S & L Marx Foundation
The S & L Marx Foundation is a private foundation based in Wilmington, Delaware. It makes grants to charitable organizations, including educational institutions, social-service organizations, and health-related organizations. Its 2024 grants included support for student aid and educational programs, social work training, research, and community services.
S & L Marx Foundation at a glance
In short: S & L Marx Foundation gave $4.6M across 138 grants in 2024 (avg $34K), mostly in Connecticut. 8% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $4,641,000
- -1.1% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 138
- +1.5% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $33,630
- -2.6% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $83,145,844
- +10.3% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 8% first-time grantees (10 of 120, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Connecticut (59% 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 S & L Marx Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation 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 S & L Marx Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Yale University ($1.5M across 8 grants). Together the top 10 received $3.3M.
Grant Size Distribution
671 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 558 grants of 671 (83%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, Connecticut recipients received 59% of grant dollars and New York recipients received 29%. California accounted for 6%, Illinois 2%, and Massachusetts 1%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 138 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is S & L Marx Foundation open to new grantees?
8%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 10 of 120 grantees (8%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $6K; repeat grants $42K. How we count
Medians: $4K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 88% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−2%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 95% 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 $4.6M (2020) to $4.7M (2021). In 2024 it made 138 grants totaling $4.6M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Yale University New Haven, CT | Data Science Library fund | $1,000,000 |
| Jewish Board of Family & Childrens Services Inc New York, NY | Social Work Residency fund | $500,000 |
| Brunswick School Inc Greenwich, CT | Horizons Summer Enrichment Program Endowment | $250,000 |
| Stanford University - GSB Stanford, CA | BOLD Fellows Fund for Student Support | $250,000 |
| Greenwich Academy Inc Greenwich, CT | STEM Faculty Professional Development Fund | $200,000 |
| Hospital for Special Surgery Fund Inc New York, NY | Musculoskeletal Research under the direction of Dr. Ugur Ayturk, PhD | $200,000 |
| Boys and Girls Club of Greenwich Greenwich, CT | Art & STEAM Lab fund in Horseneck Lane facility | $150,000 |
| Yale University New Haven, CT | Yale Program for the Study of Antisemitism | $125,000 |
| Yale University New Haven, CT | Robert Blocker Scholarship Fund to provide financial aid to students within the Yale School of Music | $125,000 |
| Alzheimers Disease and Related Disorders Associati Chicago, IL | Dementia Care Coordination Program in New England | $100,000 |
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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 | $83,145,844 | $13,181,624 | $5,406,415 | $4,641,000 | 138 | $4,971,666 | $12,871,089 | $5,242,148 |
| 2023 | $75,370,635 | $3,702,800 | $5,375,670 | $4,694,550 | 136 | $5,022,569 | $3,432,292 | $4,859,287 |
| 2022 | $77,043,505 | $5,891,144 | $5,364,257 | $4,699,300 | 141 | $5,009,293 | $5,581,025 | $4,860,938 |
| 2021 | $76,516,618 | $8,473,430 | $5,306,813 | $4,730,300 | 136 | $4,998,076 | $8,197,008 | $5,269,044 |
| 2020 | $73,350,001 | $3,308,742 | $5,029,475 | $4,578,550 | 120 | — | $4,072,210 | $4,324,856 |
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.
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 a range of organizations and purposes. For example, Brunswick School describes itself as a day school for boys from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade, while Greenwich Academy describes its work as providing a rigorous, inclusive educational experience for girls and young women. Other supported organizations describe work in college preparation and access, early education for disadvantaged children, services for people with disabilities, and accessible primary health care.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 138 grants totaling $4,641,000. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $1,000,000, with a median of $5,000. In 2023, it made 136 grants totaling $4,694,550. Its 2024 filing, the latest on this page, reports 138 grants totaling $4.6 million.
Among its largest 2024 grants were $1,000,000 to Yale University for a Data Science Library fund; $500,000 to Jewish Board of Family & Children’s Services for a Social Work Residency fund; and $250,000 to Brunswick School for its Horizons Summer Enrichment Program Endowment. Other notable grants included $250,000 to Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business for the BOLD Fellows Fund for Student Support and $200,000 to Greenwich Academy for a STEM Faculty Professional Development Fund.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Officers and directors listed on the 2024 filing are Sylvia Marx, president and director; Nancy M Better, executive director and secretary; James Better, director and treasurer; and directors Laura Weintraub Beck, Charles Better, David Better, and Sarah Better.
S & L Marx Foundation is led by Nancy M Better, Executive Director & Secretary on every filing since 2020; 1 of 7 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Nancy M Better
Executive Director & Secretary
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$150K (2020) → $189K (2024)
Sylvia Marx
Director & President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Charles Better
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David Better
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
James Better
Director & Treasurer
Director → Director & Treasurer, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sarah Better
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Laura Weintraub Beck
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Leonard Marx (2020–2022) — Director
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 $189K, to Nancy M Better (Executive Dir, Sec).
Frequently asked questions about S & L Marx Foundation
How much does S & L Marx Foundation give each year?
S & L Marx Foundation gave $4.6M across 138 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $4.7M across 136 grants.
What is S & L Marx Foundation's typical grant size?
S & L Marx Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $33,630, across 138 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from S & L Marx Foundation that year got $6K on average.
Where does S & L Marx Foundation give grants?
S & L Marx Foundation gives mostly in Connecticut: 59% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New York (29%) and California (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (31 grants), Greenwich, CT (27 grants), New Haven, CT (14 grants) and Stamford, CT (7 grants).
Does S & L Marx Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 28% of S & L Marx Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (39 of 138) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Charitable Event" (4 grants).
Who are S & L Marx Foundation's largest grantees?
S & L Marx Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Yale University ($1,455,000 across 8 grants), Jewish Board of Family & Childrens Services Inc ($500,000) and Brunswick School Inc ($260,000 across 3 grants), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 48% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is S & L Marx Foundation?
S & L Marx Foundation reported $83.1M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $5.0M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $5.2M (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 S & L Marx Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for a range of organizations and purposes. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from S & L Marx Foundation?
The foundation 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 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.
Does S & L Marx 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). S & L Marx Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/s-and-l-marx-foundation-morg_7d210d67d701441897715b1c495cb4ac
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_200677535_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{S \& L Marx Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/s-and-l-marx-foundation-morg_7d210d67d701441897715b1c495cb4ac},
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 S & L Marx 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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