Carroll Petrie Foundation
The Carroll Petrie Foundation is a private foundation based in Santa Fe, New Mexico, dedicated to the well-being of animals and the natural world. Established in New York City in 1996 by Carroll Petrie, it supports nonprofits working to protect animals and nature.
Carroll Petrie Foundation at a glance
In short: Carroll Petrie Foundation gave $14.2M across 115 grants in 2024 (avg $124K), top state Rhode Island. 17% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $14,236,500
- -8.6% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 115
- -16.1% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $123,796
- +8.9% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $50,000
- Total assets
- $320,611,220
- +5.4% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 17% first-time grantees (20 of 115, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Rhode Island (27% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Carroll Petrie Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- Invitation Only
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Its website says funding is by invitation only and asks prospective organizations to contact the appropriate program officer to discuss their work before submitting a proposal.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1000 Cordova Place - Pmb 524, Santa Fe, NM 87505
Phone: (212) 530-5887
Website: https://carrollpetrie.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Carroll Petrie Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program ($3.9M). Together the top 10 received $7.7M.
Grant Size Distribution
563 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 243 grants of 563 (43%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s website describes its Environment Program as focused on New Mexico and the Southwest. In 2024, the largest shares of grant dollars by recipient state were Rhode Island (27%), New Mexico (22%), and the District of Columbia (18%), followed by Arizona and Virginia (5% each).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 115 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Carroll Petrie Foundation open to new grantees?
17%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 20 of 115 grantees (17%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $219K; repeat grants $104K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $50K repeat.
- 74% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+13%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 89% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $12.6M (2021) to $16.6M (2022). In 2024 it made 115 grants totaling $14.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program Warwick, RI | Charitable Giving | $3,862,500 |
| The White Coat Waste Project Inc Washington, DC | Expansion of Work | $1,000,000 |
| Xerces Society Inc Seattle, WA | Programmatic Support | $450,000 |
| Center for Biological Diversity Tucson, AZ | New Mexico & Environmental Health Programs | $400,000 |
| The Buckeye Institute Columbus, OH | Emergency Powers Litigation Support | $400,000 |
| Darksky Tucson, AZ | Southwest Dark Skies Program & General Support | $350,000 |
| Trout Unlimited Inc Arlington, VA | Conservation Work in New Mexico & Colorado | $350,000 |
| 1792 Exchange Inc Springboro, OH | General Support | $300,000 |
| Defenders of Wildlife Washington, DC | New Mexico & Arizona Programs | $300,000 |
| Free the People Foundation Washington, DC | Build Free the People's Audience | $250,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Carroll Petrie Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $320,611,220 | $35,880,569 | $19,427,110 | $14,236,500 | 115 | $16,250,239 | $32,431,764 | $18,313,725 |
| 2023 | $304,255,746 | $17,848,874 | $20,244,127 | $15,575,000 | 137 | $17,532,178 | $15,064,603 | $16,665,720 |
| 2022 | $306,738,321 | $22,062,020 | $21,870,367 | $16,574,000 | 124 | $18,264,391 | $18,609,785 | $17,116,877 |
| 2021 | $306,631,944 | $55,176,464 | $16,857,550 | $12,617,000 | 99 | $13,996,166 | $40,392,787 | $18,188,944 |
| 2020 | $267,985,256 | $16,676,448 | $17,119,775 | $13,543,000 | 88 | — | $13,913,225 | $15,100,449 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Carroll Petrie Foundation reported a distributable amount of $18.3M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated mission is to support the well-being of all animals and the natural world. Its Environment Program focuses on protecting wildlife, preserving and restoring habitat, and supporting native pollinators, with an emphasis on New Mexico and the Southwest. Its Animals Program supports organizations providing direct care and services to animals in New Mexico, as well as work for humane treatment and prevention of animal cruelty. The program includes Animal Protection and Cats & Dogs portfolios.
The 2024 grants illustrate the range of organizations funded. The White Coat Waste Project, which received $1 million, says it works to inform the public about animal suffering in publicly funded laboratories and spending on animal experiments. The Center for Biological Diversity, which received $400,000, describes its work as using science, law, and creative media to protect species and the lands, waters, and climate they need. Other 2024 grantees included Trout Unlimited, whose stated mission is to conserve, protect, and restore coldwater fisheries and watersheds, and the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, which promotes preventive medicine and higher ethical and effectiveness standards in research.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 115 grants totaling $14,236,500. Individual grants ranged from $2,000 to $3,862,500, with a median of $50,000. The largest listed grant was $3,862,500 to Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program for charitable giving. Other notable awards included $1 million to the White Coat Waste Project for expansion of work; $450,000 to the Xerces Society for programmatic support; and $400,000 each to the Center for Biological Diversity for New Mexico and environmental health programs and the Buckeye Institute for emergency powers litigation support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Theodora Portago as president, director, and executive director; Carolina Portago as vice president, director, and secretary; Camille Manning as treasurer and director; and Zach Dillenback as assistant treasurer and CFO.
Carroll Petrie Foundation is led by Theodora Portago, President, Director & Executive Director since 2023 (on filings since 2020); all 4 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Theodora Portago
President, Director & Executive Director
President & Director → President, Director & Executive Director, 2023
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$230K (2020) → $373K (2024)
Camille Manning
Treasurer & Director
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
$38K (2024)
Carolina Portago
Vice President, Director & Secretary
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
$38K (2024)
Zach Dillenback
Assistant Treasurer & CFO
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$217K (2022) → $201K (2024)
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $373K, to Theodora Portago (President, Director & Exec Director). 4 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Carroll Petrie Foundation
How much does Carroll Petrie Foundation give each year?
Carroll Petrie Foundation gave $14.2M across 115 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $15.6M across 137 grants.
What is Carroll Petrie Foundation's typical grant size?
Carroll Petrie Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $50,000, and its average grant was $123,796, across 115 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Carroll Petrie Foundation that year got $219K on average.
Where does Carroll Petrie Foundation give grants?
Carroll Petrie Foundation's top state is Rhode Island, with 27% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were New Mexico (22%) and District of Columbia (18%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (11 grants), Santa Fe, NM (11 grants), Albuquerque, NM (10 grants) and Las Cruces, NM (6 grants).
Does Carroll Petrie Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 37% of Carroll Petrie Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (42 of 115) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Work in New Mexico" (4 grants).
Who are Carroll Petrie Foundation's largest grantees?
Carroll Petrie Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program ($3,862,500), The White Coat Waste Project Inc ($1,000,000) and Xerces Society Inc ($450,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 37% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Carroll Petrie Foundation?
Carroll Petrie Foundation reported $320.6M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $16.3M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $18.3M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Carroll Petrie Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated mission is to support the well-being of all animals and the natural world. Its Environment Program focuses on protecting wildlife, preserving and restoring habitat, and supporting native pollinators, with an emphasis on New Mexico and the Southwest. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Carroll Petrie Foundation?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Carroll Petrie Foundation's EIN?
Carroll Petrie Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-3912203. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Carroll Petrie Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Carroll Petrie Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/carroll-petrie-foundation-morg_002cb429041947e8ac4824743ab18a75
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_133912203_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Carroll Petrie Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/carroll-petrie-foundation-morg_002cb429041947e8ac4824743ab18a75},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-14. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Carroll Petrie Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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