J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: $46,196,774 (2023)
Total Assets: $424,367,703
Grant Range: $5,000 - $20,000,000 (most grants $10,000 - $100,000)
Geographic Focus: Washington, D.C. region
Application Method: Invitation only
Decision Deadlines: March 1 and September 1 (for invited applicants)

Contact Details

Website: https://www.jwasmarriottfoundation.org/

Grantee Portal: marriottfoundation.fluxx.io

Location: 10400 Fernwood Road, Bethesda, MD 20817

Note: The foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals. Organizations may email general inquiries, but formal proposals are only accepted by invitation.

Overview

Founded in 1966 by the late Alice and J. Willard Marriott (founders of Marriott Corporation, which became Marriott International in 1993), the J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation is one of the most substantial private foundations in the Washington, D.C. area. With total assets exceeding $424 million and annual grantmaking of over $46 million, the foundation ranks in the top 1% of nonprofits nationally. The foundation is dedicated to "fostering equitable, sustainable, and thriving communities by partnering with extraordinary nonprofit organizations to solve today's most pressing challenges, address root causes, and seek transformational change." The foundation's grantmaking is guided by a board of Marriott family members and a small professional staff who work to steward the principles and values of the founders. The foundation's core geographic focus remains the Washington, D.C. region, where it pursues and invests in solutions to strengthen the vitality and vibrancy of the community.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation operates four main funding programs:

1. Community Stewardship

Range: Varies widely, typically $10,000 - $1,000,000+
Focus: Programs and organizations that support the Washington, D.C. region, addressing challenges in food security, housing, education, and mental health
Example grants:
- $5 million (5-year grant) to Unity Health Care and Capital Area Food Bank for an innovative food pharmacy program
- $2.3 million (2-year grant) to Unity Health Care for mental health fellowship program

2. Medical Research

Range: $100,000 - $3,000,000+ for major initiatives
Focus: Finding cures and improving treatment options for diseases and disorders of importance to the Marriott family, with emphasis on multi-disciplinary and cross-institutional collaboration
Example grants:
- $3 million endowment to establish the Marriott Endowed Chair in Child, Adolescent, and Family Mental Health at Georgetown University
- Support for early childhood mental health through the Early Childhood Innovation Network (ECIN): $6 million initial grant plus $7 million in additional grants

3. Education

Range: $10,000 - $20,000,000
Focus: Early childhood development, quality teachers and leaders, quality K-12 academics, college and career readiness, and closing the achievement gap in math and reading
Geographic limitation: Only makes grants in the Washington, D.C. area
Example grant: $20 million endowment to Howard University to establish the Marriott-Sorenson Center for Hospitality Leadership

4. Hospitality

Range: $50,000 - $500,000+
Focus: University-level hospitality programs in the U.S. and globally; introduces middle and high school students to the world of hospitality
Example grants:
- $400,000 to CityWorks DC for Hire Local DC Hospitality Sector Partnership
- Multi-year curriculum grants to DECA chapters for the VBC-DECA Hotel Challenge
- Workforce apprenticeship fund at NYU SPS Jonathan M. Tisch Center for Hospitality

Priority Areas

Community Stewardship priorities:

Food security and nutrition programs
Affordable housing initiatives
Educational access and equity
Mental health services, particularly for children, adolescents, and families

Medical Research priorities:

Child and family mental health
Early childhood development and health
Multi-disciplinary research collaborations
Translational research that improves patient experience

Education priorities:

Early childhood education programs
Teacher quality and leadership development
K-12 academic excellence, particularly in math and reading
College and career readiness programs
Programs that close achievement gaps

Hospitality priorities:

University hospitality management programs
Workforce development in the hospitality sector
Youth introduction to hospitality careers
Apprenticeship and training programs

What They Don't Fund

While the foundation does not publish explicit exclusions, their invitation-only model and focus areas suggest they do not fund:

Organizations outside the Washington, D.C. region (except for hospitality education programs)
General operating support for organizations not already in their portfolio
Individual scholarships (except through their specific DECA travel scholarship program)
Political or advocacy organizations
Religious organizations for sectarian purposes

Governance and Leadership

The foundation is governed by a board of Marriott family members:

Richard Marriott - Chairman of the J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation; also serves as Chairman of the Board of Host Hotels & Resorts

J.W. "Bill" Marriott, Jr. - Trustee; Chairman Emeritus of Marriott International, Inc.; served as Executive Chairman and Chairman of the Board before retiring in May 2022

The foundation operates with a small professional staff who manage day-to-day operations and work with the board to identify and support grantees aligned with the family's philanthropic vision.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals. The foundation operates on an invitation-only basis, making contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.

Organizations may email general inquiries to explore potential fit, but formal grant applications are only accepted when the foundation has issued a specific invitation to apply.

For invited applicants, the foundation uses the Fluxx grantmaking portal (marriottfoundation.fluxx.io) to manage applications.

Getting on Their Radar

The foundation identifies potential grantees through:

Family and Board Networks: Board members, particularly Richard Marriott and Bill Marriott Jr., identify organizations through their professional networks and community involvement in the hospitality industry and Washington, D.C. region

Strategic Initiative Development: The foundation develops strategic initiatives in specific areas (such as the Early Childhood Innovation Network or hospitality workforce development) and then identifies leading organizations in those spaces to partner with

Long-term Relationship Building: Many grantees receive multiple grants over many years, suggesting the foundation values sustained partnerships. For example, Unity Health Care has received multiple grants totaling millions of dollars for different programs

Sector Leadership: Organizations that are recognized leaders in their fields within the Washington, D.C. region appear more likely to be considered, such as Georgetown University for mental health, Howard University for hospitality education, and Capital Area Food Bank for food security

Connection to Marriott Family Interests: The $20 million gift to Howard University was specifically made "in honor of Arne Sorenson, the late president and CEO of Marriott International," indicating that personal connections to the Marriott business legacy can influence grantmaking

Decision Timeline

For invited applicants:

Application deadlines: March 1 and September 1 (two annual cycles)
Decision timeframe: Not publicly disclosed, but likely 2-4 months after deadline based on typical foundation practices
Notification method: Not publicly disclosed

The foundation's significant grant sizes and strategic approach suggest a thorough review process that includes board consideration.

