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Brindle Foundation

Annual Giving
$1.8M
Grant Range
$5K - $0.1M
Decision Time
3mo

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: Approximately $1.5-2 million (70 grants awarded in 2022)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: 3 months (September deadline, December announcement)
  • Grant Range: $5,000 - $90,000
  • Geographic Focus: Seven northern New Mexico counties plus all tribal lands in NM; statewide for systems work

Contact Details

Website: https://www.brindlefoundation.org
Email: info@brindlefoundation.org
Phone: (505) 986-3983
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 31696, Santa Fe, NM 87594
Executive Director: Mary Nell Wegner (marynell@brindlefoundation.org)

For pre-application consultation, applicants are encouraged to contact Mary Nell Wegner to confirm eligibility before investing time in a full application.

Overview

Established in 2002 as the successor to the M.A. Healy Family Foundation, the Brindle Foundation is a small family foundation based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The foundation's name honors a former family dog and represents the family's values of "looking inside, beyond appearances, to loyalty and commitment."

In 2005, Brindle launched its Early Childhood Initiative, committing to focus grantmaking on the critical prenatal-to-age-three period in children's development. Known in nonprofit, public, and philanthropic sectors across New Mexico for centering babies in policy, program, and systems work, Brindle embraces a personal, community-informed, and caring approach to its grantmaking. With enduring commitment, the foundation has successfully seeded and supported capacity building of many grassroots initiatives that have transformed the landscape of early childhood in the state. Approximately 95% of grants support early childhood programs.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Early Childhood Initiative (Primary Program) Approximately 89% of the foundation's grant funds support this initiative, which operates through two distinct funding streams:

  1. Services for Babies and Their Families: $5,000 - $90,000

    • Direct services for prenatal to age three populations
    • Geographic restriction: Santa Fe, Sandoval, San Miguel, Mora, Rio Arriba, and Taos counties, plus all tribal lands in New Mexico
    • Applications accepted through online portal during annual cycle

  2. Strengthening Early Childhood Systems in New Mexico: $12,500 - $85,000

    • Statewide/tribal lands systems-level work
    • Focus areas: advocacy/policy, innovation, or higher education
    • Applications accepted through online portal during annual cycle

Technical Assistance Grants Small supplementary grants available primarily for existing grantees to support organizational enhancement, professional development, and capacity-building needs. Requests reviewed monthly by the Board; processing takes up to 4 weeks.

Invited Grants The foundation occasionally makes grants outside its primary early childhood focus, typically $10,000 - $20,000, in areas of social justice and environmental protection. These are by invitation only.

Priority Areas

  • Prenatal to age three services with particular interest in underserved populations and equity
  • Early childhood policy and advocacy
  • Innovation with potential for statewide impact
  • Higher education programs in infant and early childhood development
  • Nonprofit capacity building and workforce development
  • Collaboration and partnership approaches

What They Don't Fund

  • Grants to individuals
  • Religious purposes (though religious organizations with inclusive, non-religious programming may apply)
  • Political activities
  • Organizations without a non-discrimination policy

Governance and Leadership

Staff

Mary Nell Wegner, Executive Director
Mary Nell brings more than 25 years of experience in public health and education with a focus on and passion for women's and infants' health, opportunity, and rights. The foundation emphasizes open communication and accessibility, with Mary Nell available for pre-application consultations to help organizations determine eligibility and fit.

Board of Directors

  • Kevin Schwanfelder - President, Board Chair
  • Craig Schwanfelder - Vice President, Treasurer
  • Nan Schwanfelder - Past President

Affiliations

The foundation demonstrates commitment to collaboration through memberships in:

  • New Mexico Early Childhood Funders Group
  • Groundworks New Mexico
  • Bay Area Early Childhood Funders
  • Zero to Three
  • National Center for Family Philanthropy
  • Exponent Philanthropy

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Applications are submitted through an online portal on the foundation's website. First-time applicants must contact the foundation before applying to confirm eligibility—Brindle explicitly states they "do not want to waste applicants' time" if they do not meet eligibility requirements.

