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John and Mary R. Markle Foundation

Annual Giving
$1.1M

John and Mary R. Markle Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $1,147,500 (2023)
  • Total Assets: $127,459,995 (2023)
  • Number of Grants: 22 awards (2023)
  • Geographic Focus: National (United States)
  • Application Process: No public application process - invitation only

Contact Details

Address: 1270 Avenue of the Americas, Floor 12, New York, NY 10020

Email: info@markle.org

Website: www.markle.org

EIN: 13-1770307

Overview

Established in 1927 by American industrialist and financier John Markle and his wife Mary, the Markle Foundation began with an initial endowment of $3 million that eventually grew to over $17 million from John Markle. The foundation currently manages assets exceeding $127 million as of 2023. For nearly a century, Markle has evolved its mission to address critical national challenges. From 1927 to 1969, it focused on traditional social welfare programs and medical research, notably funding the Markle Scholars-in-Medicine Program that provided more than $16 million in grants to 506 practitioners from 91 medical schools. Since 1969, the foundation has concentrated on harnessing information and communication technologies to address public needs in workforce development, health, and national security. Today, the foundation's primary focus is advancing solutions toward a skills-based labor market that enables Americans to transition to opportunities in the digital economy through its flagship Rework America initiative.

Funding Priorities

Current Focus Areas

The Markle Foundation concentrates its work on four interconnected priority areas:

  • Workforce Development: Advancing a skills-based labor market and helping Americans transition to the digital economy through the Rework America initiative
  • Technology: Realizing the potential of information and communication technologies to address public challenges
  • Health: Using technology-driven solutions to improve healthcare access and outcomes
  • National Security: Leveraging technology and innovation to strengthen national security

Major Initiatives

Rework America: Launched in 2020, this national collaboration brings together 40+ organizations including nonprofits, private sector employers, labor unions, civil rights groups, and community-based organizations. The initiative focuses on helping millions of workers, particularly Black and Latine workers in low-wage jobs, advance into quality careers through skills-based hiring practices.

Skillful: Developed in partnership with Microsoft ($25.8 million donation in 2017) and other funders, Skillful works with state governments, local employers, educators, and workforce development organizations to implement skills-based training and employment practices.

Grant Recipients

The foundation made 22 grants totaling $1,147,500 in 2023 and 24 grants in 2022. While specific recipient organizations are not publicly listed in readily available sources, the foundation's grants support organizations working on workforce development, technology innovation, healthcare access, and related initiatives aligned with their strategic priorities.

What They Don't Fund

The Markle Foundation does not accept unsolicited grant applications and does not fund projects outside of its core focus areas of workforce development, technology, health, and national security.

Governance and Leadership

Board Leadership

Board Chair: Suzanne Nora Johnson, who also serves as Chair of the Intuit, Inc. Board of Directors. Johnson brings extensive leadership and global experience, particularly in healthcare and technology sectors. She has stated: "As we move forward, consistent with Markle's strong legacy, the Board is committed to providing leadership on an issue of critical national significance."

Interim President: Ellen V. Futter, former President of the American Museum of Natural History and Barnard College, assumed the role of Interim President in February 2024 to ensure a smooth leadership transition.

Leadership Team

  • Chief Finance and Administrative Officer: Sharon Butler
  • Chief Communications and Strategy Officer: Jana Mila Juginovic

Recent Leadership Changes

Beth Cobert served as President for seven years before departing in February 2024. Board Chair Suzanne Nora Johnson thanked her, stating: "On behalf of the Markle Board, I want to thank Beth for her enormous contributions and dedicated years of service to the Markle Foundation." The Board initiated a search for a permanent President.

Historical Leadership

  • Zoë Baird (1998-2017): Led the foundation for nearly two decades, driving transformative collaborations for economic security, health, and national security
  • Lloyd Morrisett (1969-1998): Oversaw the foundation's strategic shift toward mass communications and technology

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Markle Foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation does not accept unsolicited grant applications. Instead, Markle operates through a collaborative, invitation-based model where they convene multi-sector groups of leaders and innovators from technology, government, public interest organizations, and business sectors.

