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Marcus Foundation Inc

Annual Giving
$222.7M
Grant Range
$10K - $255.0M

Marcus Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $222.7 million (2023)
  • Total Giving Since 1989: Over $2.7 billion
  • Total Grants Made: 3,500+
  • Application Method: Invitation only
  • Geographic Focus: National (with emphasis on Georgia and Florida)
  • Foundation Type: Private foundation (501(c)(3))

Contact Details

Address: Atlanta, GA
EIN: 58-1815651
Website: www.marcusfoundation.org
Tax-Exempt Since: February 1989

Note: The foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals or provide contact information for general grant inquiries.

Overview

Founded in 1989 by Bernie Marcus (1929-2024), co-founder of The Home Depot, and his wife Billi, the Marcus Foundation has distributed over $2.7 billion through more than 3,500 grants. In 2023 alone, the foundation awarded $222.7 million in charitable disbursements. The foundation operates on an entrepreneurial philanthropy model, reflecting Marcus's business philosophy: "Charity is no different from business. There's a bottom line to it." Rather than passive grant-making, the foundation identifies societal challenges, designs innovative solutions, and provides resources for implementation with strong emphasis on metrics, accountability, and measurable impact. The foundation is led by President Jay Kaiman and continues its mission following Bernie Marcus's passing in November 2024. Marcus was a signatory to the Giving Pledge and became recognized as one of America's largest veteran philanthropists, having donated over $250 million to veteran causes.

Funding Priorities

Five Strategic Focus Areas

1. Medical Research and Healthcare The foundation invests in biomedical research across five key domains:

  • Human stem cell research and regenerative medicine
  • Cancer detection and precision treatment
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnosis and treatment
  • Integrative medicine clinical research
  • Cardiovascular disease and stroke precision medicine

Bernie Marcus stated: "I have been blessed to be part of a wonderful journey into the medical world."

2. Jewish Causes Supporting Jewish continuity, survival, and flourishing while promoting Israel's democracy. Initiatives focus on:

  • Combating antisemitism on college campuses
  • Building pride among Jewish youth
  • Supporting Israeli institutions and causes

3. Free Enterprise, National Security, and Veterans

  • Promoting job creation through entrepreneurial initiatives
  • Supporting post-9/11 veterans' physical and mental health recovery
  • National security initiatives

4. Children and Youth Development Programs emphasizing:

  • Civics education
  • Skilled trades exposure
  • Educational success for underserved and special-needs populations

5. Community Support

  • Primarily focused on Georgia and Florida
  • Supporting sustainable, mission-driven local organizations
  • "Entrepreneurial giving" that creates lasting community impact

Major Grant Examples

$255 Million - Georgia Aquarium (2005), creating the largest aquarium in North America, which has drawn 43+ million visitors and stimulated "$6.9 billion in new investment" in downtown Atlanta

$250 Million+ - Total giving to veteran organizations (cumulative through 2024)

Major Multi-Year Commitment - Marcus Stroke Center at Grady Health System (since 2010), including "the single largest philanthropic award for research made for fatal stroke intervention" in 2024

Founding Support - Marcus Autism Center (founded 1991), now treating 5,500+ children annually as one of three National Institutes of Health Autism Centers of Excellence

Founding Support - RootOne (established 2020), providing Jewish teen trips to Israel for 15,000 participants across 48 states

Major Support - Marcus Nanotechnology Research Center at Georgia Tech

Major Support - Avalon Action Alliance for veteran support addressing TBI, PTSD, and substance abuse

Major Support - Mission Roll Call veterans advocacy group (established 2023)

Major Support - Magen David Adom National Blood Center in Israel

Governance and Leadership

President: Jay Kaiman (compensation: $549,008 in 2023)

Key Staff:

  • Medical Director (compensation: $807,094 in 2023)
  • Vice President: Renay Blumenthal (compensation: $407,362 in 2023)

Board Members (receiving no compensation):

  • Chairman: Bernard Marcus (deceased November 4, 2024)
  • Director: Ken Langone (Home Depot co-founder)

The foundation operates with an entrepreneurial, metrics-driven approach to philanthropy, reflecting Bernie Marcus's business background and personal values shaped by the Jewish principle of Tzedakah (giving back to those less fortunate).

