McKinnon Family Foundation

Quick Stats

• EIN: 357079265
• Annual Giving: $2,888,350 (2024)
• Total Assets: $23.7 million
• Grant Range: $100 - $1,250,000
• Number of Grants: 44 awards (2024), 27 awards (2023), 22 awards (2022)
• Geographic Focus: California, New York, and New Mexico
• Foundation Type: Private Family Foundation
• Established: 2015 (IRS ruling year)

Contact Details

Address: C/O Trebatch, 950 Third Avenue, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10022

Phone: (203) 698-0007 or (203) 295-7703

Contact Person: Daniel I. McKinnon

Website: No public website available

Note: The foundation is administratively managed through Trebatch, a professional foundation management firm.

Overview

The McKinnon Family Foundation was established in 2015 as a private family foundation by Ian and Sonnet McKinnon, prominent New Mexico philanthropists with deep ties to the state's educational and scientific institutions. Ian McKinnon is a founding partner of Sandia Holdings, LLC and former investment banking analyst with Merrill Lynch before becoming a managing partner in Ziff Brothers Investments. The foundation, headquartered in New York with assets of approximately $23.7 million, distributed $2.9 million in grants in 2024 across 44 different organizations. The McKinnons, who are both Albuquerque Academy graduates and maintain strong connections to New Mexico while living part-time in Connecticut, have made education and scientific research cornerstones of their philanthropy. Ian serves as a Santa Fe Institute trustee, and Sonnet previously served as National Vice-Chair of the UNM Foundation Board of Directors (2006-2010).

Funding Priorities

Focus Areas

The McKinnon Family Foundation concentrates its grantmaking in three primary areas:

1. Education: Supporting educational institutions, programs, and opportunities from K-12 through higher education, with particular emphasis on STEM education and educational access
2. Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking: Supporting organizations that strengthen the nonprofit sector and philanthropic infrastructure
3. Human Services: Organizations providing essential services to communities

Geographic Priorities

The foundation primarily makes grants in:

• New Mexico (primary focus, reflecting the family's roots)
• New York (where the foundation is headquartered)
• California

Notable Grants

The foundation's most significant publicly documented grant includes:

• Santa Fe Institute: $2.5 million endowment (2015) to support education and outreach programs, including summer schools, internships, mentorships, and online courses. This gift created a permanently endowed fund for the Institute's education programs and led to the McKinnon name being added to the vice president for education and outreach position.

Additional major gifts made by Ian and Sonnet McKinnon (which may have been made through the foundation or personally) include:

• University of New Mexico: $7.5 million (2011) to the Anderson School of Management, University Arena ("The Pit"), and UNM Tennis Complex - the largest single gift ever made to UNM by living individuals at that time
• Albuquerque Academy: $10 million (2013)
• Santa Fe Institute: Additional $3 million gift to expand fundamental research

What They Don't Fund

While the foundation's specific exclusions are not publicly documented, as a private family foundation with focused geographic and programmatic interests, they are unlikely to fund:

• Organizations outside their three primary geographic areas (CA, NY, NM)
• Projects unrelated to education, human services, or philanthropic infrastructure
• International organizations or programs

Governance and Leadership

Family Leadership

Ian McKinnon (Founding Partner, Sandia Holdings, LLC)

• Son of Karen McKinnon Stibolt and the late Daniel A. McKinnon III (former New Mexico Supreme Court Justice)
• Graduate of Albuquerque Academy
• Serves on the Board of Trustees at Albuquerque Academy
• Trustee of the Santa Fe Institute
• Former investment banking analyst with Merrill Lynch & Co.
• Former managing partner in Ziff Brothers Investments

Sonnet McKinnon

• Graduate of Albuquerque Academy and UNM Anderson School of Management
• Former National Vice-Chair of UNM Foundation Board of Directors (2006-2010)
• Both Ian and Sonnet have stated that "educational opportunity is a cornerstone of their philanthropy"

Daniel I. McKinnon - Listed as the primary contact for the foundation

Philanthropic Philosophy

The McKinnons have been recognized as notable New Mexicans in philanthropy by the Albuquerque Community Foundation. Their giving pattern suggests a focus on institutions with which they have personal connections and that advance educational and scientific excellence, particularly in their home state of New Mexico.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The McKinnon Family Foundation operates as a private family foundation and does not have a formal online application portal or publicized application deadlines. According to their IRS filings, the foundation accepts written applications.

Application Requirements (from Form 990-PF): Applications should be submitted in writing and include:

• Purpose of the organization
• Organization's address
• Telephone number and contact person
• Prior period operating statement and balance sheet
• Documentation of 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status

Submit applications to: McKinnon Family Foundation C/O Trebatch 950 Third Avenue, 4th Floor New York, NY 10022

Important Note: The foundation currently shows "0 live grant opportunities" in foundation databases, suggesting they may primarily make grants through a proactive selection process rather than responding to unsolicited proposals. Many of their documented grants have gone to organizations with which the family has longstanding relationships.

Decision Timeline

Processing Time: Not publicly documented. As a private family foundation, decision timelines likely vary based on the nature and size of the request.

Board Meetings: Private family foundations typically meet quarterly or semi-annually to review grant requests, but the foundation has not published their meeting schedule.

