The Palomaki Foundation

Welcome to the website for The Palomaki Foundation, a private foundation established to accomplish the philanthropic interests of John M. Palomaki and his family.

Our Mission

Our mission is to support organizations and communities in their efforts to educate, innovate, and be sustainable – to thrive economically, socially, and environmentally.

Our geographic focus is in the New Jersey area (where founder John M. Palomaki currently resides), in the Rochester, New York, area (where his parents and siblings live), and the Spencer and Van Etten, New York, area in NY State’s southern tier (where he went to high school).

Foundation Profile

John M. Palomaki managed Executive Relations programs (Executive Briefing Center, Global Executive Roundtables) at Microsoft Corporation for several years. He graduated from Colgate University with a B.A. in Natural Sciences, and taught high school biology, chemistry, and earth science before moving on to his more recent endeavors.

John joined with other leaders in the Spencer-Van Etten community to start the Youth and Community Foundation of Spencer-Van Etten (now renamed Inspire! after a merger with the Community Services Corporation) (www.inspiresve.org), a public charity he helped found that helps the people of that community LEARN, DREAM, and CREATE by promoting enthusiasm for learning, encouraging high aspirations, and supporting innovation, creativity, and vitality in the youth and community. YCF was founded in January 2001. John served as President of the Board of Directors from its founding to 2008.

John also started Greener Bloomfield, a volunteer group tasked to develop sustainability and green building guidelines for the Bloomfield Center Redevelopment project. After successful adoption of those guidelines throughout, the redevelopment plan was selected for a New Jersey Future Smart Growth Award for Downtown Redevelopment. Greener Bloomfield expanded to become a grassroots organization that promotes sustainability in the community. John led the group to plan and complete the projects that resulted in Bloomfield becoming one of the first 34 communities to achieve Sustainable Jersey Certification.

Currently, John works as Technology Director and Associate Director of Development for Montclair Cooperative School, an independent, progressive, cooperative school in Montclair, New Jersey. He also is Vice Chair of the Bloomfield Open Space Trust Fund Committee.