S & L Marx Foundation
The S & L Marx Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation established in April 2004. The foundation maintains administrative offices in Wilmington, Delaware, with historical ties to Greenwich, Connecticut. As a 501(c)(3) organization, it operates as a private non-operating foundation focused on philanthropic grantmaking across multiple sectors.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$83.1M
+10.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$4.6M
-1.1% YoY
Grant Count
138
+1.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$34K
-2.6% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, S & L Marx Foundation reported a distributable amount of $5.2M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation primarily funds:
- General and unrestricted educational outreach programs
- Community health programs
- Cancer research
- Young alumni annual funds
- Yale parents annual fund
The foundation also supports educational programs, music education initiatives, and general operating support for various organizations.
Grantmaking
The foundation does not have a public application process. Grants appear to be made at the discretion of the foundation's leadership.
Grant Range
s:**
Average Grant
amounts vary by program type, ranging from approximately $3,000 to $5,600
How to Apply
**
Ready to take the next step with S & L Marx Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's grantmaking focuses primarily on Connecticut, New York, and Massachusetts.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 2024:
- Total assets: $83,145,844
- Total revenue: $13,181,624
- Total expenses: $5,406,415
- Total giving: $4,641,000
As of December 2023:
- Total assets: $75,370,635
- Total revenue: $3,702,800
- Total expenses: $5,375,670
- Total giving: $5,022,569
Investment Profile: The foundation generates revenue primarily through investment activities, including dividends ($3.7 million) and sales of assets ($8.5 million), indicating a sophisticated investment strategy to sustain grantmaking activities.
Giving Rate: 6.6% (2023)
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $83,145,844 | $75,370,635 | $77,043,505 |
| Revenue | $13,181,624 | $3,702,800 | $5,891,144 |
| Expenses | $5,406,415 | $5,375,670 | $5,364,257 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $4,971,666 | $5,022,569 | $5,009,293 |
| Net Investment Income | $12,871,089 | $3,432,292 | $5,581,025 |
| Distributable Amount | $5,242,148 | $4,859,287 | $4,860,938 |
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
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Brunswick School Inc ($250,000), Greenwich Academy Inc ($200,000), Boys and Girls Club of Greenwich ($150,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ABILIS INC GREENWICH, CT | General & Unrestricted | $5,000 |
| ADOPT A DOG INC GREENWICH, CT | General & Unrestricted | $5,000 |
| ALBERT EINSTEIN COLLEGE OF MEDICINE BRONX, NY | Charitable Event | $2,000 |
| ALLIANCE FOR CANCER GENE THERAPY INC STAMFORD, CT | General & Unrestricted | $2,500 |
| ALZHEIMERS DISEASE AND RELATED DISORDERS ASSOCIATI CHICAGO, IL | Dementia Care Coordination Program in New England | $100,000 |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF MAGEN DAVID ADOM NEW YORK, NY | General & Unrestricted | $5,000 |
| ANDROSCOGGIN ALUMNI ASSOCIATION INC HARRISON, NY | Summer Camp Scholarship fund | $5,000 |
| ANTI-DEFAMATION LEAGUE NEW YORK, NY | ADL programs in Connecticut | $10,000 |
| AURELIA FOUNDATION PACIFIC PALISADES, CA | Creative Steps Arts Program | $30,000 |
| BIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL FOUNDATION NEW YORK, NY | Birthright Israel Fellows professional development program | $60,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Sylvia Marx – President and Director
- Nancy M Better – Executive Director and Secretary (Compensation: $180,000–$189,000)
- James Better – Director and Treasurer
- Charles Better – Director
- David Better – Director
- Sarah Better – Director
- Laura Weintraub Beck – Director
The foundation operates with a family board structure and maintains zero full-time employees beyond the Executive Director.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laura Weintraub Beck | Dir | 1 | — |
| Charles Better | Dir | 1 | — |
| David Better | Dir | 1 | — |
| James Better | Dir, Treas | 1 | — |
| Nancy M Better | Executive Dir, Sec | 40 | $189,000 |
| Sarah Better | Dir | 1 | — |
| Sylvia Marx | Dir, Pres | 1 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does S & L Marx Foundation fund?
The foundation primarily funds: • General and unrestricted educational outreach programs • Community health programs • Cancer research • Young alumni annual funds • Yale parents annual fund The foundation also supports educational programs, music education initiatives, and general operating support for various organizations.
How do I apply for a grant from S & L Marx Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** • Made 136 grants in 2023 and 117 grants in 2024 • Total giving in 2024: $4,641,000 • Total giving in 2023: $5,022,569 **Grant Sizes:** • Grant range: $1,000 to $1,500,000 • Median grant amount: $9,375 • Average grant amounts vary by program type, ranging from approximately $3,000 to $5,600 **Recent Notable Grants (2024):** • Yale University: $1,000,000 (Data Science Library Fund) • Jewish Board of Family and Children's Services: $500,000 (Social Work Residency Fund) • Bruns…
Where does S & L Marx Foundation make grants?
The foundation's grantmaking focuses primarily on Connecticut, New York, and Massachusetts.
What size grants does S & L Marx Foundation award?
In 2024, S & L Marx Foundation awarded 138 grants totaling $4.6M — an average of about $34K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is S & L Marx Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, S & L Marx Foundation reported a distributable amount of $5.2M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is S & L Marx Foundation's EIN?
S & L Marx Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-0677535. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.