Form 990-PF Filing: The foundation files annually in May (filed May 10, 2023 for tax year 2022; filed May 13, 2024 for tax year 2023)

Success Rates

Application Statistics: Not publicly available. However, the foundation made:

• 44 grants in 2024
• 27 grants in 2023
• 22 grants in 2022
• 20 grants in 2021

The increasing number of grants suggests growing activity, though the total number of applications received is not disclosed.

Reapplication Policy

Not publicly documented. As with most private foundations, organizations that have received funding previously or have strong institutional relationships appear to have better prospects for continued support.

Application Success Factors

Institutional Relationships Matter

The McKinnons' documented major grants have gone to institutions where they have deep personal connections:

• Albuquerque Academy (both are graduates and Ian serves on the Board)
• University of New Mexico (family connections span multiple generations)
• Santa Fe Institute (Ian serves as a trustee)

This pattern suggests that established relationships and institutional knowledge of the family's interests are significant factors in funding decisions.

Alignment with Educational Mission

Ian and Sonnet McKinnon have explicitly stated that "educational opportunity is a cornerstone of their philanthropy." Projects that:

• Expand access to quality education
• Support STEM and complexity science education
• Create enduring educational infrastructure (endowments, facilities, programs)
• Serve students from middle school through graduate level

are most aligned with the foundation's demonstrated priorities.

New Mexico Connection

Despite being headquartered in New York, the foundation shows a clear preference for New Mexico-based organizations or programs that benefit New Mexicans. Organizations in New Mexico, particularly in the Santa Fe and Albuquerque areas, appear to be priority geographies.

Scale and Impact

The foundation's grants range widely from $100 to $1.25 million, suggesting they fund both small community organizations and major institutional initiatives. However, their most celebrated and visible grants have been large, transformational gifts to established institutions.

Long-term Sustainability

The $2.5 million Santa Fe Institute grant was specifically structured as a "permanently endowed fund," suggesting the foundation values sustainable, long-term impact over short-term project funding.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

1. Relationship-Based Grantmaking: The McKinnon Family Foundation appears to primarily fund organizations with which the family has established relationships. Cold applications may be less successful than introductions through trusted intermediaries or board connections.

2. Education is Central: Educational opportunity is explicitly described as a cornerstone of the McKinnons' philanthropy. Frame your proposal around educational access, quality, or innovation to align with their stated priorities.

3. New Mexico Focus: Despite the New York headquarters, the foundation shows strong preference for New Mexico-based organizations and causes. Organizations outside NM should demonstrate compelling reasons for the McKinnons' interest.

4. Think Long-term: The foundation's major grants have focused on endowments and permanent infrastructure rather than short-term projects. Demonstrate sustainable impact and institutional capacity.

5. Wide Grant Range: With grants ranging from $100 to $1,250,000, the foundation funds organizations of varying sizes. Don't assume you're too small or that your request is too large - focus on mission alignment and impact.

6. No Open Application Process: With "0 live grant opportunities" showing in databases, approach this foundation through relationship-building rather than formal application processes. Consider attending events or programs at organizations they support (Santa Fe Institute, Albuquerque Academy, UNM) to connect with their network.

7. Scientific and Institutional Focus: The foundation's support for the Santa Fe Institute's complexity science programs suggests interest in rigorous, scientific approaches to education and societal challenges.

References

• Charity Navigator. "McKinnon Family Foundation Profile." https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/357079265. Accessed March 10, 2026.

• ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer. "Mckinnon Family Foundation - Organization 357079265." https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/357079265. Accessed March 10, 2026.

• Instrumentl. "Mckinnon Family Foundation | New York, NY | 990 Report." https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/mckinnon-family-foundation. Accessed March 10, 2026.

• Grantmakers.io. "McKinnon Family Foundation Profile." https://www.grantmakers.io/profiles/v0/357079265-mckinnon-family-foundation/. Accessed March 10, 2026.

• Candid (Foundation Directory). "Mckinnon Family Foundation." https://fconline.foundationcenter.org/fdo-grantmaker-profile/?key=MCKI071. Accessed March 10, 2026.

• Santa Fe New Mexican. "New Mexico couple give Santa Fe Institute $2.5M to expand ed programs." https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/education/new-mexico-couple-give-santa-fe-institute-2-5m-to-expand-ed-programs/article_ba6d400c-7377-5afe-8722-f3674d4db1e1.html. Accessed March 10, 2026.

• University of New Mexico Newsroom. "Sonnet and Ian McKinnon Give $7.5 Million to UNM's Anderson School and Lobo Athletics Programs." https://news.unm.edu/news/sonnet-and-ian-mckinnon-give-7-5-million-to-unm-e2-80-99s-anderson-school-and-lobo-athletics-programs. Accessed March 10, 2026.

• Santa Fe Institute. "Ian and Sonnet McKinnon - Donors." https://www.santafe.edu/engage/support/donors/ian-and-sonnet-mckinnon. Accessed March 10, 2026.

• Albuquerque Academy. "Donor Recognition 2025." https://www.aa.edu/advancement/donor-recognition-2025/. Accessed March 10, 2026.

• IRS Form 990-PF filings for McKinnon Family Foundation (EIN 35-7079265), tax years 2021-2023, available through ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer and GuideStar.