Community Foundation of Southern
The Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico (CFSNM) is a 501(c)(3) public charity and community foundation based in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Established in 1989, the organization serves as a community resource that connects donors to charitable needs and supports nonprofit organizations throughout its service region. CFSNM manages over 200 endowments and serves as a center for charitable giving in Southern New Mexico.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$56.6M
+15.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$3.1M
+21.6% YoY
Grant Count
55
-17.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$57K
+48.2% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: The Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico serves as a community resource, connects donors to needs, and supports charitable organizations in their work. The organization aims to improve the quality of life in Southern New Mexico and believes in the power of community, nurturing dreams, and the potential of people across the region.
Primary Focus Areas:
- Community and economic development
- Sustainable agriculture
- Reproductive health
- Early childhood education
- LGBTQ causes
- Arts and culture
- Education and scholarships
- Health improvement
- Food access and hunger relief
- Literacy expansion
Grantmaking
CFSNM conducts grantmaking through a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) lens and operates three annual grant cycles. The foundation manages at least 40 nonprofit agency endowments and houses over 35 scholarships.
Review Cycle
. The foundation manages at least 40 nonprofit agency endowments and houses over 35 scholarships.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
CFSNM serves seven counties in Southern New Mexico: Doña Ana, Hidalgo, Otero, Sierra, Grant, Lincoln, and Luna. According to some sources, the foundation's service area extends to twelve counties, also including Catron, Chaves, Eddy, Lea, and Socorro.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2023:
- Total Assets: $48.8–$56.6 million
- Total Revenue: $14.2 million
- Total Expenses: $4.2 million
- Total Liabilities: $6.7 million
Staffing: The foundation employs 4–6 staff members.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $56,596,461 | $48,816,884 | $38,104,848 |
| Revenue | $11,789,699 | $14,161,520 | $3,282,640 |
| Expenses | $6,514,518 | $4,181,639 | $2,767,350 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $1,139,584 | $1,100,094 | $552,533 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
207 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
9 open opportunities from Community Foundation of Southern
Advancing Social Equity Initiative
Community Foundation of Southern
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Charles T. Townley and Victor T. Roberts LGBTQIA+ Grant
Community Foundation of Southern
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Devasthali Family Foundation Fund Grant
Community Foundation of Southern
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include New Mexico State University F ($481,840), Mesilla Valley Economic Dev A ($325,000), NM Association for Infant Men ($308,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 100 Chaves County LLC Hagerman, NM | General Operations | $95,000 |
| 3 Suns Birth Roswell, NM | General Operations | $82,500 |
| Backyard Farms LLC Las Cruces, NM | General Operations | $10,000 |
| Bidii Baby Foods Gallup, NM | General Operations | $15,000 |
| Bold Futures NM Las Cruces, NM | General Operations | $15,000 |
| Border Servant Corps Las Cruces, NM | General Operations | $5,250 |
| Borderplex Bi-National Econ A El Paso, TX | General Operations | $250,000 |
| Casa de Peregrinos Las Cruces, NM | General Operations | $51,545 |
| Chaves County CASA Program Roswell, NM | General Operations | $10,000 |
| Childrens Reading Alliance Las Cruces, NM | General Operations | $15,180 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Chris Mitchell is identified as a Board Member. The organization is supported by a broad base of individuals, families, corporations, and institutions connected by the desire to improve Southern New Mexico.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Terra Winter | President & CEO | 40 | $132,429 |
| Preston Mitchell | Past Chair | 5 | — |
| Katy Morrow | Chair | 5 | — |
| Gary Bruner | Vice Chair | 5 | — |
| Christine Salazar | Secretary | 5 | — |
| Christopher Salcido | Treasurer | 5 | — |
| Travis Coker | Director | 5 | — |
| Celeste McGuire | Director | 5 | — |
| Dr Dolores Gomez | Director | 5 | — |
| Alejandra Covarrubias-Parra | Director | 5 | — |
| Chris Mitchell | Director | 5 | — |
| Brenda Porter | Director | 5 | — |
| Jennifer Charity | Director | 5 | — |
| Ricardo Rico Gonzales | Director | 5 | — |
| Alexander Alex Hummer | Director | 5 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Community Foundation of Southern fund?
**Mission:** The Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico serves as a community resource, connects donors to needs, and supports charitable organizations in their work. The organization aims to improve the quality of life in Southern New Mexico and believes in the power of community, nurturing dreams, and the potential of people across the region. **Primary Focus Areas:** • Community and economic development • Sustainable agriculture • Reproductive health • Early childhood education • LGBTQ …
How do I apply for a grant from Community Foundation of Southern?
CFSNM conducts grantmaking through a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) lens and operates three annual grant cycles. The foundation manages at least 40 nonprofit agency endowments and houses over 35 scholarships. **Grant Characteristics:** • Typical award range: $5,055–$481,840 • Recent grants include awards to Mesilla Valley Economic Development Alliance ($292,500), New Mexico State University Foundation ($253,834), and Borderplex Bi-National Economic Alliance ($192,500) **Active Grant Opp…
Where does Community Foundation of Southern make grants?
CFSNM serves seven counties in Southern New Mexico: Doña Ana, Hidalgo, Otero, Sierra, Grant, Lincoln, and Luna. According to some sources, the foundation's service area extends to twelve counties, also including Catron, Chaves, Eddy, Lea, and Socorro.
What size grants does Community Foundation of Southern award?
In 2024, Community Foundation of Southern awarded 55 grants totaling $3.1M — an average of about $57K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Community Foundation of Southern's EIN?
Community Foundation of Southern's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 85-0455682. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Community Foundation of Southern's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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