Mars Wrigley Foundation
The Mars Wrigley Foundation is a private 501(c)(3) foundation established in 1987 and based in Wilmington, Delaware. It is associated with Mars Wrigley, the confectionery division of Mars, Incorporated. The foundation operates as a corporate grantmaking foundation with a focus on improving health and wellbeing in communities.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$40.6M
+3.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$4.1M
-15.8% YoY
Grant Count
19
+26.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$215K
-33.5% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The Mars Wrigley Foundation's mission centers on nurturing wellbeing to improve lives and inspire happiness in communities. The foundation believes that happiness makes people's lives better and focuses on enhancing physical, social, and emotional wellbeing with an emphasis on community connection.
Primary funding areas include:
- Oral Health Education: Promoting oral health education and access to care
- Community Connection: Establishing communal spaces for building connections and fostering community engagement
- Sustainable Communities: Supporting communities in mint and cocoa-growing regions
- Humanitarian Aid: Providing assistance during times of crisis
- Health and Wellness: Supporting initiatives that improve community health outcomes
Grantmaking
The foundation distributes approximately $4.7 million annually in charitable disbursements. Recent grants documented include:
Grant Range
s, decision timelines, and success rates are not publicly documented.
How to Apply
, likely focusing on strategic partnerships and invited proposals aligned with Mars Wrigley's corporate social responsibility objectives. Specific grant ranges, decision timelines, and success rates are not publicly documented.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports initiatives across multiple U.S. cities and states, including:
Cities: Alexandria, Chicago, Fairfield, Houston, New York, and Oakland
States: California, Connecticut, Illinois, New York, Texas, and Virginia
The foundation also supports international initiatives, particularly in cocoa-growing communities and regions where Mars operates globally.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2023:
- Total Assets: $39.4 million
- Total Revenue: $3.38 million
- Total Expenses: $5.44 million
- Total Liabilities: $0
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $40.6 million
- Annual Giving: $4.7 million
The foundation maintains a strong financial position with no liabilities and investment income representing a significant portion of revenue ($1.46 million in 2023).
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $40,605,106 | $39,439,346 | $41,504,227 |
| Revenue | $5,985,867 | $3,377,876 | $3,591,570 |
| Expenses | $4,820,107 | $5,442,757 | $6,248,840 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $4,728,657 | $5,360,043 | $6,202,340 |
| Net Investment Income | $4,960,975 | $2,326,662 | $2,591,570 |
| Distributable Amount | $3,051,928 | $2,867,758 | $3,077,085 |
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
54 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Mars Wrigley Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation's leadership team includes:
- Anne Vela-Wagner - Executive Director (compensated, 32 hours)
- Fabiano Lima - President, Director
- Jessica Adelman - Vice President, Director
- Alastair Child - Director
- Bernadette Russell - Director
- Dave Jones - Secretary
- Anna Marciano - Secretary
- Mayela Stuparitz - Treasurer
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jessica Adelman | Dir, VP, Pres | — | — |
| Alastair Child | Dir | — | — |
| Fabiano Lima | Dir, Pres | — | — |
| Anna Marciano | Sec | 1 | — |
| Bernadette Russell | Dir | — | — |
| Mayela Stuparitz | Treas | — | — |
| Anne Vela-Wagner | Executive Dir | 32 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has been active in supporting oral health initiatives and community development programs. Recent activities include:
Oral health education and access to care programs in partnership with Save the Children Federation
Community connection initiatives, including support for Safe Spaces in Nairobi (February 2024)
Collaboration with the Jacobs Foundation on education and early childhood development initiatives in cocoa-growing communities, specifically in Côte d'Ivoire, focusing on protecting children through access to quality education
Ongoing support for humanitarian emergency response efforts
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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