Marisa Martini Private Foundation Inc
Marisa Martini Private Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Whippany, New Jersey. It makes grants to charitable organizations; its 2025 filing reports 57 grants totaling $1,166,500.
Marisa Martini Private Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Marisa Martini Private Foundation Inc gave $1.2M across 57 grants in 2025 (avg $20K), top state New Jersey. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,166,500
- +3.1% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 57
- +26.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $20,465
- -18.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $15,000
- Total assets
- $23,740,313
- +0.6% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- New Jersey (23% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Marisa Martini Private Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 200 Jefferson Park Suite 400, Whippany, NJ 07981
Phone: (973) 435-0690
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Marisa Martini Private Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Braille Institute ($100K). Together the top 10 received $551K.
Grant Size Distribution
160 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 133 grants of 160 (83%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 grants went to recipients in multiple states. By grant dollars, the largest recipient-state shares were New Jersey (23%), California (16%), Texas (14%), New York (12%), and Virginia (11%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 57 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Marisa Martini Private Foundation Inc gives
- 30% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 71% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 108% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (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 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $215K (2021) to $1.2M (2025). In 2025 it made 57 grants totaling $1.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Braille Institute Los Angeles, CA | General Purpose | $100,000 |
| Novick Global Cardiac Alliance Memphis, TN | General Purpose | $100,000 |
| St Peters Prep Jersey City, NJ | General Purpose | $100,000 |
| Empower Ethiopia Inc Albany, NY | General Purpose | $50,000 |
| Friends of Guatemalan Children Inc Los Angeles, CA | General Purpose | $50,000 |
| Partnershps for Children Austin, TX | General Purpose | $41,000 |
| Mercy Center Asbury Park, NJ | General Purpose | $35,000 |
| Anchor Ridge Wilkesboro, NC | General Purpose | $25,000 |
| Camp Fatima of NJ Harrison, NJ | General Purpose | $25,000 |
| Candlelighters of NYC New York, NY | General Purpose | $25,000 |
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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 | $23,740,313 | $1,528,101 | $1,404,445 | $1,166,500 | 57 | $1,290,781 | $1,429,437 | $1,198,951 |
| 2024 | $23,597,917 | $1,556,748 | $1,303,650 | $1,131,792 | 45 | $1,196,452 | $1,485,297 | $1,185,728 |
| 2023 | $23,365,035 | $900,322 | $907,194 | $789,650 | 30 | $847,555 | $855,276 | $1,142,647 |
| 2022 | $23,390,575 | $-32,516 | $835,821 | $680,277 | 21 | $725,367 | $339,543 | $1,050,440 |
| 2021 | $24,968,503 | $25,297,931 | $230,478 | $215,000 | 7 | $215,000 | $738,634 | $580,241 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Marisa Martini Private Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $1.2M 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
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for organizations whose stated work includes education for underserved children, services for people facing socioeconomic challenges, support for children and families affected by serious illness, cancer research, and assistance for military families and veterans. These are the grantees’ missions and should not be read as a statement of the foundation’s own mission or exclusive funding focus. The largest listed grants in 2025 were designated for general purposes.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation made 57 grants totaling $1,166,500. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $100,000, with a median grant of $15,000. Among the largest were $100,000 each to Braille Institute, Novick Global Cardiac Alliance, and St Peters Prep; $50,000 each to Empower Ethiopia Inc and Friends of Guatemalan Children Inc; and $41,000 to Partnerships for Children.
Other 2025 grants included $35,000 to Mercy Center Corporation; $25,000 each to Anchor Ridge, Camp Fatima of NJ, Candlelighters of NYC, Elizabeth Coalition, International Waldenstrom’s Macroglobulinemia Fdn, The Little Baby Face Foundation Inc, and Making Headway Foundation Inc; and $20,000 each to Lung Cancer Research Foundation, Our Military Kids Inc, and Leashes of Valor.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Conor Gelson as president and James Damiano MD, Elizabeth Dragalin, and Christina Gelson as directors.
Marisa Martini Private Foundation Inc is led by Conor Gelson, President on every filing since 2024; all 4 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Conor Gelson
President
On filings since 2024
4 hrs/week
$25K (2024) → $25K (2025)
Elizabeth Dragalin
Director
On filings since 2021
4 hrs/week
$25K (2022) → $25K (2025)
James Damiano MD
Director
On filings since 2021
3 hrs/week
$13K (2022) → $25K (2025)
Christina Gelson
Director
New on the 2025 filing
3 hrs/week
$25K (2025)
Former officers (2)
- Former: Linda Gelson (2021–2023) — President
- Former: Marisa Martini (2021) — 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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $25K, to Conor Gelson (President). 4 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Marisa Martini Private Foundation Inc
How much does Marisa Martini Private Foundation Inc give each year?
Marisa Martini Private Foundation Inc gave $1.2M across 57 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.1M across 45 grants.
What is Marisa Martini Private Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Marisa Martini Private Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $15,000, and its average grant was $20,465, across 57 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Marisa Martini Private Foundation Inc give grants?
Marisa Martini Private Foundation Inc's top state is New Jersey, with 23% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were California (16%) and Texas (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were Austin, TX (7 grants), Mendham, NJ (4 grants), Los Angeles, CA (3 grants) and Arlington, VA (3 grants).
Does Marisa Martini Private Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Marisa Martini Private Foundation Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (57 of 57) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Marisa Martini Private Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Marisa Martini Private Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Braille Institute ($100,000), Novick Global Cardiac Alliance ($100,000) and St Peters Prep ($100,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 26% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Marisa Martini Private Foundation Inc?
Marisa Martini Private Foundation Inc reported $23.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.3M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.2M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Marisa Martini Private Foundation Inc fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Marisa Martini Private Foundation Inc?
The foundation states that it 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 Marisa Martini Private Foundation Inc's EIN?
Marisa Martini Private Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 87-1325288. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Does Marisa Martini Private Foundation Inc 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 12, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Marisa Martini Private Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/marisa-martini-private-foundation-inc-morg_401cd8bc62f944b2ad7985d2dee9e381
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_871325288_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Marisa Martini Private Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/marisa-martini-private-foundation-inc-morg_401cd8bc62f944b2ad7985d2dee9e381},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Marisa Martini Private Foundation Inc'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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