The Maki Foundation, established in 1981, is concerned with environmental protection in the western United States. The Foundation awards grants to organizations and projects where modest support can make a significant contribution. Most awards range from $1,000 to $5,000. Because of its small size, the Foundation rarely funds groups with annual budgets over $1 million.

The Maki Foundation's geographic area of interest includes New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana.

At this time, the Foundation's priorities are as follows:

• wilderness and wildlands protection
• river and wetlands conservation
• biological diversity conservation
• public lands management

The Foundation does not consider requests for the acquisition or construction of community recreation facilities, buildings, municipal parks, reservoirs, and similar projects. Limited resources preclude consideration of funding for wildlife rehabilitation centers, zoos, recycling programs, tree planting projects, toxic waste cleanup, film productions, and fellowships.

Application Procedure 

If you have never received a grant from the Maki Foundation, please send a brief letter of inquiry to makifoundation@gmail.com or the mailing address and we will be in touch:

 Maki Foundation                                                                                                                 PO Box 477                                                                                                         Carbondale, CO 81623

If you have received a grant in the past, you may apply without a preliminary letter of inquiry. If it has been more than 5 years since your last grant application, please email our Grant Director to discuss your current proposal. 

Application Deadline: The Board of Directors meets once a year in mid-summer. To be considered in the current year, proposals must be received by April 26th, 2024. Awards will be announced by September 30th or before.

Grant Application Materials: All grant applications must include:

• Complete Application Form 2024 (1 page, 12 point font, 1 inch margin) 
• Narrative proposal (4 pages or less); see below for narrative content
• Budget of organization, and project budget, including sources and amount of support committed vs. requested
• Current financial statement (no tax returns or 990s)
• List of current board of directors and key staff members, with brief background information for staff only
• Federal tax exemption ruling

Narrative Content: (4 pages or less)

1. Mission and brief history of your organization, including number of years in operation.
2. Description of the project or program for which funds are sought. Please provide information about the following:

• purpose for which the grant will be used
• the project’s goals and objectives, including specific results to be achieved
• plans for evaluating the project
• project timetable

3. If you are applying for a repeat grant, please use half a page of your narrative to tell us what you accomplished to date with the last grant (2023) you received from the Maki Foundation.

Submission: All grant application materials should be sent by email to makifoundation@gmail.com by the yearly deadline. You will receive an email confirmation that the application has been received.

Please submit your application as TWO PDF files, as follows:

1. The first PDF should contain the application form and your narrative. This PDF should be titled with the initials of your organization’s name, the word “Narrative,” and the application year (example: MF_Narrative_2024.pdf)
2. The second PDF should contain all your attachments (all the materials other than the application form and the narrative). This PDF should be titled with the initials of your organization’s name, the word “Attachments,” and the application year (example: MF_Attachments_2024.pdf).

*Please note that if you need an affordable version of Adobe Acrobat to make the requested PDF files, please register with Techsoup.org as they provide eligible non-profits with discounted Adobe software.

If you need more information, please write to Anais Tomezsko at the above address or email makifoundation@gmail.com .