Maki Foundation
The Maki Foundation is a private foundation established in 1981 and based in Carbondale, Colorado. The foundation is named after the Lakota word for land, ground, or earth. It operates as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization focused on environmental protection and conservation in the western United States.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$4.6M
+12.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$229K
+12.4% YoY
Grant Count
51
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$4K
+12.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Maki Foundation reported a distributable amount of $219K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Maki Foundation makes grants for environmental protection in the western United States, with particular concern for the protection and preservation of the Rocky Mountain West's remaining wild lands, rivers, and wilderness, as well as the wildlife that depends on these lands.
Primary funding interests include:
- Wilderness and wildlands protection
- River and wetlands conservation
- Biological diversity conservation
- Public lands management
- Improving public lands policy
- Defense of wildlands from threats such as mineral development, unconstrained off-road vehicle use, and poorly planned water projects
The foundation looks for organizations and projects where modest support can make a significant contribution. The majority of successful applicants are small local and regional grassroots organizations working to protect public lands and rivers.
The foundation does not consider requests for: acquisition or construction of community recreation facilities, buildings, municipal parks, reservoirs, wildlife rehabilitation centers, zoos, recycling programs, tree planting projects, toxic waste cleanup, film productions, and fellowships.
Grantmaking
Prospective applicants who have not previously received a grant from the Maki Foundation must submit a one-page letter of inquiry to the Grant Director before submitting a full application. Previous grantees may submit an application directly without a letter of inquiry. If more than 5 years have passed since the last grant, applicants should contact the Grant Director to discuss their current proposal.
Grant Range
s:** Grants typically range from $1,000 to $7,000, with most awards between $1,000 and $5,000.
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's geographic area of interest includes:
- New Mexico
- Colorado
- Utah
- Idaho
- Wyoming
- Montana
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 2024:
- Total Assets: $4,567,723
- Total Revenues: $320,249
- Total Expenses: $304,189
- Total Giving: $229,200
Revenue Composition (2024):
- Investment income and dividends: $142,990
- Net gain from sale of non-inventory assets: $170,551
- Net rental income: -$8,686
As of December 2023:
- Total Assets: $4,050,277
- Total Revenues: $136,530
- Total Expenses: $278,123
The foundation has no employees and carries no liabilities.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $4,567,723 | $4,050,277 | $3,101,131 |
| Revenue | $320,249 | $136,530 | $130,885 |
| Expenses | $304,189 | $278,123 | $296,805 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $280,629 | $253,424 | $272,775 |
| Net Investment Income | $297,977 | $123,974 | $117,638 |
| Distributable Amount | $219,198 | $211,194 | $144,109 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Maki Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Aspen Journalism ($7,000), Powder River Basin Resource Council ($7,000), Energy & Conservation Law ($6,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 350 Colorado Boulder, CO | Operations | $4,000 |
| Advocates for the West Boise, ID | Operations | $5,000 |
| Alliance for the Wild Rockies Helena, MT | Operations | $5,000 |
| Aspen Journalism Aspen, CO | Operations | $7,000 |
| Canyonlands Field Institute Moab, UT | Operations | $3,500 |
| Colorado Wild Public Lands Basalt, CO | Operations | $4,200 |
| Craighead Institute Bozeman, MT | Operations | $4,000 |
| Earth Law Center Durango, CO | Operations | $4,000 |
| Energy & Conservation Law Durango, CO | Operations | $6,000 |
| Flathead-Lolo-Bitterroot Citizen Task Force Missoula, MT | Operations | $4,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Trustees:
- Ann Harvey
- Kim Springer
- Mark Harvey
Staff:
- Anais Tomezsko, Grant Director
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ann Harvey | Director | — | — |
| Kim Springer | Director | — | — |
| Mark Harvey | Director | — | — |
| Clare Bastable | Director | — | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Maki Foundation fund?
The Maki Foundation makes grants for environmental protection in the western United States, with particular concern for the protection and preservation of the Rocky Mountain West's remaining wild lands, rivers, and wilderness, as well as the wildlife that depends on these lands. Primary funding interests include: • Wilderness and wildlands protection • River and wetlands conservation • Biological diversity conservation • Public lands management • Improving public lands policy • Defense of wildl…
How do I apply for a grant from Maki Foundation?
**Grant Sizes:** Grants typically range from $1,000 to $7,000, with most awards between $1,000 and $5,000. **Recent Activity:** The foundation made 64 grants in 2024, totaling $203,200 in grant distributions. Recent grantees include: • Aspen Journalism ($7,000) • Powder River Basin Resource Council ($7,000) • Energy and Conservation Law ($6,000) • Rocky Mountain Wild **Application Process:** Prospective applicants who have not previously received a grant from the Maki Foundation must submit a o…
Where does Maki Foundation make grants?
The foundation's geographic area of interest includes: • New Mexico • Colorado • Utah • Idaho • Wyoming • Montana
What size grants does Maki Foundation award?
In 2024, Maki Foundation awarded 51 grants totaling $229K — an average of about $4K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Maki Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Maki Foundation reported a distributable amount of $219K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Maki Foundation's EIN?
Maki Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 84-0836242. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Maki Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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