Frequently Asked Questions

What guides our funding?
How do nonprofits apply?
What's funded, what's not?
Contact us

In order to focus our limited resources, the First Choice Power Fund Partnership Grants will concentrate on these areas:

• Education
• Environmental education and awareness
• Economic vitality

Increasing educational levels in a community can reduce social problems and their related costs. The First Choice Power Fund supports teachers and schools through the Classroom Innovation Grants. We do not support individual teachers, schools or school districts.

Our educational funding concentrates on programs and initiatives that address the following: 

• Adult literacy and English as a second language (GED programs)
• Adult training and retraining
• Arts education
• Before and after school programs that inspire children to excel in learning
• Improving graduation rates
• Improving school dropout rates
• Job mentoring programs
• Reading at standards by third-grade
• Reading, math, science and technology proficiency
• School-to-work skills
• Educational materials such as books or traveling trunks

• Community education for children and adults
• Land restoration
• Conservation
• Biodiversity  
• Preservation of natural ecosystems and wildlife
• Monitoring ecosystems and environmental trends
• Beautification and enhancement of communities through tree planting and community cleanup
• Community gardens
• Gardens that provide food supply to local communities

Priority is given to community initiatives that address critical social issues and cultural and heritage enrichment programs and attractions.

In order to focus First Choice Power Partnership Grant resources, certain limitations govern our grant programs. Partnership Grants do not support: 

• Capital projects (“bricks and mortar,” lights, electric bills or electrical/gas lines and installation)
• Documentaries or film production
• Endowments
• Financial literacy
• Fraternal, athletic and social clubs
• Healthcare and diseases
• Individual schools (The First Choice Power Fund supports individual schools through Classroom Innovation Grants.)
• Individuals
• Marketing or sales promotional literature
• Municipalities (However, if a municipality uses a 501(c) 3 nonprofit as a fiscal agent, it may qualify.)
• Not more than 25 percent of the total budget requested from the First Choice Power Partnership Grant can cover administrative, salaries, stipends or operating and overhead costs
• Organizations outside of PNM Resources and its subsidiaries’ service territories or communities where the company has business interests
• Organizations that are not registered with the appropriate state registration agency or are not in good standing with the registration body
• Organizations that in any way pose a conflict with PNM Resources’ mission, goals, programs, products or employees
• Organizations that limit membership and services based on race, religion, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, age or national origin
• Organizations without current or active IRS 501(c) 3 status
• Payments of loans, interest, taxes or debt retirement
• Sectarian or religious programs for religious purposes
• Special events, annual events, camps or one-time only events
• Testimonial dinners, fund-raising events or advertising
• Veterans, labor and political organizations or campaigns

How does your nonprofit apply?

All applicants must complete a questionnaire prior to gaining access to the application. If the applicant meets the eligibility requirements, the application will become available online. Requests must be submitted using the online application link below and electronic supporting materials must be attached to the application. The online application consists of the following:

1)      Five screens with a fill-in-the-blank form,

2)      Mandatory attachment of the project budget, and

3)      Optional project narrative, maximum of three pages.

The First Choice Power Fund reserves the right to fully or partially fund any request. Grant recipients are required to submit reports regarding fund utilization. The minimum grant considered by the First Choice Power Fund is $5,000. Grants typically range from $5,000-$15,000. The First Choice Power Fund only accepts one application per organization per grant year.

1. Sign in using a user ID (your e-mail address) and password of your choice. Note: You will receive an electronic acknowledgement when you use “save and finish later” or “submit” features. The e-mail will come from fund@FirstChoicePower.com. If you have a SPAM blocker or firewall, this e-mail may get sent to your SPAM folder. Please check that file in order to receive your confirmation and password. It is your responsibility to see if your computer will block this e-mail. The First Choice Power Fund is unable to retrieve the acknowledgement e-mail for you.
2. Complete the online questionnaire. Note: The questionnaire is based on funding guidelines and focus areas. If the questionnaire is not allowing the application to open, check the funding guidelines and focus areas to see if your project or request is a fit.
3. Provide the applying organization’s federal identification number or EIN. The EIN number must be entered in order to proceed.
4. Provide required information noted by asterisks. Complete all the boxes on each screen. If you are lacking one of the required fields, the page will refresh and inform you that required information is lacking. You will not be allowed to submit your application until all the required information is supplied.
5. A program budget must be attached electronically to your application. Please see the last screen of the application for directions on how to attach documents. Label your budget with the organization name. If you do not attach a budget with your application your request will not be considered for funding. You also may attach an optional narrative on this screen.
6. If you do not want to complete your application, use the “save and finish later” feature. Once you click the “save and finish later” button, you will receive an e-mail from the First Choice Power Fund providing a link to return to your application. Note: The only way to return to your incomplete application is via the link provided in this e-mail. You will be able to gain access to your partially completed application with your user ID and password as described above.
7. Once the application is complete, use the “printer-friendly feature” to keep a hard copy of your grant proposal. Select the “submit” button. Note: After the “submit” button is entered, the application can no longer be accessed. Please check your application prior to submitting to insure the attachments have been included.

All properly submitted applications will receive a confirmation acknowledgement receipt to the e-mail address supplied by the user ID. 

What’s funded, what’s not?

In order to focus our limited resources, the First Choice Power Fund will concentrate on these areas: 

• Education
• Environmental education and awareness
• Economic vitality

• Individuals
• Individual schools (First Choice Power Fund supports individual schools through Classroom Innovation Grants and Earth Study Grants)
• Organizations that limit membership and services based on race, religion, color, creed, sex, age or national origin
• Sectarian or religious programs for religious purposes
• Veterans, labor and political organizations or campaigns
• Fraternal, athletic and social clubs
• Organizations that in any way pose a conflict with First Choice Power’s mission, goals, programs, products or employees
• Testimonial dinners, fund-raising events, advertising
• Payments of loans, interest, taxes or debt retirement
• Special events, annual events or one time only events
• Endowments
• Capital projects (“bricks and mortar”)
• Requests solely for administrative, operating and overhead costs
• Documentaries or film production
• Municipalities. However, if a municipality uses a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization as a fiscal agent they may qualify
• Organizations without current or active IRS 501(c)(3) status
• Organizations that are not registered with the appropriate state registration agency or are not in good standing with the registration body
• Organizations outside of PNM Resources and its subsidiaries’ service territories or communities where the company has business interests