SANTA FE — The New Mexico Department of Finance and Administration (DFA) awarded $57.81 million in matching grants to 37 public entities, leveraging over $200 million in federal funding for 57 projects. Of the grants, 54% went to rural areas, including Lincoln County and the Mescalero Apache Tribe for fire recovery.

This first cycle of the New Mexico Match Fund supported 33 infrastructure, eight energy, four public safety, four emergency response, and eight general projects at 1 to 4 state-to-federal leveraged dollars. DFA began accepting applications on June 16, 2024.

“This investment is a commitment to the resilience and growth of our rural communities,” said Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. “By removing barriers to federal resources, we are paving the way for sustainable development and improved infrastructure across New Mexico.”

Enacted earlier this year, HB 177 created the New Mexico Match Fund to leverage once-in-a-generation federal funding for infrastructure, research, economic development, the energy transition, and other projects to leverage resources for the benefit of New Mexico.

“The New Mexico Match Fund has already jumpstarted dozens of vital infrastructure, rural development, and public safety projects in its first four months,” said HB177 sponsor Representative Meredith A. Dixon. “This transformational program will continue to pay dividends for decades to come by improving our roads, strengthening communities statewide, and creating good-paying jobs for New Mexicans along the way.”

“I am happy to see these much-needed funds for our local governments be put to use,” said HB177 sponsor Representative Gail Armstrong. “Local governments, especially in rural communities, are too often lacking matching resources to secure federal grants. The New Mexico Match Fund has now provided several underserved communities access to often missed federal funding opportunities.”

“The New Mexico Match Fund is a prime example of how our executive and legislative collaboration can create meaningful assistance for our rural communities, as we’ve provided $31 million to rural entities in the first four months,” said DFA Cabinet Secretary Wayne Propst.

With an initial appropriation of $75 million, and pursuant to the new law, DFA developed three grant programs providing eligible entities with a reliable and nimble source of funding to increase competitiveness for hundreds of federal grant program opportunities that require local match.?Programs include the Matching Grant, Project Implementation Grant, and Federal Compliance Offset Grant. Earlier this year, the Village of Los Lunas received a $3 million Federal Compliance Offset Grant to help cover increased project costs associated with federal requirements tied to a U.S. Department of Transportation grant for the I-25 Interchange project.

“Thanks to the New Mexico Match Fund, we can make available resources to provide our residents with the tools they need to succeed in today’s technology-driven landscape,” said Kevin Winner, Information Technology Director of the Pueblo of Jemez. “Our community has long recognized the necessity of digital access for growth and development.”

Highlighted projects:

City of Gallup — The matching grant of $5,000,000 will leverage a $40,000,000 federal award for the Allison Road Corridor Part A Construction project, improving mobility and increasing safety for Gallup residents.

Lincoln County — The matching grant of $12,500,000 will leverage a $50,000,000 federal award for flood mitigation from South Fork and Salt Fires from the National Resource Conservation Service’s Emergency Watershed Protection Program.

Mescalero Apache Tribe — The matching grant of $2,392,750 will leverage a $21,834,750 federal award for flood mitigation from South Fork and Salt Fires from the National Resource Conservation Service’s Emergency Watershed Protection Program.

Santa Fe-Pojoaque Soil & Water Conservation District — The matching grant of $7,440,000 will leverage a $14,300,000 federal award from the National Resource Conservation Service’s Watershed Rehabilitation Program to repair Santa Cruz Dam Site-1.

Full list of Matching Grant awarded entities:

Acequia Del Llano (Santa Cruz)

Bernalillo County

Central New Mexico Community College

City of Albuquerque

City of Carlsbad

City of Gallup

City of Lovington

City of Santa Fe

City of Socorro

Curry County

Doña Ana County

East Rio Arriba Soil and Water Conservation District

Eastern Plains Council of Governments

Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department, State Parks Division

Incorporated County of Los Alamos

Lincoln County

McKinley County

Mescalero Apache Tribe

Mora County

New Mexico Department of Finance and Administration, Local Government Division

New Mexico Higher Education Department, Adult Education Division

New Mexico Highlands University

New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology

New Mexico Department of Transportation

New Mexico State University

North Central New Mexico Economic Development District

North Central Regional Transit District

Pueblo of Santa Ana

Pueblo of Jemez

Regina Mutual Domestic Water Consumers Association

San Juan County

Santa Fe, Pojoaque Soil & Water Conservation District

South Central Regional Transit District

Taos Pueblo

University of New Mexico

Village of Cimarron

Village of Logan

Village of Ruidoso

Click to view list with project information.

DFA is still accepting applications from public entities at the New Mexico Match Fund webpage.