Maher Charitable Foundation
Maher Charitable Foundation is a private family foundation based in Florham Park, New Jersey. Founded in 2011, the foundation invests in New Jersey communities to enhance educational access, advocate for systemic change, and support early childhood development. The foundation operates with a mission centered on understanding community needs, making connections, and supporting action to address social and economic inequity.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$17.0M
-4.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.0M
+20.1% YoY
Grant Count
14
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$145K
+20.1% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission Statement: Maher Charitable Foundation seeks to help communities overcome social and economic inequity in New Jersey by working to expand access to educational opportunities for children and their families and investing in the communities where they live. The foundation provides resources and tools for children, families, and communities in New Jersey to flourish.
Primary Focus Areas:
- Early childhood education and Pre-K access
- Educational policy and advocacy
- Civic learning and engagement
- Educational facilities and infrastructure
- Systemic change advocacy at state and national levels
The foundation recognizes the need for change in systems that hold children and families back, making advocacy at the state and national levels central to its work.
Grantmaking
The foundation operates two primary programs:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds in New Jersey, with some activity in New York and Massachusetts. The foundation has collaborated closely with early learning providers in Northern New Jersey to construct state-of-the-art additions or new structures in three communities to serve children from low-income families.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (2024):
- Total assets: $17,010,222
- Total revenues: $2,629,745
- Total expenses: $2,922,755
- Number of employees: 0
Organization Type: 501(c)(3) private foundation (NTEE code T22: Private Independent Foundations)
EIN: 27-1447747
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $17,010,222 | $17,744,886 | $17,870,862 |
| Revenue | $2,629,745 | $2,886,260 | $597,135 |
| Expenses | $2,922,755 | $2,897,688 | $2,478,676 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $2,470,184 | $2,449,230 | $4,055,421 |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | $23,746 | $30,756 | $54,596 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
72 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Brian Maher – Founder and Chairman A businessman and philanthropist, Brian Maher is the founder and chairman of Maher Charitable Foundation. He was formerly the chief executive officer of Maher Terminals LLC, a container terminal in the Port of New York and New Jersey. When the company sold in 2007, Brian and his family explored philanthropic options and chose to focus on education policy and facilities.
Amanda Maher – President Brian's daughter, Amanda Maher, serves as foundation president. In 2022, Brian and Amanda expanded the foundation's focus to include civic learning and engagement.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| M Brian Maher | Chairman Treasurer Director | 1 | — |
| Sandra Maher | Vice Chairman & Director | 1 | — |
| Amanda Maher | President & Director | 5 | — |
| Scott Schley | GC Secretary & Director | 1 | — |
| Margarethe P Laurenzi | Executive Director | 40 | $260,000 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
**Pre-K Our Way Initiative:**
In 2015, Maher Charitable Foundation launched the nonprofit Pre-K Our Way. The organization engaged multiple stakeholders in a successful initiative that persuaded state leaders to fund the expansion of the existing state-funded Pre-K program beyond the 35 high-need districts it already served to more than 175 districts by the end of 2022. This effort addressed the foundation's recognition that nearly 50,000 children in New Jersey lacked access to high-quality Pre-K programming.
15 And The Mahomies Foundation Awards $250,000 In New Grants To 15 Charities**Expanded Focus (2022):**
In 2022, the foundation expanded its focus to include civic learning and engagement alongside its existing early childhood education and education policy work.
Smart Growth'' In Newark: Early Learning Center Earns Award - Patch**Infrastructure Development:**
The foundation has invested in bricks and mortar projects since 2009, collaborating with early learning providers in Northern New Jersey to construct state-of-the-art additions or new structures in three communities to serve more children from low-income families.
Smart Growth'' In Newark: Early Learning Center Earns Award - PatchSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Related Funders
Similar funders by location and focus area
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—
New Digital Trade Coalition Ndtc
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Assets
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Total Given
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Stephen J Machuta Scholarship Trust
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Assets
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1
Total Given
$70K
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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