The Frost Foundation
The Frost Foundation is a private foundation based in Santa Fe, New Mexico, established in 1959. It supports nonprofit and other eligible organizations serving Louisiana and/or New Mexico through grants for community initiatives, including work in human services, education, arts and culture, animal welfare, and the environment.
The Frost Foundation at a glance
In short: The Frost Foundation gave $1.3M across 69 grants in 2024 (avg $19K), mostly in New Mexico. 48% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,326,000
- +37.4% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 69
- +19.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $19,217
- +15.5% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $34,307,771
- +2.3% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 48% first-time grantees (33 of 69, 2024)
- Primary geography
- New Mexico (87% 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 The Frost Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation’s website directs applicants to submit an application and review its grant guidelines. Its 2024 filing describes an application consisting of a one-page summary with the organization’s name, address, phone number, project or executive director, age of the organization, description of need, objective or goal, and planning and implementation procedures. The website says the foundation does not fund individuals, endowments, or political activities.
- Review Cycle
- The website lists annual deadlines of June 1 and December 1. The June deadline is followed by a September board meeting, with notifications and funds expected by early October; the December deadline is followed by a March board meeting, with notifications and funds expected by early April. The next deadline listed is December 1, 2026; applications are scheduled to open October 20, 2026.
- Deadline
- The website lists annual deadlines of June 1 and December 1.
- Contact
Application contact: Mary Amelia Whited-Howell President
Mailing address: 511 Armijo Street Suite A, Santa Fe, NM 87501
Phone: (505) 986-0208
Website: https://frostfound.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Frost Foundation
Who The Frost Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Espanola Humane ($260K). Together the top 10 received $761K.
Grant Size Distribution
305 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 287 grants of 305 (94%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s website says its grant cycles support organizations serving Louisiana and/or New Mexico. In 2024, 87% of grant dollars went to recipients in New Mexico and 9% to recipients in Louisiana; the remaining shares went to Florida, Colorado, and Nevada, at 1% each.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 69 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Frost Foundation open to new grantees?
48%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 33 of 69 grantees (48%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $14K; repeat grants $24K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 29% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+12%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 107% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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 $830K (2022) to $1.3M (2024). In 2024 it made 69 grants totaling $1.3M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Espanola Humane Espanola, NM | Operating | $260,000 |
| Laboratories Foundation Espanola, NM | Operating | $144,000 |
| St Vincent Hospital Foundation Santa Fe, NM | Operating | $100,000 |
| Tibetan Assoc of Santa Fe Santa Fe, NM | Operating | $60,000 |
| Blue Skye Foundation Santa Fe, NM | Operating | $50,000 |
| The Community Foundation of Lincoln CNT Ruidoso, NM | Operating | $50,000 |
| Kindred Spirits Animal Sanctuary Santa Fe, NM | Operating | $26,000 |
| Horizon Albuquerque Albuquerque, NM | Operating | $25,000 |
| New Mexico Wildlife Federation Albuquerque, NM | Operating | $25,000 |
| The Food Depot Santa Fe, NM | Operating | $21,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Frost 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 | $34,307,771 | $2,689,970 | $2,546,444 | $1,326,000 | 69 | $1,796,023 | $1,987,870 | $1,673,373 |
| 2023 | $33,531,440 | $1,652,865 | $2,043,989 | $965,385 | 58 | $1,383,980 | $1,023,877 | $1,556,958 |
| 2022 | $31,179,732 | $1,726,922 | $1,804,727 | $829,710 | 52 | $1,187,208 | $1,149,533 | $1,582,204 |
| 2021 | $37,877,515 | $2,836,690 | $2,070,071 | $1,185,500 | 68 | $1,482,016 | $2,299,597 | $1,552,562 |
| 2020 | $34,924,308 | $1,675,590 | $2,145,000 | $1,305,127 | 58 | — | $1,165,340 | $1,534,053 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Frost Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.7M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s mission is to empower communities by funding innovative, collaborative initiatives in human rights, education, animal welfare, and environmental stewardship, with the aim of supporting self-reliance and lasting impact.
