Grants are a vital funding source for the Town’s various projects and activities across all departments. The Town seeks grant funding to support infrastructure, programming, special projects, and more.
Often misconstrued as “free money,” grants come in the form of a legally binding contract for a specific project scope. Grant money is usually received on a reimbursement basis, meaning that the Town must complete the work to stringent standards before receiving reimbursement of a portion of the expenses involved.
Grants are generally provided on a matching basis, with the percentage of match varying from grant to grant. Typically, the Town puts up 10–50% of project cost and the grant provides the rest. Because grant amounts are awarded based on cost quotes (not final contracts), the Town must often absorb additional project costs due to rapidly rising materials and construction costs.
The Town most frequently works with the NM Department of Finance & Administration, NM Department of Transportation, NM Tourism Department, and Santa Fe County. Occasionally, the Town receives grant funding from other state and federal agencies that support municipalities.
Grant tracking and management is a meticulous and sometimes complicated process. The Grants Coordinator works within the Finance department. As of September 2025, the Town is managing 27 grants and the associated projects and programs.
Grants Help Support
- Animal Shelter upgrades
- Dumpster Days
- Law Enforcement retention and training
- Library fixtures, equipment, and materials
- Marketing opportunities
- Park development
- Road improvements
- Trails development
- Youth programming