Eligibility Requirements:

  • IRS-recognized nonprofit organizations
  • Organizations with an IRS-recognized fiscal sponsor
  • Government or tribal nonprofit entities
  • Must have a non-discrimination policy

Application Options:

  • Organizations may submit up to two applications per year: one as an individual organization and one as a partnership/collaboration
  • First-time applicants are typically eligible for up to $20,000 annually
  • Multi-year grants (typically two years) are available; applicants should contact Mary Nell to discuss plans before completing the budget template

Application Materials:

  • Online application form
  • Budget using provided template (automatically includes 15% for indirect costs)
  • Narrative explaining project goals, innovation potential, and statewide impact where relevant
  • Select primary funding track that best fits the project

Decision Timeline

  • Late July/Early August: Grant portal opens
  • Mid-September (typically September 16): Proposals due at 5 PM MDT
  • Early December: Award announcements

For technical assistance grants: Requests are reviewed at monthly Board meetings, with processing taking up to 4 weeks.

Success Rates

Specific success rates are not publicly disclosed. The foundation awarded 70 grants in 2022 and 62 grants in 2023. Given the focused geographic area and specific population focus (prenatal to age three), competition is concentrated among a defined pool of eligible organizations.

Reapplication Policy

Organizations may reapply without restrictions, regardless of whether previous proposals were funded. There is no waiting period for unsuccessful applicants. The foundation welcomes continued engagement from organizations working in their priority areas.

Application Success Factors

Based on guidance from the foundation's FAQ and application materials:

Clear Communication About Fit and Impact The foundation values organizations that can clearly articulate how their work aligns with the prenatal-to-three focus and demonstrate potential for meaningful impact. For systems-level work, explain how innovation could have statewide implications.

Proactive Engagement The foundation specifically encourages applicants to contact Executive Director Mary Nell Wegner before applying. This pre-application consultation helps confirm eligibility and alignment, demonstrating the foundation's preference for relationship-based grantmaking.

Honesty and Flexibility The foundation has "opted for flexibility when hearing from grantees that they have needed to change course, with their interest being in having open communication with all grantees." This indicates they value honest reporting about challenges over rigid adherence to original plans.

Collaboration and Partnership The foundation demonstrates strong belief in collaboration, both through their membership in multiple funder networks and by allowing organizations to submit partnership applications. Collaborative approaches may be viewed favorably.

Recent Grant Examples Demonstrate Priorities:

  • Breath of My Heart Birthplace: $63,000 (direct services, birthing support)
  • La Familia Medical Center: $60,000 (healthcare for families)
  • Las Cumbres: $90,000 (community services)
  • LANL Foundation: $85,000 two-year grant (education/systems work)
  • CASA, First Judicial District: $23,000 (child advocacy)

These awards reflect funding for both direct service delivery to families and broader systems change work, with particular support for organizations serving underserved communities.

Understanding of Indirect Costs Unlike many funders, Brindle automatically includes 15% for indirect costs in their budget template, signaling an understanding of the true costs of nonprofit operations and a preference for sustainable organizational capacity.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Contact first: Pre-application consultation with Mary Nell Wegner is strongly encouraged and demonstrates the foundation's accessible, relationship-based approach
  • Geographic precision matters: For direct services grants, confirm your service area includes one of the seven eligible counties or tribal lands
  • Age specificity is critical: Focus must be prenatal to age three; programs serving broader age ranges should clearly delineate the 0-3 component
  • Embrace flexibility in reporting: The foundation values open communication about challenges and course corrections over rigid adherence to plans
  • Consider partnership applications: Organizations can submit two applications annually, including collaborative proposals
  • Multi-year funding is available: Don't hesitate to request two-year support if it serves the project; discuss with staff before applying
  • Equity focus resonates: The foundation has "particular interest in underserved populations and equity"—demonstrate how your work advances this priority

References

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