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Marsal Family Foundation

Annual Giving
$6.6M
Grant Range
$3K - $5.2M
00

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $6,577,350 (2024)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed (invitation/preselected organizations only)
  • Decision Time: Not applicable (no public application process)
  • Grant Range: $2,500 - $5,155,000
  • Grant Median: $2,500
  • Geographic Focus: National (primarily New York, Michigan, Texas, Florida)

Contact Details

Address: c/o Alvarez & Marsal Inc., 600 Madison Avenue, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10022

EIN: 84-1367157

Note: The foundation does not have a public website or application portal.

Overview

The Marsal Family Foundation was established in April 1997 as a private grantmaking foundation in New York. As of 2024, the foundation holds approximately $8.5 million in total assets and distributes over $6.5 million annually in charitable contributions. The foundation is led by Bryan Marsal, co-founder and Co-Chief Executive Officer of Alvarez & Marsal, a global consulting firm, and his wife Kathleen Marsal, a former Citibank vice president and University of Michigan School of Education alumna. The foundation's strategic approach focuses predominantly on education, with particular emphasis on teacher preparation and educational equity, alongside support for adoption services and humanitarian aid organizations. The foundation operates by making contributions exclusively to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited funding requests. In 2024, the foundation made 59 grants ranging from small contributions of $2,500 to transformational gifts exceeding $5 million.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not operate formal grant programs with set parameters. Instead, grants are awarded at the discretion of the foundation's directors to preselected organizations.

Recent Major Grants (2024):

  • University of Michigan: $5,155,000 (Education)
  • Gladney Fund: $650,000 (Adoption services/Financial support)
  • Have Faith Haiti Mission: $200,000 (Humanitarian aid/Financial support)

Grant Distribution: The foundation made 59 grants in 2024, with a median grant size of $2,500, though the range extends from small contributions to multi-million dollar transformational gifts.

Priority Areas

Primary Focus:

  • Education: Teacher preparation, educational equity, and educational institutions (especially University of Michigan)
  • Adoption and Child Welfare: Support for adoption services and organizations serving children
  • Human Services: Financial support for humanitarian missions and social service organizations

Geographic Areas: While based in New York, the foundation supports organizations across multiple states, including Michigan, Texas, and Florida, as well as international humanitarian efforts.

What They Don't Fund

The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests and only funds preselected charitable organizations. They do not have publicly stated exclusions, as they do not operate a public application process.

Governance and Leadership

Directors:

  • Bryan Marsal - Director/President: Co-founder and Co-Chief Executive Officer of Alvarez & Marsal, one of the world's leading global consulting firms. He notably served as Lehman Brothers' CEO during the largest bankruptcy in history (2008-2011). He is a University of Michigan alumnus.
  • Kathleen Marsal - Director/Vice President: Former vice president and director of taxes at Citibank, University of Michigan School of Education alumna (1972), and has served on the school's Dean's Advisory Council for over a decade.
  • Antonio Alvarez - Director: Co-founder of Alvarez & Marsal alongside Bryan Marsal.

All directors serve without compensation.

On Education and Teachers: Kathleen Marsal has stated: "Education is the most important investment we can make, yet we see a disconnect between what our society expects from education and the respect afforded education professionals. The survival of society relies on well-prepared educators." She added, "The key to having success in life is to have an education and you access quality education by having strong teachers."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Marsal Family Foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations identified by the directors and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

Grants are awarded at the discretion of the foundation's board of directors based on their philanthropic priorities and personal connections to causes and organizations.

Getting on Their Radar

University of Michigan Connection: The foundation has a strong, documented commitment to the University of Michigan, particularly the School of Education (now named the Marsal Family School of Education following more than $55 million in total family commitments). Organizations with connections to University of Michigan programs or alumni may have better positioning.

Education Sector Focus: Given Kathleen Marsal's decade-plus service on the U-M School of Education Dean's Advisory Council and the family's public statements about teacher preparation and educational equity, organizations working in these specific areas may align with the foundation's documented interests.

Alvarez & Marsal Corporate Connections: The foundation is administratively housed at Alvarez & Marsal. Organizations with connections to the firm's leadership or corporate social responsibility initiatives may have visibility.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - grants are made by director discretion rather than through scheduled review cycles.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - organizations cannot submit applications.

Application Success Factors

Since the foundation does not accept applications, the traditional application success factors do not apply. However, understanding the foundation's documented priorities provides insight into their grantmaking philosophy:

Education Quality and Teacher Preparation: The foundation's most significant giving has focused on teacher preparation and educational equity. Kathleen Marsal has emphasized that "Building understanding across differences begins with educators" and "Providing a high-quality education for all children—which is crucial for achieving equity—begins with educators."

Organizations Serving Children: Beyond education, the foundation supports organizations focused on children's welfare, including adoption services (Gladney Fund) and humanitarian missions serving children (Have Faith Haiti Mission).

Geographic Diversity: While based in New York, the foundation supports organizations across multiple states and internationally, suggesting they are not limited to local giving.

Range of Grant Sizes: The foundation makes both small ($2,500) and transformational ($5+ million) grants, indicating they support organizations at different scales.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No public application process: The Marsal Family Foundation exclusively funds preselected organizations and explicitly does not accept unsolicited requests
  • Education is the dominant priority: Particularly teacher preparation, educational equity, and supporting diverse educators, with the University of Michigan as the primary beneficiary
  • Personal connections matter: Grants reflect the directors' personal philanthropic interests and professional networks, particularly through Alvarez & Marsal and University of Michigan connections
  • Wide grant range: The foundation makes grants from $2,500 to over $5 million, showing flexibility in supporting organizations of different sizes
  • Child welfare focus: Beyond education, the foundation supports adoption services and humanitarian organizations serving impoverished children
  • Director discretion: All grantmaking decisions are made by the three-member board without a formal application or review process
  • Invitation-only: Organizations must be identified and selected by the foundation's leadership rather than through proactive outreach

References

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