The Marcus Foundation

Private foundation · EIN 58-1815651 · since 1989marcusfoundation.org·California, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, New York·Updated 13 October 2026

At a glance

$227M

Annual giving, 2024 tax year

From the Form 990-PF filing

$25,000 to $2.3M

Grant range

From grants in the 990-PF filings

$300k

Typical grant (median)

221 grants in the latest filing

Invitation only

Unsolicited applications are not accepted

This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.

Key takeaways

The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests and takes proposals by invitation only, so do not send a cold application; the route in is a connection that leads to an invitation.
Its stated priority is Georgia and Florida, and its themes include medical research and healthcare, Jewish causes, free enterprise, veteran initiatives, national security, children and youth, and targeted community support, so check that your work fits one of these before you approach it.
About 8 in 10 of its 629 grants to organisations fall between $25,000 and $2,250,000, with a median of $250,000, which makes a request in that typical band a sensible size; its largest grant was about $25,000,000, so the band is not a ceiling.
In the filing, 86% of grant dollars to organisations went to organisations the foundation had also funded in earlier filings, so its giving looks relationship-led and a first approach should aim to build a connection rather than expect an immediate grant.
The filing does not say when invitations are made, so ask for guidance on timing before you invest effort.

Overview

The Marcus Foundation is a US private foundation based in Atlanta, GA.

What they fund

Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.

Priority Areas

The Marcus Foundation describes its philanthropy as entrepreneurial and aimed at saving and changing lives. It supports medical research and healthcare, including biomedical research, and Jewish causes intended to ensure the continuity, survival and flourishing of the Jewish people and promote Israel’s democracy and self-sufficiency. Its free-enterprise work fosters job creation and supports national security and veterans, especially those who served post 9/11. For children and youth, it prioritises those underserved or with special needs, and supports civics education, skilled trades and educational success. Its community support focuses on entrepreneurial giving to start new ideas or address a need, particularly in Georgia, and on sustainable, mission-driven local organisations.

Themes

Medical research and healthcare
Jewish causes
Free enterprise
Veteran initiatives
National security
Children and youth
Targeted community support

Geographic Focus

Priority: Georgia; Florida. From its grants, not stated by the foundation: New York; District of Columbia; California.

How to apply

The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests; proposals are by invitation only.

Application success factors

Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 86% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 629 grants to organisations were $250,000 or less.

What the foundation says:

For health, medical care and research, the foundation invests in unique and entrepreneurial approaches that result in lives impacted and saved by new discoveries.
For children and youth, it focuses especially on those who are underserved or have special needs.
Its community support favours entrepreneurial giving that starts new ideas or provides a solution to a need.

Where grants go

From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.

Grant dollars by state

Georgia40%

New York18%

District of Columbia11%

California5%

Florida4%

Pennsylvania4%

6 other states: 13%

Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 5%

The largest single recipient received 8% of grant dollars to organisations.
In tax year 2024, 86% of grant dollars went to organisations The Marcus Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
4% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.

Grants

221 grants in the latest filing analysed · median $300k

How much do they typically give?

Share of 221 grants in tax year 2024 by size

$1k–$2.5k1%

$2.5k–$5k<1%

$5k–$10k1%

$10k–$25k2%

$25k–$50k6%

$50k–$100k14%

$100k–$250k19%

$250k–$500k15%

$500k–$1M17%

$1M and over24%

Median $300k (tax year 2024)

The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:

Shepherd Center Foundation · To support the exempt purpose of the recipient organization
$17,647,0342024 tax year
Emory University · To support the exempt purpose of the recipient organization
$14,154,7692024 tax year
Avalon Network · To support the exempt purpose of the recipient organization
$13,400,0002024 tax year
Hillel Foundation for Jewish Campus · To support the exempt purpose of the recipient organization
$10,575,0002024 tax year
Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Foundation · To support the exempt purpose of the recipient organization
$9,396,8482024 tax year
Weber School · To support the exempt purpose of the recipient organization
$7,073,5382024 tax year
Boca Raton Regional Hospital Foundation · To support the exempt purpose of the recipient organization
$6,750,0002024 tax year
University Of TX MD Anderson Cancer · To support the exempt purpose of the receipient organization
$6,183,3612024 tax year

Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.

Officers and directors

Tony Gelbart — Director
Tina Price — Director
Renay Blumenthal — Vice President
Frank Blake — Director And Chairman
Michael Morris — Director
Michael Leven — Director
Larry Smith — Director
Jay Kaiman — Director And President
James Grien — Director
Frederick Marcus — Director
Douglas P Dinapoli — Chief Financial Officer
Doug Hertz — Director
Ken Langone — Director

From the latest Form 990-PF filing

3 years of tax filings

Year	Total expenses	Grants paid	Assets	Filing document
2022 tax year	$185,342,833	$169,731,413	$100,467,714	Filing for 2022 tax year
2023 tax year	$223,457,384	$192,051,047	$103,973,296	Filing for 2023 tax year
2024 tax year	$261,620,885	$227,455,181	$366,827,569	Filing for 2024 tax year

Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.