Marks Family Foundation
The Marks Family Foundation is a private 501(c)(3) family foundation established in 1999 and based in Redwood City, California. The foundation is led by a family of entrepreneurs with interests spanning technology, music, hospitality, food and wine, motorsports, and venture capital. The foundation operates as an early-stage investor in philanthropic initiatives, providing funding and resources to support innovative organizations and individuals.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$50.0M
-2.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$3.0M
-22.4% YoY
Grant Count
42
-10.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$72K
-13.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Marks Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $4.7M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Marks Family Foundation supports visionary students, women and girls, disease research, education, music and the arts, and community funding. The foundation is committed to trust-based philanthropy and provides unrestricted funding to grantees, believing that recipients know best where to allocate resources for maximum impact.
The foundation gets inspired by passionate thinkers with unique perspectives on how they can utilize their talents to catalyze change for a better world. The foundation believes in the power of new ideas and encourages risk-taking and innovation.
Grantmaking
The foundation provides general and unrestricted grants to its grantees.
Grant Range
$355
Average Grant
$355
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports organizations across multiple U.S. states including Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, New York, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Washington. The foundation also supports international initiatives.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $50.0-51.4 million
- Total Revenues: $3.5 million
- Total Expenses: $4.5-5.2 million
- Total Liabilities: $405,000
As of 2023:
- Total Assets: $51.4 million
- Total Revenues: $3.19 million
- Total Expenses: $5.21 million
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $50,002,128 | $51,414,254 | $53,376,027 |
| Revenue | $3,508,052 | $3,192,671 | $7,952,967 |
| Expenses | $4,539,903 | $5,209,490 | $4,586,282 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $3,504,557 | $3,930,324 | $3,610,630 |
| Net Investment Income | $681,480 | $1,145,462 | $3,692,344 |
| Distributable Amount | $4,733,325 | $4,326,285 | $3,375,912 |
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
182 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include East Coast Assistance Dogs Inc ($300,000), Berklee College of Music Inc ($250,000), Project Music Heals Us Inc ($250,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AERIAL RECOVERY NASHVILLE, TN | General & Unrestricted | $50,000 |
| AMERICAN CONSERVATORY THEATRE FOUNDATION SAN FRANCISCO, CA | to provide discounted tickets for attendees | $10,000 |
| AMERICAN HIMALAYAN FOUNDATION SAN FRANCISCO, CA | General & Unrestricted | $5,000 |
| ANGEL FLIGHT WEST INC SANTA MONICA, CA | Angel Flight West Endeavor Awards | $20,000 |
| BERKLEE COLLEGE OF MUSIC INC BOSTON, MA | General & Unrestricted | $250,000 |
| BLACK MUSIC ENTREPRENEURSHIP INCUBATOR OAKLAND, CA | General & Unrestricted | $100,000 |
| BRANNAN CENTER CALISTOGA, CA | General & Unrestricted | $25,000 |
| CAMP RAINBOW GOLD INC BOISE, ID | Charitable Event | $10,000 |
| COLLEGE TRACK OAKLAND, CA | General & Unrestricted | $100,000 |
| COMMUNITY-WORD PROJECT INC NEW YORK, NY | General & Unrestricted | $10,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Amy Dornbusch - President and CFO (compensation: $150,000 as of 2024)
- Michael Marks - Founder (parent of Amy Dornbusch)
- Carole Marks - Founder (parent of Amy Dornbusch)
- Elizabeth C. Marks - Executive Director
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amy Dornbusch | Dir, Pres | 1 | $308,333 |
| Carole J Marks | Dir | 1 | — |
| Michael E Marks | Dir | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has demonstrated ongoing commitment to intergenerational philanthropy, with leadership discussing the importance of involving younger family members in charitable giving decisions and providing educational resources for children involved in the foundation's work.
Our Process - Nancy Lurie Marks Family FoundationSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Marks Family Foundation fund?
The Marks Family Foundation supports visionary students, women and girls, disease research, education, music and the arts, and community funding. The foundation is committed to trust-based philanthropy and provides unrestricted funding to grantees, believing that recipients know best where to allocate resources for maximum impact. The foundation gets inspired by passionate thinkers with unique perspectives on how they can utilize their talents to catalyze change for a better world. The foundati…
How do I apply for a grant from Marks Family Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** • Made 37-47 grants in recent years • Total giving: approximately $3.0-3.9 million annually • Average grant size: $355 • Typical award range: $3,000 to $750,000 **Recent Grantees (2024):** • Educated Canines Assisting with Disabilities: $300,000 • Berklee College of Music: $250,000 • Project Music Heals Us: $250,000 • Cure Alzheimer's Fund The foundation provides general and unrestricted grants to its grantees.
Where does Marks Family Foundation make grants?
The foundation supports organizations across multiple U.S. states including Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, New York, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Washington. The foundation also supports international initiatives.
What size grants does Marks Family Foundation award?
In 2024, Marks Family Foundation awarded 42 grants totaling $3.0M — an average of about $72K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Marks Family Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Marks Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $4.7M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Marks Family Foundation's EIN?
Marks Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 77-0500312. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Marks Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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