Mars HQ Regional Foundation
Mars HQ Regional Foundation is a private foundation based in New York, New York. In 2024, it reported 105 grants totaling $1,723,600 to charitable organizations, including food, education, conservation, arts, and health organizations.
Mars HQ Regional Foundation at a glance
In short: Mars HQ Regional Foundation gave $1.7M across 105 grants in 2024 (avg $16K), top state District of Columbia. 29% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,723,600
- -11.2% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 105
- -7.9% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $16,415
- -3.6% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $47,672,338
- +13.5% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 29% first-time grantees (30 of 103, 2024)
- Primary geography
- District of Columbia (40% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Mars HQ Regional Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
- Contact
Mailing address: Bbh Co 140 Broadway Pb-Tax, New York, NY 10005
Phone: (212) 493-8851
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Mars HQ Regional Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Capital Area Food Bank ($300K). Together the top 10 received $719K.
Grant Size Distribution
534 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 512 grants of 534 (96%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, the largest shares of grant dollars went to recipients in Washington, DC (40%) and Virginia (29%), followed by California (12%), Maryland (5%), and North Carolina (3%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 105 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Mars HQ Regional Foundation open to new grantees?
29%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 30 of 103 grantees (29%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $18K; repeat grants $16K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 64% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 25% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 80% 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 (2020–2024). 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 $1.4M (2021) to $1.9M (2023). In 2024 it made 105 grants totaling $1.7M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Capital Area Food Bank Washington, DC | General Support | $300,000 |
| Pretend City the Children's Museum of Orange County Irvine, CA | General Support | $100,000 |
| Claremont McKenna College Claremont, CA | General Support | $100,000 |
| Elon University Elon, NC | General Support | $50,000 |
| Chesapeake Bay Foundation Annapolis, MD | General Support | $31,000 |
| The Student Conservation Association Inc Arlington, VA | General Support | $31,000 |
| McLean Project for the Arts McLean, VA | General Support | $25,000 |
| Arcs Foundation - Metro Washington Chapter Potomac, MD | General Support | $21,000 |
| Washington National Opera Washington, DC | General Support | $21,000 |
| Virginia Foundation for Independent Colleges Richmond, VA | General Support | $21,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Mars HQ Regional 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 | $47,672,338 | $5,974,622 | $2,204,606 | $1,723,600 | 105 | $1,781,718 | $3,640,921 | $2,220,386 |
| 2023 | $41,992,342 | $2,579,461 | $2,219,407 | $1,941,000 | 114 | $1,982,612 | $507,784 | $1,941,299 |
| 2022 | $36,628,064 | $2,411,701 | $2,056,529 | $1,691,000 | 110 | $1,738,418 | $332,249 | $1,897,001 |
| 2021 | $43,925,032 | $4,206,893 | $1,775,618 | $1,375,000 | 94 | $1,436,598 | $1,932,529 | $2,100,199 |
| 2020 | $40,622,900 | $3,706,426 | $2,043,204 | $1,737,000 | 111 | — | $1,467,620 | $1,721,313 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Mars HQ Regional Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.2M 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
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations working in a range of areas. For example, the Capital Area Food Bank describes its mission as helping neighbors thrive through more equitable access to food and opportunity. The Student Conservation Association says it engages young people in hands-on service to build conservation leadership and environmental stewardship. Elon University describes its mission as transforming mind, body, and spirit through undergraduate and graduate education.
Other 2024 grantees include the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, which describes its mission as saving the Bay; McLean Project for the Arts, which says it connects art and community through exhibitions and arts education; Washington National Opera, which supports the opera’s artistic quality and impact; and St. Mary’s Health Wagon, which provides health care to medically underserved communities in Central Appalachia.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 105 grants totaling $1,723,600. Grant amounts ranged from $9,600 to $300,000, with a median of $10,000. The largest awards included $300,000 to Capital Area Food Bank, $100,000 each to Pretend City The Children’s Museum of Orange County and Claremont McKenna College, and $50,000 to Elon University. Other grants included $31,000 each to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and the Student Conservation Association, and $25,000 to McLean Project for the Arts. These grants were listed for general support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Alexandra B. Airth as president/director and Marijke E. Mars as vice president/director. Anthony Gedeller is listed as secretary/treasurer; Kevin Cox as assistant treasurer; Ashley Panny as assistant secretary; and Linda A. Mars, Kimberly-Pacific Wise, Sophie L. Mars, and Graysen L. Airth as directors.
Mars HQ Regional Foundation is led by Alexandra B. Airth, President & Director since 2023 (on filings since 2022); none of the 9 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Alexandra B. Airth
President & Director
President → President & Director, 2023
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Marijke E. Mars
Vice President & Director
Vice President → Vice President & Director, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Graysen L. Airth
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Linda A. Mars
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sophie L. Mars
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kimberly-Pacific Wise
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Anthony Gedeller
Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ashley Panny
Assistant Secretary
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kevin Cox
Assistant Treasurer
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (7)
- Former: Kimberly V. Spina (2023) — Director
- Former: Jacqueline B. Mars (2020–2021) — President
- Former: Adrienne Mars (2021) — Vice President
- Former: John F. Mars (2020) — Vice President
- Former: Otis O. Otih (2020) — Secretary & Treasurer
- Former: Rita Langsam Davis (2020) — Assistant Treasurer
- Former: Susan E. Martin (2020) — Assistant Secretary
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 Mars HQ Regional Foundation
How much does Mars HQ Regional Foundation give each year?
Mars HQ Regional Foundation gave $1.7M across 105 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.9M across 114 grants.
What is Mars HQ Regional Foundation's typical grant size?
Mars HQ Regional Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $16,415, across 105 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Mars HQ Regional Foundation that year got $18K on average.
Where does Mars HQ Regional Foundation give grants?
Mars HQ Regional Foundation's top state is District of Columbia, with 40% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Virginia (29%) and California (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (37 grants), Warrenton, VA (5 grants), Fairfax, VA (5 grants) and Arlington, VA (3 grants).
Does Mars HQ Regional Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Mars HQ Regional Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (105 of 105) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Mars HQ Regional Foundation's largest grantees?
Mars HQ Regional Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Capital Area Food Bank ($300,000), Pretend City the Children's Museum of Orange County ($110,000 across 2 grants) and Claremont McKenna College ($100,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 30% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Mars HQ Regional Foundation?
Mars HQ Regional Foundation reported $47.7M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.8M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2.2M (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 Mars HQ Regional Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations working in a range of areas. For example, the Capital Area Food Bank describes its mission as helping neighbors thrive through more equitable access to food and opportunity. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Mars HQ Regional Foundation?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Mars HQ Regional Foundation's EIN?
Mars HQ Regional Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 54-6037592. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Mars HQ Regional 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
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Mars HQ Regional Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/mars-hq-regional-foundation-morg_958fc64a0c90435f8108710c61a013ea
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_546037592_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Mars HQ Regional Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/mars-hq-regional-foundation-morg_958fc64a0c90435f8108710c61a013ea},
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 Mars HQ Regional 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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