It offers two funds. The Environmental & Animal Welfare Fund supports direct, on-the-ground conservation, marine protection, animal welfare, and applied research with tangible outcomes. The Community Impact Fund supports human services, education, arts and culture, and other community-based work outside direct environmental and animal welfare impact. The foundation prioritizes innovative programs, initiatives that can serve as models, responses to urgent or emerging needs, collaboration to reduce duplication, and general operating support for organizations aligned with its mission.
Examples of grantees’ work include St. Vincent Hospital Foundation, whose stated mission is to support and promote a regional medical center serving communities in north-central New Mexico; Blue Skye Foundation, which says it provides financial assistance to people experiencing anxiety, depression, PTSD, and chronic pain; and The Food Depot, which describes its work as developing partner-based solutions toward a hunger-free New Mexico. New Mexico Wildlife Federation says its mission is to inspire conservation of public landscapes, watersheds, and wildlife. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not the foundation’s.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation made 69 grants totaling $1,326,000. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $260,000, with a median of $10,000. Among the largest awards were $260,000 to Espanola Humane, $144,000 to Laboratories Foundation, $100,000 to St. Vincent Hospital Foundation, and $60,000 to Tibetan Association of Santa Fe. The filing lists each of these grants as operating support.
Other 2024 awards included $50,000 to Blue Skye Foundation, $26,000 to Kindred Spirits Animal Sanctuary, $25,000 each to Horizon Albuquerque and New Mexico Wildlife Federation, $21,000 to The Food Depot, and $20,000 each to Eden House and New Mexico School for Arts. Additional grantees included Paws and Stripes Inc. ($17,000), Chimp Haven Inc. ($15,000), New Mexico Kids Matter Inc. ($15,000), and Tomorrow’s Women ($15,000).
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Mary Amelia Whited-Howell as president; Philip B. Howell as vice president; Taylor F. Moore as secretary and treasurer; and Ann Rogers Gerber, Philip Carter Howell, Amelia Reid Howell, and Henry Frost Howell as directors.
The Frost Foundation is led by Mary Amelia Whited-Howell, President on every filing since 2020; 3 of 6 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Mary Amelia Whited-Howell
President
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$120K (2020) → $140K (2024)
Amelia Reid Howell
Director
On filings since 2020
20 hrs/week
$33K (2023) → $40K (2024)
Philip Carter Howell
Vice President & Director
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$120K (2020) → $140K (2024)
Ann Rogers Gerber
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Henry Frost Howell
Director
On filings since 2022
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Taylor F. Moore
Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
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 $140K, to Mary Amelia Whited-Howell (President). 4 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Frost Foundation
How much does The Frost Foundation give each year?
The Frost Foundation gave $1.3M across 69 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $965K across 58 grants.
What is The Frost Foundation's typical grant size?
The Frost Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $19,217, across 69 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Frost Foundation that year got $14K on average.
Where does The Frost Foundation give grants?
The Frost Foundation gives mostly in New Mexico: 87% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Louisiana (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Santa Fe, NM (27 grants), Albuquerque, NM (15 grants), New Orleans, LA (6 grants) and Espanola, NM (3 grants).
Does The Frost Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Frost Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (69 of 69) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Frost Foundation's largest grantees?
The Frost Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Espanola Humane ($260,000), Laboratories Foundation ($144,000) and St Vincent Hospital Foundation ($100,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 38% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Frost Foundation?
The Frost Foundation reported $34.3M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.8M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.7M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Frost Foundation fund?
The foundation’s mission is to empower communities by funding innovative, collaborative initiatives in human rights, education, animal welfare, and environmental stewardship, with the aim of supporting self-reliance and lasting impact. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Frost Foundation?
The foundation’s website directs applicants to submit an application and review its grant guidelines. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Frost Foundation's EIN?
The Frost Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 72-0520342. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Frost Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Frost Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-frost-foundation-morg_b824b663d3604dbca15808e4cb720ffc
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_720520342_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Frost Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-frost-foundation-morg_b824b663d3604dbca15808e4cb720ffc},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-13. 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 The Frost 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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