Success Rates

Success rate data is not publicly available. However, given the invitation-only model, organizations that are invited to apply likely have a higher-than-average success rate compared to open application processes.

Reapplication Policy

Not publicly disclosed. However, the foundation's track record of multi-year support and multiple grants to the same organizations (such as Unity Health Care and Georgetown University) suggests that successful grantees can receive additional funding for new initiatives or continued support.

Application Success Factors

Since the foundation operates on an invitation-only basis, the following factors appear to influence which organizations are invited and funded:

1. Geographic Alignment: With very few exceptions (primarily hospitality education programs), the foundation focuses exclusively on the Washington, D.C. region. Organizations must demonstrate deep roots and impact in this community.

2. Strategic Fit with Foundation Initiatives: The foundation appears to develop strategic focus areas and then identifies leading organizations to partner with. Recent examples include:

Child and family mental health (Georgetown University, Unity Health Care)
Food security combined with health care (Unity Health Care and Capital Area Food Bank partnership)
Hospitality workforce development (Howard University, CityWorks DC, NYU)
Early childhood development (Early Childhood Innovation Network)

3. Scale and Leadership Position: Grant recipients tend to be major, established organizations that are leaders in their fields, such as Georgetown University, Howard University, Capital Area Food Bank, and Unity Health Care.

4. Innovation and Transformation Focus: The foundation's mission explicitly mentions "transformational change" and addressing "root causes." Successful grants appear to support innovative approaches, such as:

The "food pharmacy" model combining health care and food security
Mental health fellowships to build workforce capacity
Endowed chairs to ensure sustained leadership in priority areas

5. Multi-Year Commitment and Sustainability: Many grants are structured as multi-year commitments or endowments, suggesting the foundation values sustainability and long-term impact over short-term projects.

6. Connection to Marriott Family Legacy: The hospitality funding area directly connects to the Marriott business, and the $20 million Howard University gift honored a late Marriott International CEO, indicating that connections to the family's business legacy matter.

7. Collaborative Approaches: The medical research program specifically emphasizes "multi-disciplinary and cross-institutional collaboration," and the Unity Health Care food pharmacy grant involved partnership with Capital Area Food Bank.

8. Measurable Impact Potential: Grant amounts ranging into the millions suggest the foundation seeks initiatives with significant, measurable community impact.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

Invitation-only model: You cannot apply directly; focus on building organizational reputation and relationships that might lead to the foundation's attention
D.C. region focus is nearly absolute: Unless you're working in hospitality education at the university level, your organization must serve the Washington, D.C. region to be considered
Think big and transformational: With grants ranging up to $20 million and an average in the $10,000-$100,000 range for smaller grants, the foundation supports significant initiatives that can create lasting change
Long-term partnerships are valued: Multiple grants to the same organizations suggest the foundation prefers sustained relationships over one-time funding
Strategic alignment matters most: The foundation develops strategic priorities (food security + health, child mental health, hospitality workforce) and seeks leading organizations in those spaces
Connect to family legacy where relevant: The hospitality sector and connections to Marriott International's history appear to carry weight in funding decisions
Demonstrate innovation: The foundation explicitly seeks to "address root causes" and create "transformational change," not incremental improvements

References

J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation official website - https://www.jwasmarriottfoundation.org/ (Accessed December 2024)
Inside Philanthropy - J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation profile - https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/find-a-grant/grants-m/j-willard-and-alice-s-marriott-foundation (Accessed December 2024)
The Imprint - J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation funder profile - https://imprintnews.org/funders/j-willard-alice-s-marriott-foundation (Accessed December 2024)
Candid Foundation Directory Online - J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation - https://fconline.foundationcenter.org/fdo-grantmaker-profile?key=MARR001 (Accessed December 2024)
ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation - https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/526068678 (Accessed December 2024)
Cause IQ - J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation - https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/j-willard-and-alice-s-marriott-foundation,526068678/ (Accessed December 2024)
Unity Health Care press release - Unity Health Care and Capital Area Food Bank Awarded $5 Million Grant - https://www.unityhealthcare.org/newsroom/unity-health-care-and-capital-area-food-bank-awarded-5-million-grant-from-the-j-willard-and-alice-s-marriott-foundation-to-launch-innovative-new-food-pharmacy-program (Accessed December 2024)
Howard University President - Howard University Receives $20 Million Gift from the J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation - https://president.howard.edu/from-the-president/viewpoints/howard-university-receives-20-million-gift-from-the-j-willard-and (Accessed December 2024)
Georgetown Today - The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation establishes chair in Child, Adolescent, and Family Mental Health at Georgetown - https://today.advancement.georgetown.edu/giving-news/2022/the-j-willard-and-alice-s-marriott-foundation-establishes-chair-in-child-adolescent-and-family-mental-health-at-georgetown/ (Accessed December 2024)
Philanthropy News Digest - Marriott Foundation awards $2.3 million for mental health fellowships - https://philanthropynewsdigest.org/news/marriott-foundation-awards-2.3-million-for-mental-health-fellowships (Accessed December 2024)
CityWorks DC - CityWorks DC Receives The J. Willard & Alice S. Marriott Foundation Grant to Launch Hire Local DC Hospitality Sector Partnership - https://www.cityworksdc.org/in-the-news/marriott (Accessed December 2024)