City of Albuquerque

Pursuing new funding opportunities to create an economy that works for everyone.
  • 3+ years as partners
  • 5 grants awarded
  • $3,475,000 awarded
  • ROI: For every $1 paid to TGP, $61.56 awarded in grant funds
  • 83% success rate
When a new mayor took office in Albuquerque, creating an economy that worked for everyone – especially minority business owners – was a priority. The Mayor tasked the city’s economic development team with making that happen by growing businesses, eliminating barriers to success, and helping businesses move past the pandemic’s economic impact.

Achieving those goals would take ingenuity, hard work – and funding. And that was the real challenge. “We were solely dependent on the general fund,” explains Synthia Jaramillo, Director of the Economic Development Department for the City of Albuquerque (CABQ). She decided to explore grant opportunities and turned to The Grant Plant (TGP) for guidance. “Our department never sought out grants before,” explains Synthia. “In addition to their extraordinary grant writing skills, The Grant Plant is so familiar with Albuquerque’s small business ecosystem and non-profits.”

“The Grant Plant helps us dream big. They’re truly our partners in achieving our goals.”
Synthia Jaramillo
Director, Economic Development Department
City of Albuquerque

More than $3.4 million and counting
In just over three years of partnership, TGP has written and managed eight grant applications for CABQ. Five grants were awarded, totaling $3,475,000 to support economic development. “Three years, five grant awards. That’s pretty significant especially because, historically, we’ve never sought out these opportunities,” comments Synthia.

The grant funding supports a variety of business development projects from promoting post-pandemic resiliency by aerospace entrepreneurs and improving collaboration spaces for tech companies to improving career pathways for childcare professionals in the city.

The city is using some funds from two U.S. Department of Commerce grants totaling $2,175,000, to operate a new Minority Business Development Center. The facility will help minority-owned, medium-sized businesses in certain industries scale up and compete for large contracts. The result? More growth for the companies, more jobs in the city, and a more equitable service delivery system for businesses owned by people of color.

Beyond grant writing
CABQ depends on TGP for more than grant writing. The Economic Development Department relies on TGP’s knowledge of the local business ecosystem and national trends to inform its work. “We use TGP as a sounding board because they have a pulse on the majority of non-profits and who is doing what in the city — and nationally, too. They help us be competitive,” comments Synthia.

TGP also provides grant reporting services to ensure that, once grants are awarded to the city, deliverables are being met. And they continue to share grant opportunities with the city and help the department evaluate any grant options they find. TGP even assists with reviewing contracts and budgets so grant delivery is set up for success.

“The Grant Plant has held our hand through this process,” says Synthia. “We are one team working towards the same goal – to improve Albuquerque’s economy and make it equitable for all citizens.”