The foundation's strategy is to bring issues to light, convene key stakeholders, explore solutions, and establish strategies to achieve impact at scale. They actively seek out partners who can make valuable contributions toward achieving their strategic goals, rather than reviewing open applications from organizations.

Getting on Their Radar

The Markle Foundation identifies partners through their multi-sector convening approach. Based on their documented practices:

  • Alliance Participation: The foundation has built the Rework America Alliance by bringing together diverse organizations across sectors. Becoming active in workforce development, skills-based hiring, or related policy areas may lead to visibility with Markle's network.

  • Sector Leadership: Markle convenes experts and leaders through workshops and collaborative initiatives. Organizations demonstrating thought leadership or innovative practices in the foundation's focus areas (workforce development, technology for public benefit, health, national security) may attract attention.

  • Strategic Partnerships: The foundation has established partnerships with major entities like Microsoft, PBS, Jobs for the Future, and Grads of Life. Organizations working within these existing networks or addressing similar challenges may be considered for collaboration.

  • Multi-Sector Collaboration: Markle values partners who can contribute to cross-sector solutions, bringing together perspectives from technology, government, nonprofits, business, labor, and community organizations.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - grants are made through invitation and strategic partnerships rather than a formal application and review process.

Application Success Factors

Since Markle does not accept unsolicited applications, "success" in securing partnership with the foundation depends on strategic alignment and collaborative potential rather than application quality. Key factors include:

Strategic Alignment: Organizations working directly on skills-based labor market transformation, workforce development for the digital economy, technology-driven solutions for health or national security, or related policy innovations are most likely to align with Markle's current priorities.

Multi-Sector Approach: Markle explicitly values partners who can "make valuable contributions toward achieving common goals" across sectors. Organizations that bridge technology, government, business, education, or community sectors demonstrate the collaborative capacity Markle seeks.

Scale and Impact Potential: The foundation focuses on achieving "impact at scale" - demonstrated through initiatives like the Rework America Alliance serving "millions of workers." Organizations with proven models ready for scaling or platforms that can drive systemic change align with this approach.

Innovation in Workforce Development: Given Markle's current priority on "advancing solutions towards a skills-based labor market," organizations pioneering skills-based hiring practices, alternative credentialing, or pathways for workers without traditional degrees are particularly relevant.

Technology for Public Benefit: The foundation's long-standing mission involves "realizing the potential of information and communication technologies to address previously intractable public problems." Organizations applying technology in novel ways to workforce, health, or security challenges fit this framework.

Focus on Equity: The Rework America Alliance specifically emphasizes helping "Black and Latine workers" and "people in low-wage jobs" advance into quality careers, indicating that equity-focused workforce development approaches are valued.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No unsolicited applications accepted - The Markle Foundation operates exclusively through invited partnerships and strategic collaborations, not traditional grant applications
  • Relationship-based model - Focus on building visibility through sector leadership, innovative practices, and participation in workforce development or technology policy networks rather than crafting applications
  • Current priority is workforce development - The foundation's primary focus since 2017 has been skills-based labor markets and helping Americans transition to the digital economy through initiatives like Rework America and Skillful
  • Multi-sector collaboration is essential - Markle convenes diverse stakeholders across technology, government, business, labor, and community organizations; demonstrated ability to work across sectors is critical
  • Scale matters - The foundation seeks partners who can achieve "impact at scale" affecting millions of Americans, not small-scale or localized programs
  • Equity-focused approaches valued - Recent initiatives emphasize supporting Black and Latine workers and those in low-wage jobs advancing into quality careers
  • Strategic versus responsive funding - With only 22 grants totaling $1.15M in 2023 from $127M in assets, Markle appears to make strategic, targeted investments aligned with major initiatives rather than responsive grantmaking

References

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