities and ensures that fund distributions are for legitimate charitable purposes, there is no need for a donor to establish a new organization or to seek IRS approval. The Community Foundation administers the details, freeing donors to focus on philanthropy.

The Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico has three donor advised funds:

• EL PASO ELECTRIC DONOR ADVISED FUND: This Donor Advised Fund is a permanent fund and the donor makes a recommendation annually about the use of the distributable income.

• AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORICAL RESEARCH DONOR ADVISED FUND: This Donor Advised Fund is an expendable fund and its purpose is a project to recognize contributions of African Americans

• THE RICHARD & ANNE MARKMAN FUND: This is an expendable fund and the donor makes recommendations about the use of the fund.

•  DEVASTHALI FAMILY FOUNDATION FUND:  This is an expendable fund and its purpose is to provide grants in the earea of the arts, education and elder care.