Carroll Petrie Foundation

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: $15,575,000 (2023)
Total Assets: $305 million (2022)
Number of Grants: 137 awards (2023)
Grant Range: $75,000 - $425,000 (based on 2022 examples)
Geographic Focus: New Mexico and the American Southwest
Application Method: Invitation only / Pre-contact required

Contact Details

Address: Santa Fe, NM
Email: info@carrollpetrie.org
Website: https://www.carrollpetrie.org
EIN: 133912203

Application Process: Prospective applicants must first contact the appropriate program officer to discuss their work before submitting a proposal.

Overview

The Carroll Petrie Foundation was established in 1996 in New York City by Carroll Petrie, wife of retail businessman Milton Petrie, who left her a $150 million inheritance upon his death in 1994. Following Carroll's death in 2015 at age 90, her estate funded the Foundation's endowment, and the board refocused its mission. Now based in Santa Fe, New Mexico, the Foundation is a private family-led grantmaking organization dedicated to the well-being of all animals and the natural world. With assets of $305 million (2022) and annual giving of $15.6 million (2023), the Foundation concentrates its grantmaking on wildlife protection, habitat preservation and restoration, native pollinator conservation, and animal welfare specifically in New Mexico and the American Southwest.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Foundation operates three primary program areas:

1. Environment Program

Pollinators Portfolio: Supports efforts to protect native pollinators and their habitats, reduce pesticide use, and encourage organic farming practices
Wildlife Portfolio: Focuses on protection of wildlife and wildlife habitat in New Mexico and the American Southwest, including protection of rivers (Rio Grande, Pecos, and Gila Rivers) and public lands

2. Animals Program

Animal Protection Portfolio: Organizations working toward humane treatment of animals and prevention of animal cruelty in New Mexico
Cats & Dogs Portfolio: Specialized initiatives addressing companion animal welfare, with strong focus on horses, donkeys, and mules, who are among New Mexico's most vulnerable animals

Priority Areas

Habitat preservation and restoration in the Southwest
Native pollinator conservation
Wildlife protection in New Mexico and surrounding states
Direct animal care and services within New Mexico
Advocacy for animal welfare and prevention of cruelty
Companion animal programs
Protection of lands and waters in the region
Organic farming practices that support pollinators

What They Don't Fund

While specific exclusions are not publicly detailed on their website, the Foundation:

Only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations
Does not accept unsolicited requests for funds without prior program officer contact
Focuses exclusively on New Mexico and the American Southwest (geographic limitation)
Concentrates solely on animal welfare and environmental conservation (programmatic limitation)

Governance and Leadership

Current Leadership (as of 2022):

Theodora Portago, President - Granddaughter of Carroll Petrie
Carolina Portago, Vice President - Granddaughter of Carroll Petrie
Camille Manning, Treasurer - Niece of Carroll Petrie

The Foundation remains family-led, with Carroll Petrie's descendants continuing her philanthropic legacy through focused grantmaking in animal welfare and environmental conservation.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Carroll Petrie Foundation operates on an invitation-only basis with a required pre-contact process.

While the Foundation states it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds," they do maintain an application pathway:

Initial Contact Required: Prospective applicants must first contact the appropriate program officer to discuss their work before submitting a grant proposal
Grant Guidelines: Review the Foundation's Grant Guidelines (available as PDF on their website) which detail what they look for in partners and programs
General Inquiries: Contact info@carrollpetrie.org
Formal Application: After program officer discussion, applicants may be invited to submit a formal proposal

This approach suggests the Foundation identifies potential grantees through sector relationships and welcomes contact from organizations doing aligned work, but maintains control over who enters their formal application process.

Decision Timeline

Specific decision timelines are not publicly disclosed. However, given the Foundation's invitation-only approach and required program officer discussions, applicants should expect:

An initial conversation/vetting period before formal proposal submission
Additional time for board review and decision-making

Success Rates

2023: 137 grants awarded from $15,575,000 in total giving
2022: 124 grants awarded
2021: 98 grants awarded

The Foundation shows increasing grantmaking activity year over year. However, specific application-to-award ratios are not publicly available. Given the invitation-only nature and pre-contact requirement, organizations that successfully make it through the initial program officer discussion likely have higher success rates than typical open-application foundations.

Reapplication Policy

No specific reapplication policy is publicly stated. Given the invitation-only model and evidence of multi-year support to some organizations (e.g., Center for Biological Diversity received cumulative grants of $2,650,000 from 2019-2022), the Foundation appears to maintain ongoing relationships with aligned partners.

Application Success Factors

Demonstrated Track Record in Their Focus Areas

The Foundation's 2022 grants reveal a pattern of supporting established organizations with proven expertise:

WildEarth Guardians ($425,000) - Known for environmental litigation and policy advocacy across western states
Humane Society of the United States ($225,000) - Major national animal welfare organization
Center for Biological Diversity ($2,650,000 total, 2019-2022) - Established conservation organization
Conservation Voters New Mexico Education Fund ($75,000) - State affiliate of national network
Earth Island Institute ($75,000) - Established environmental organization

Geographic Alignment

All funding is concentrated in New Mexico and the American Southwest. Organizations must demonstrate work specifically in this region, particularly:

Projects protecting New Mexico's rivers (Rio Grande, Pecos, Gila)
Wildlife habitat in the Southwest
Native pollinators in the region
Animal welfare services delivered in New Mexico

Strategic Initiative Support

The Foundation supports large-scale collaborative efforts, such as:

River for Monarchs project - Multi-partner initiative to restore habitat for monarch butterflies and pollinators along the Rio Grande corridor
Dog Rescue Project (2012) - Partnership with ASPCA providing $1 million to move dogs from overcrowded shelters

Multi-Year Commitment Potential

Evidence suggests the Foundation values sustained partnerships rather than one-off grants, as shown by their multi-year support to organizations like Center for Biological Diversity.

Direct Service and Policy Advocacy

The Foundation supports both:

Direct care organizations (animal shelters, rescue operations)
Policy/advocacy groups (litigation, conservation lobbying)

This dual approach indicates they value both immediate animal welfare and systemic change.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

Make the initial contact: Despite being "invitation only," the Foundation specifically instructs interested organizations to contact program officers first - this is the entry point to their process
Regional focus is non-negotiable: All work must demonstrate clear impact in New Mexico and/or the broader American Southwest
Three program areas only: Ensure your work fits clearly within Environment Program (pollinators or wildlife) or Animals Program (animal protection or cats & dogs)
Established organizations favored: Grant examples show support for well-known organizations with proven track records rather than emerging groups
Large grants available: The Foundation makes substantial awards ($75,000-$425,000 range in 2022 examples), with some organizations receiving multi-year cumulative support in the millions
Download and study the Grant Guidelines: The Foundation provides detailed guidelines about what they look for in partners - review these before making contact
Be prepared for a relationship-based process: The required program officer discussion suggests the Foundation values getting to know potential partners before formal applications

References

Accessed: December 23, 2025