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process.

The Marcus Foundation explicitly states: "The Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals; grants are awarded by invitation only."

All grants are made at the discretion of the foundation's leadership and board. The foundation proactively identifies organizations and initiatives that align with its five strategic focus areas rather than responding to incoming applications.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - grants are made through trustee discretion and direct invitation rather than through a formal application review process.

Success Rates

Not applicable for public applications, as no unsolicited proposals are accepted.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - no public application process exists.

Application Success Factors

For Organizations Seeking Marcus Foundation Support

Since the Marcus Foundation operates by invitation only, the traditional application success factors do not apply. However, based on their documented funding patterns and philosophy, organizations that attract Marcus Foundation support typically demonstrate:

Alignment with Strategic Priorities: The foundation has clearly defined focus areas (medical research, Jewish causes, veterans, children/youth development, and community support in GA/FL). Funded organizations directly address challenges in these specific domains.

Entrepreneurial Problem-Solving: The foundation values innovative solutions to societal problems. As stated in their materials, they don't engage in passive grant-making but rather "identify societal challenges, design innovative solutions, and provide resources to implement them."

Measurable Impact: The foundation emphasizes "metrics and accountability" and "impact measurement." Organizations funded by Marcus demonstrate quantifiable outcomes. For example, the Marcus Stroke Center at Grady conducts "over 3,000 procedures annually" and has "set new international standards in stroke care, greatly reducing disability and death rates."

Transformational Scale: Marcus Foundation grants tend to be significant and transformational rather than small, incremental support. Examples include the $255 million Georgia Aquarium gift and multi-year commitments to research centers.

Georgia/Florida Connection: While the foundation makes national grants, community support is "primarily focused on Georgia and Florida," suggesting geographic proximity may increase likelihood of support for community-oriented projects.

Partnership with Premier Institutions: Many Marcus Foundation grants support partnerships with leading universities, medical centers, and established organizations (e.g., Emory University, Grady Health System, Georgia Tech, NIH Centers of Excellence).

Bernie Marcus's Personal Philosophy: The foundation reflects Marcus's belief that "the more you give, the more you get" and his hands-on, entrepreneurial approach. Funded initiatives often involve foundation leadership in strategic planning and implementation, not just financial support.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No public application process exists - The Marcus Foundation operates exclusively by invitation, identifying and approaching organizations that align with their strategic priorities rather than accepting proposals.

  • Focus on the five strategic areas - Medical research/healthcare, Jewish causes, veterans/national security/free enterprise, children/youth development, and community support (GA/FL) are the only funding areas.

  • Think transformational, not incremental - Marcus Foundation grants tend to be large-scale, multi-year commitments that fundamentally transform organizations or create new institutions (e.g., $255M for Georgia Aquarium, founding major research centers).

  • Demonstrate measurable outcomes - The foundation's business-like approach demands clear metrics and accountability; funded organizations show quantifiable impact (e.g., "3,000 procedures annually," "15,000 participants").

  • Geographic advantage for GA/FL community organizations - While the foundation makes national grants in specific areas, community support is concentrated in Georgia and Florida, where the founders built their legacy.

  • Partnership and prestige matter - Many funded initiatives involve collaborations with premier institutions (Georgia Tech, Emory, NIH Centers of Excellence), suggesting the foundation values established credibility and institutional partnerships.

  • Entrepreneurial solutions attract support - The foundation seeks innovative approaches to societal problems, not maintenance of existing programs; they want to "design innovative solutions" and create lasting change.

References

Key Quotes:

  • Bernie Marcus: "Charity is no different from business. There's a bottom line to it."
  • Bernie Marcus: "the more you give, the more you get"
  • Bernie Marcus: "I have been blessed to be part of a wonderful journey into the medical world."
  • Grady stroke patient: "Grady saved my life. I would not be here if I had been taken anywhere else."
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