Marisa Martini Private Foundation
At a glance
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 makes its grants by invitation only, so a cold application is unlikely to be considered, and the filings give no application steps to follow.
- Build a relationship with the foundation before making any request.
- Most of its grants are modest: about 8 in 10 of its 51 grants to organisations fall between $2,000 and $100,000, and half were $10,000 or less, so a request around $10,000 fits its usual pattern, though its largest grant was $200,000, so that band is not a ceiling.
- Repeat support is significant, since 59% of its grant dollars to organisations went to groups it had also funded in the earlier filing, which suggests existing recipients are a main source of its giving.
- The foundation states no geographic focus; the filing shows grants mainly in New Jersey, California, Virginia, Tennessee and Florida, which describes past giving rather than a rule about who may apply.
Overview
Marisa Martini Private Foundation is a US private foundation based in Whippany, NJ.
What they fund
Profile based on the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2023, TY2022) only: no website or other web source for the foundation was found. Every statement is checked against the filings. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
Its recorded grants went to educational institutions, churches and charitable organisations working in health, disability, child and family support, and veterans’ services. The filings describe every grant purpose as general purpose; they do not state a specific funding field or eligibility criteria. The awards are made to charitable organisations selected in advance, rather than through unsolicited requests. The recipient locations span several states, with the largest shares of recorded grant dollars going to New Jersey, California and Virginia. Its grants reach several different kinds of charitable recipient.
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in New Jersey, California, Virginia, Tennessee and Florida.
How to apply
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests; the filings give no application steps for organisations to follow.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2023 filing, 59% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022 and TY2023 filings, half of its 51 grants to organisations were $10,000 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2023.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 5%
- The largest single recipient received 21% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2023, 59% of grant dollars went to organisations Marisa Martini Private Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 30 grants in tax year 2023 by size
Median $10,000 (tax year 2023)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Saint Peter's Prep · General purpose$110,0002023 tax year
- Hawassa Hope · General purpose$100,0002023 tax year
- Braille Institute of America · General purpose$100,0002023 tax year
- Novick Cardiac Alliance · General purpose$75,0002023 tax year
- Babies Heart Fund · General purpose$50,0002023 tax year
- UHMLA · General purpose$50,0002023 tax year
- Friends of Guatemalan Children · General purpose$50,0002023 tax year
- Empower Her Network · General purpose$25,0002023 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Elizabeth Dragalin — Director
- James Damiano MD — Director
- Linda Gelson — President
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
2 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $835,821 | $680,277 | $23,211,573 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $907,194 | $789,650 | $24,209,196 | Filing for 2023 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.
Sources
Registers and filings
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At a glance
Applying to Marisa Martini Private Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Whippany, NJ
Applying to Marisa Martini Private Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Whippany, NJ