Marks Family Foundation
The Marks Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Stonington, Connecticut. Its 2024 filing says it supports healthcare improvements and medical research at qualified organizations, scholarships for financially challenged college students, and other community endeavors as requested.
Marks Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Marks Family Foundation gave $120K across 12 grants in 2024 (avg $10K), mostly in Connecticut. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $120,000
- +39.5% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 12
- +100.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $10,000
- -30.2% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $2,488,152
- +7.6% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- Connecticut (83% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Marks Family Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The filing lists Neal Bobruff as the contact and says to apply in writing. It lists no deadlines and notes no restrictions on awards.
- Contact
Application contact: Neal Bobruff
Mailing address: PO Box 226, Stonington, CT 06378
Phone: (860) 961-7281
Email: neal@bobrufflaw.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Marks Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 8 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Lawrence & Memorial Hospital ($69K across 5 grants). Together the top 8 received $120K.
Grant Size Distribution
20 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 20 grants of 20 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 83% of grant dollars went to recipients in Connecticut, 8% to Alabama, and 8% to North Carolina.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 12 itemized grants.
Cities
How Marks Family Foundation gives
- Giving grew 1100% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 103% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $10K (2021) to $120K (2024). In 2024 it made 12 grants totaling $120K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Lawrence & Memorial Hospital New London, CT | Fishers Island Annual Fundraiser | $16,000 |
| Lawrence & Memorial Hospital New London, CT | Behavioral Health Rooms - Equipment | $15,000 |
| Lawrence & Memorial Hospital New London, CT | Behavioral Health Fund | $15,000 |
| Lawrence & Memorial Hospital New London, CT | Lucas Device - Equipment | $14,000 |
| Children's of Alabama Tuscaloosa, AL | Health Care for Children | $10,000 |
| Yale School of Medicine New Haven, CT | Medical Research | $10,000 |
| Amazing Grace Foundation Charlotte, NC | Cancer Clinical Trials | $10,000 |
| Lawrence & Memorial Hospital New London, CT | Lucas Device - Equipment | $9,000 |
| Congregation Beth Israel West Hartford, CT | Building Commitment Fund | $6,000 |
| Dr Martin Luther King Scholarship New London, CT | College Scholarship Fund | $6,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Marks Family Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $2,488,152 | $65,938 | $122,392 | $120,000 | 12 | $121,800 | $33,412 | $117,746 |
| 2023 | $2,312,270 | $50,601 | $87,005 | $86,000 | 6 | $86,500 | $24,510 | $92,212 |
| 2022 | $304 | $1,501 | $1,500 | — | — | $1,500 | $1 | $15 |
| 2021 | $303 | $12,000 | $11,850 | $10,000 | 1 | $11,850 | — | $10 |
| 2020 | $153 | $16,850 | $16,850 | $15,000 | 1 | — | — | $8 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Marks Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $118K for 2024 — 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 states that it aims to help fund healthcare improvements and medical research, support scholarships for financially challenged, worthy college students, and support other community endeavors as requested.
Its 2024 grants included support for hospitals, medical research, cancer clinical trials, a college scholarship fund, and community and education-related purposes. Lawrence Memorial Hospital, a recipient, describes its mission as improving regional health and providing healthcare services. Community Speaks Out, another recipient, says its mission is to improve the community by providing education, prevention, and resources to individuals and families seeking treatment and recovery.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation gave $120,000 through 12 grants. Grant amounts ranged from $4,000 to $16,000, with a median of $10,000. Notable grants included $16,000 for Lawrence & Memorial Hospital’s Fishers Island annual fundraiser; $15,000 for the hospital’s behavioral health rooms equipment and another $15,000 for its behavioral health fund; and $14,000 for a Lucas device. Other grants included $10,000 each to Children’s of Alabama for healthcare for children, Yale School of Medicine for medical research, and Amazing Grace Foundation for cancer clinical trials.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Neal Bobruff, Mark Bobruff, Ellen Reese, and Paul Bobruff as trustees.
Marks Family Foundation's 2024 filing lists 4 officers; none of the 4 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Ellen Reese
Trustee
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Mark Bobruff
Trustee
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Neal Bobruff
Trustee
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Paul Bobruff
Trustee
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Carole Marks Scott (2020–2022) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 Marks Family Foundation
How much does Marks Family Foundation give each year?
Marks Family Foundation gave $120K across 12 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $86K across 6 grants.
What is Marks Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Marks Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $10,000, across 12 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Marks Family Foundation give grants?
Marks Family Foundation gives mostly in Connecticut: 83% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Alabama (8%) and North Carolina (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were New London, CT (6 grants) and West Hartford, CT (2 grants).
Does Marks Family Foundation give general operating support?
Occasionally: 8% of Marks Family Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (1 of 12) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Marks Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Marks Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Lawrence & Memorial Hospital ($69,000 across 5 grants), Children's of Alabama ($10,000) and Yale School of Medicine ($10,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 74% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Marks Family Foundation?
Marks Family Foundation reported $2.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $122K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $118K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Marks Family Foundation fund?
The foundation states that it aims to help fund healthcare improvements and medical research, support scholarships for financially challenged, worthy college students, and support other community endeavors as requested. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Marks Family Foundation?
The filing lists Neal Bobruff as the contact and says to apply in writing. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Marks Family Foundation's EIN?
Marks Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 06-1601029. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Marks Family Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Marks Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
The Zachs Family Foundation Inc
Hartford, CT
The Zachs Family Foundation supports a varied mix of Connecticut organizations, including Jewish groups, camps, schools and universities, arts organizations, and community-focused nonprofits; most of its grant dollars go to Connecticut. In 2025, it made 138 grants totaling about $2 million, with a median grant of $2,000 and awards ranging from $100 to $638,200. It gives only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$29.3M
Grants
138
Total Given
$2.0M
Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation
Richmond, VA
Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation funds eligible 501(c)(3) organizations working in health and human services, education, arts and culture, civic and community development, and the environment within its operating area. Its 2024 grants ranged from $100 to $1 million, with a median of $5,000; it accepts unsolicited requests during spring and fall cycles.
Assets
$2.3M
Grants
773
Total Given
$16.4M
Chelsea Groton Foundation
Groton, CT
Assets
$10.4M
Grants
326
Total Given
$825K
Elwer Foundation Inc
Lauderdale by the Sea, FL
Assets
—
Grants
2
Total Given
$676K
Cheryl Chase & Stuart Bear Family
Hartford, CT
The Cheryl Chase & Stuart Bear Family supports education, arts and culture, health, and community and charitable organizations, primarily in Connecticut. Its 2025 grants ranged from $50 to $300,000, with a median of $1,000; its 2024 filing says it does not limit giving to preselected organizations and has no specific application form.
Assets
$1.6M
Grants
55
Total Given
$558K
The Warburg Pincus Foundation
New York, NY
The Warburg Pincus Foundation supports charitable, educational, and community organizations across fields including the arts, education, journalism, health care, and basic needs, with most 2025 grant dollars going to New York organizations and additional giving in other U.S. states and more than 20 countries. Its 2025 grants ranged from $60 to $492,500, with a median of $6,000. It does not accept unsolicited requests and gives only to preselected organizations.
Assets
$2.2M
Grants
297
Total Given
$5.5M
More similar funders
More Funders in Connecticut
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Marks Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/marks-family-foundation-morg_8f204b87c1184fa6827026ffd88794a1
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_061601029_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Marks Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/marks-family-foundation-morg_8f204b87c1184fa6827026ffd88794a1},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-18. 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 Marks 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.
Marks Family Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?