The Marcus Foundation
The Marcus Foundation is a Denver, Colorado-based private foundation that supports organizations working on community food resources and sustainability. It describes its approach as addressing immediate critical needs while also working to change underlying, system-wide challenges.
The Marcus Foundation at a glance
In short: The Marcus Foundation gave $31K across 12 grants in 2024 (avg $3K), mostly in Colorado. 8% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $31,150
- -8.4% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 12
- -7.7% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $2,596
- -0.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $1,075
- Total assets
- $1,177,286
- +4.9% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 8% first-time grantees (1 of 12, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Colorado (66% 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 The Marcus Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The Foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. Its website says written inquiries about matching grants and partnerships in its stated areas of interest are welcome, but it may not be possible to respond to every inquiry.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1051 Fillmore St, Denver, CO 80206
Phone: (303) 321-0385
Website: https://www.marcusfound.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Marcus Foundation
Who The Marcus Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Denver Botanic Gardens ($10K). Together the top 10 received $30K.
Grant Size Distribution
58 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 58 grants of 58 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 filing reports that 66% of grant dollars went to recipients in Colorado, 16% to Massachusetts, and 14% to New York. The listed grants include organizations in Denver, Boston, Jericho, and New York City.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 12 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Marcus Foundation open to new grantees?
8%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 1 of 12 grantees (8%) were first-time recipients. With only 12 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $3K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $1K repeat.
- 83% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 41% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 129% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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 $26K (2022) to $53K (2021). In 2024 it made 12 grants totaling $31K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Denver Botanic Gardens Denver, CO | General Operating | $10,000 |
| Ceres Inc Boston, MA | Operating | $5,000 |
| Denver Urban Gardens Denver, CO | General Operating | $5,000 |
| Smile Farms Inc Jericho, NY | General Operating | $3,000 |
| Food for Thought Denver, CO | General Operating | $1,500 |
| IMPACT100 Metro Denver Denver, CO | General Operating | $1,150 |
| Ag & Food Lab | General Operating | $1,000 |
| Clayton Early Learning Denver, CO | General Operating | $1,000 |
| Community Food Advocates New York, NY | Operating | $1,000 |
| Re Vision Denver, CO | General Operating | $1,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Marcus Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The 2024 filing reports 12 grants; the 2023 filing reports 13, and the 2022 filing reports 8.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $1,177,286 | $135,033 | $91,777 | $31,150 | 12 | $82,369 | $18,225 | $63,985 |
| 2023 | $1,122,734 | $220,310 | $85,117 | $34,000 | 13 | $71,558 | $8,000 | $51,767 |
| 2022 | $984,000 | $-9,540 | $252,399 | $26,000 | 8 | $57,550 | — | $54,131 |
| 2021 | $1,214,203 | $285,862 | $89,755 | $53,100 | 13 | $80,755 | $211,275 | $51,991 |
| 2020 | $1,018,096 | $128,413 | $94,323 | $42,000 | 12 | — | $105,189 | $54,172 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Marcus Foundation reported a distributable amount of $64K 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
The Foundation’s stated focus is community food resources and sustainability. It defines community food resources broadly, encompassing hunger and related issues such as poverty, community development, and economic policy. Its sustainability work aims to support practices that consider the consequences of present-day actions for the future.
Its stated funding areas include raising awareness of hunger and delivering food resources to meet short-term needs, as well as addressing structural obstacles and incentives that hinder sustainable practices. The Foundation also describes collaboration, partnership, and systemic change as part of its approach.
Examples of supported organizations illustrate the range of work represented among its grantees. Denver Urban Gardens says its mission is to help people grow healthy food in community and regenerate urban green spaces. Community Food Advocates says it works through public policy to support access to healthy, affordable, culturally affirming food in New York. Ceres describes itself as a sustainability advocacy organization focused on challenges including climate change, water, and biodiversity. Denver Botanic Gardens says its mission is to connect people with plants, especially those of the Rocky Mountain region and similar regions.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the Foundation reported 12 grants totaling $31,150. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $10,000, with a median grant of $1,075. The listed grants were primarily for general operating support or operating purposes.
The largest 2024 grants included $10,000 to Denver Botanic Gardens, $5,000 to Ceres Inc, and $5,000 to Denver Urban Gardens. Other notable awards were $3,000 to Smile Farms Inc and $1,000 to Community Food Advocates.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Jonathan J. Halperin as president and Amy Halperin Wood as vice president.
The Marcus Foundation is led by Jonathan J. Halperin, President on every filing since 2020; all 2 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Jonathan J. Halperin
President
On filings since 2020
$15K (2020) → $30K (2024)
Amy Halperin Wood
Vice President
On filings since 2020
$15K (2020) → $15K (2024)
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 $30K, to Jonathan J Halperin (President). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Marcus Foundation
How much does The Marcus Foundation give each year?
The Marcus Foundation gave $31K across 12 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $34K across 13 grants.
What is The Marcus Foundation's typical grant size?
The Marcus Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $1,075, and its average grant was $2,596, across 12 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Marcus Foundation that year got $2K on average.
Where does The Marcus Foundation give grants?
The Marcus Foundation gives mostly in Colorado: 66% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Massachusetts (16%) and New York (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were Denver, CO (7 grants).
Does The Marcus Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Marcus Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (12 of 12) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Marcus Foundation's largest grantees?
The Marcus Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Denver Botanic Gardens ($10,000), Ceres Inc ($5,000) and Denver Urban Gardens ($5,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 64% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Marcus Foundation?
The Marcus Foundation reported $1.2M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $82K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $64K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Marcus Foundation fund?
The Foundation’s stated focus is community food resources and sustainability. It defines community food resources broadly, encompassing hunger and related issues such as poverty, community development, and economic policy. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Marcus Foundation?
The Foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Marcus Foundation's EIN?
The Marcus Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-3610094. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Marcus 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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The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open
Figures come from The Marcus 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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