Marks Family Foundation
Marks Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Wilmington, Delaware. Its 2024 filing reports grants to charitable organizations including providers of assistance dogs, music education and programming, cancer research, and solar-energy programs for healthcare and education.
Marks Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Marks Family Foundation gave $3.0M across 42 grants in 2024 (avg $72K), top state California. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $3,040,408
- -22.4% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 42
- -10.6% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $72,391
- -13.2% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $50,002,128
- -2.7% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- California (27% 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
- 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: 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 Marks Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Project Music Heals US Inc ($450K across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $2.3M.
Grant Size Distribution
188 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 111 grants of 188 (59%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, the largest shares of grant dollars went to recipients in California (27%), Connecticut (25%), Massachusetts (14%), Washington (8%), and North Carolina (8%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 42 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Marks Family Foundation gives
- 34% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 35% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 74% 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 (2024). 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 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $526K (2020) to $4.7M (2021). In 2024 it made 42 grants totaling $3.0M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| East Coast Assistance Dogs Inc Torrington, CT | General & Unrestricted | $300,000 |
| Berklee College of Music Inc Boston, MA | General & Unrestricted | $250,000 |
| Project Music Heals US Inc Guilford, CT | General & Unrestricted | $250,000 |
| The V Foundation Cary, NC | General & Unrestricted | $250,000 |
| We Care Solar Berkeley, CA | General & Unrestricted | $250,000 |
| Project Music Heals US Inc Guilford, CT | to support overhead expansion | $200,000 |
| Earthenable Weston, MA | General & Unrestricted | $150,000 |
| Realize Impact Bainbridge Island, WA | General & Unrestricted | $150,000 |
| Tahoe Expedition Academy Inc Kings Beach, CA | General & Unrestricted | $150,000 |
| GIVE2ASIA San Francisco, CA | Juilliard (Beijing) | $104,000 |
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 | $50,002,128 | $3,508,052 | $4,539,903 | $3,040,408 | 42 | $3,504,557 | $681,480 | $4,733,325 |
| 2023 | $51,414,254 | $3,192,671 | $5,209,490 | $3,919,324 | 47 | $3,930,324 | $1,145,462 | $4,326,285 |
| 2022 | $53,376,027 | $7,952,967 | $4,586,282 | $3,550,624 | 37 | $3,610,630 | $3,692,344 | $3,375,912 |
| 2021 | $49,983,289 | $16,693,138 | $6,982,524 | $4,672,935 | 56 | $4,676,135 | $11,713,235 | $2,477,564 |
| 2020 | $40,117,083 | $2,929,706 | $925,926 | $525,736 | 6 | — | $46,362 | $1,864,605 |
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.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants include support for organizations working in several areas. East Coast Assistance Dogs says it educates and places assistance dogs to help people with disabilities gain independence and mobility. The V Foundation says it funds cancer research and scientists. Berklee College of Music describes its mission as promoting and teaching music and related arts, while Project Music Heals Us says it provides live music and educational programming to marginalized communities with limited access to the arts. We Care Solar says it designs and implements solar-energy programs to improve healthcare and education. Earthenable describes its work as developing affordable, sustainable housing solutions in Africa.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 42 grants totaling $3,040,408. Grant amounts ranged from $5,000 to $300,000, with a median of $25,000. Notable grants included $300,000 to East Coast Assistance Dogs; $250,000 each to Berklee College of Music, Project Music Heals Us, The V Foundation, and We Care Solar; and $150,000 each to Earthenable, Realize Impact, and Tahoe Expedition Academy. Project Music Heals Us also received a separate $200,000 grant to support overhead expansion.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Amy Dornbusch as director and president, and Carole J Marks and Michael E Marks as directors.
Marks Family Foundation is led by Amy Marks Dornbusch, Director & President since 2024 (on filings since 2020); 1 of 3 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Amy Marks Dornbusch
Director & President
President → President & CFO, 2021
President & CFO → Director & President, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$150K (2023) → $308K (2024)
Carole J Marks
Director
Secretary & CFO → Director, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael E Marks
Director
Secretary → Director, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $308K, to Amy Dornbusch (Dir, Pres).
Frequently asked questions about Marks Family Foundation
How much does Marks Family Foundation give each year?
Marks Family Foundation gave $3.0M across 42 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $3.9M across 47 grants.
What is Marks Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Marks Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $25,000, and its average grant was $72,391, across 42 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Marks Family Foundation give grants?
Marks Family Foundation's top state is California, with 27% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Connecticut (25%) and Massachusetts (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were San Francisco, CA (4 grants), New York, NY (3 grants), Guilford, CT (2 grants) and Boston, MA (2 grants).
Does Marks Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 69% of Marks Family Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (29 of 42) 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 Project Music Heals US Inc ($450,000 across 2 grants), East Coast Assistance Dogs Inc ($300,000) and Berklee College of Music Inc ($250,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 33% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Marks Family Foundation?
Marks Family Foundation reported $50.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $3.5M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $4.7M (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 Marks Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants include support for organizations working in several areas. East Coast Assistance Dogs says it educates and places assistance dogs to help people with disabilities gain independence and mobility. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Marks Family Foundation?
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 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.
Does Marks 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 October 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.
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Browse active grant opportunities in Marks Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Marks Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/marks-family-foundation-morg_c896230dedc44d92a1d23c14eb0a8b18
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_770500312_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Marks Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/marks-family-foundation-morg_c896230dedc44d92a1d23c14eb0a8b18},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. 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.
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