Marci and Martin Karplus Family Foundation
The Marci and Martin Karplus Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Wilmington, Delaware. It makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
Marci and Martin Karplus Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Marci and Martin Karplus Family Foundation gave $7K across 13 grants in 2025 (avg $500), top state Massachusetts. 0% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $6,500
- -88.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 13
- -62.9% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $500
- -68.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $500
- Total assets
- $1,080,040
- +1.3% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 0% first-time grantees (0 of 13, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (46% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Marci and Martin Karplus Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: Foundation Source 501 Silverside Rd, Wilmington, DE 19809-1377
Phone: (800) 839-1754
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Marci and Martin Karplus Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was American Indian College Fund ($500). Together the top 10 received $5K.
Grant Size Distribution
129 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 128 grants of 129 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, Massachusetts accounted for 46% of grant dollars, California and the District of Columbia each accounted for 15%, and Colorado and Pennsylvania each accounted for 8%. The 2025 recipient list also includes an organization in Connecticut.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 13 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Marci and Martin Karplus Family Foundation open to new grantees?
0%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 0 of 13 grantees (0%) were first-time recipients. With only 13 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. How we count
- 100% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 97% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 29% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2022–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2022 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $7K (2025) to $256K (2022). In 2025 it made 13 grants totaling $7K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| American Indian College Fund Denver, CO | General & Unrestricted | $500 |
| Bidwell Training Center Inc Pittsburgh, PA | General & Unrestricted | $500 |
| Bridges Homeward Inc Cambridge, MA | General & Unrestricted | $500 |
| Cambridge Homes Cambridge, MA | General & Unrestricted | $500 |
| Community Cooks Inc Somerville, MA | General & Unrestricted | $500 |
| Dolores C Huerta Foundation Bakersfield, CA | General & Unrestricted | $500 |
| East Coast Assistance Dogs Inc Torrington, CT | General & Unrestricted | $500 |
| Forward Impact Los Angeles, CA | General & Unrestricted | $500 |
| Helping Hands Monkey Helpers for the Disabled Inc Allston, MA | General & Unrestricted | $500 |
| Hopewell Inc Dedham, MA | General & Unrestricted | $500 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,080,040 | $43,435 | $29,645 | $6,500 | 13 | $18,138 | $44,260 | $61,558 |
| 2024 | $1,066,250 | $45,305 | $79,642 | $56,350 | 35 | $67,684 | $49,167 | $59,470 |
| 2023 | $1,100,587 | $471,515 | $109,014 | $87,884 | 34 | $99,103 | $76,106 | $55,701 |
| 2022 | $738,086 | $511,764 | $275,599 | $255,900 | 47 | $267,740 | $46,947 | $35,657 |
| 2021 | $501,921 | $509,296 | $7,375 | — | — | $7,008 | $91,781 | $1,297 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Marci and Martin Karplus Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $62K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s own filing does not state a mission. Its 2025 grants included support for organizations working in areas such as Native student and tribal college education, services for children and families, assistance for vulnerable populations, disability support, and justice-system reform. These descriptions reflect the grantees’ missions, not a stated foundation focus.
For example, the American Indian College Fund says it invests in Native students and tribal college education. Community Cooks says it organizes volunteers to prepare meals for vulnerable people served by human-service agencies in Greater Boston. Forward Impact describes its work as turning stories into action to change the justice system and building the capacity of system-impacted communities.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 13 grants totaling $6,500. Each was $500. Named recipients included American Indian College Fund, Bidwell Training Center, Bridges Homeward, Cambridge Homes, Community Cooks, Dolores C. Huerta Foundation, East Coast Assistance Dogs, Forward Impact, Helping Hands Monkey Helpers for the Disabled, Hopewell, Project HOPE, and Spaulding Rehab Hospital. The listed grants were designated for general and unrestricted purposes.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Marci Karplus as director, secretary, treasurer, and president; Mischa Hazard Karplus as director; and Miriam Hellweg as director.
Marci and Martin Karplus Family Foundation is led by Marci Karplus, Director, Secretary, Treasurer & President since 2025 (on filings since 2021); none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Marci Karplus
Director, Secretary, Treasurer & President
Director, Secretary & Treasurer → Director, Secretary, Treasurer & President, 2025
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Miriam Hellweg
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mischa Hazard Karplus
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Martin Karplus (2021–2024) — Director & President
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Marci and Martin Karplus Family Foundation
How much does Marci and Martin Karplus Family Foundation give each year?
Marci and Martin Karplus Family Foundation gave $7K across 13 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $56K across 35 grants.
What is Marci and Martin Karplus Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Marci and Martin Karplus Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $500, and its average grant was $500, across 13 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Marci and Martin Karplus Family Foundation give grants?
Marci and Martin Karplus Family Foundation's top state is Massachusetts, with 46% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were California (15%) and District of Columbia (15%). The most frequent recipient cities were Cambridge, MA (3 grants) and Washington, DC (2 grants).
Does Marci and Martin Karplus Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Marci and Martin Karplus Family Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (13 of 13) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Marci and Martin Karplus Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Marci and Martin Karplus Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include American Indian College Fund ($500), Bidwell Training Center Inc ($500) and Bridges Homeward Inc ($500), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 23% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Marci and Martin Karplus Family Foundation?
Marci and Martin Karplus Family Foundation reported $1.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $18K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $62K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Marci and Martin Karplus Family Foundation fund?
The foundation’s own filing does not state a mission. Its 2025 grants included support for organizations working in areas such as Native student and tribal college education, services for children and families, assistance for vulnerable populations, disability support, and justice-system reform. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Marci and Martin Karplus Family Foundation?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Marci and Martin Karplus Family Foundation's EIN?
Marci and Martin Karplus Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 87-1478973. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Does Marci and Martin Karplus Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024
Live grants for the work Marci and Martin Karplus Family Foundation funds
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Figures come from Marci and Martin Karplus Family Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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