The Mario Family Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation based in Chatham, New Jersey. Established in 2005 as the successor foundation to the Ernest and Mildred Martha Mario Foundation, it operates as a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to supporting community organizations through philanthropic grants.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$26.0M
+2.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.1M
+7.8% YoY
Grant Count
19
-5.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$110K
+13.5% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Mario Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.8M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary funding interests include:
- Education
- Science and STEM education
- Human services
- Health care and medical research
- Pharmacy and medical scholarships
Grantmaking
The foundation made 25 grants in 2024 and 13 grants in 2023. Recent notable grants include:
Grant Range
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in:
- North Carolina
- New Jersey
- South Carolina
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $25,973,402
- Total Revenues: $3,196,242
- Total Expenses: $2,515,528
- Total Giving: $2,099,024
As of 2023:
- Total Assets: $25,292,688
- Total Revenues: $2,241,370
- Total Expenses: $2,315,173
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $25,973,402 | $25,292,688 | $24,648,464 |
| Revenue | $3,196,242 | $2,241,370 | $468,683 |
| Expenses | $2,515,528 | $2,315,173 | $2,961,372 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $2,291,567 | $2,083,552 | $2,743,651 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,832,028 | $1,938,374 | $253,809 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,759,498 | $1,589,214 | $1,677,627 |
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
106 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Rutgers University Foundation ($500,000), Duke University Health ($220,000), North Carolina Submarine Museum ($175,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AMERICAN FOUNDATION FOR PHARMACEUTICAL EDUC WASHINGTON, DC | OPERATING FUND | $50,000 |
| CRISTO REY NETWORK CHICAGO, IL | CAPACITY BUILDING 2026 CAMPAIGN | $150,000 |
| DUKE UNIVERSITY ATHLETIC ASSOC DURHAM, NC | BASKETBALL LEGACY FUND | $100,000 |
| DUKE UNIVERSITY HEALTH DURHAM, NC | FAMILY CHRONIC CARE IMPROVEMENT FD & MEDICAL CENTER | $220,000 |
| DUKE UNIVERSITY PEDIATRICS DURHAM, NC | PEDIATRICS IMPROVE & EXPAND CARE NOW | $98,000 |
| HOUSING NANTUCKET NANTUCKET, MA | HELP PROVIDE QUALITY HOUSING | $10,000 |
| NAVAL INSTITUTE FOUNDATION ANNAPOLIS, MD | DIGITIZING OUR MARITIME HISTORY | $151,120 |
| OPEN TABLE MINISTRY DURHAM, NC | GENERAL SUPPORT | $150,000 |
| OPEN TABLE MINISTRY DURHAM, NC | EXECUTIVE AND ASSISTANT DIRECTOR POSITION | $85,000 |
| PALO ALTO HISTORICAL ASSOC PALO ALTO, CA | MILLIE MARIO MOVING IMAGES COLLECTION | $20,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Marylou Rowe – Executive Director
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| DR ERNEST MARIO | DIRECTOR (DECEASED 10/20/24) | 2.5 | — |
| CHRISTOPHER B MARIO | DIRECTOR | 2 | $10,000 |
| GREGORY G MARIO | DIRECTOR | 1 | $5,000 |
| JEREMY K MARIO | DIRECTOR | 1 | $10,000 |
| SAMANTHA VENTIMIGLIA | DIRECTOR | 1 | $5,000 |
| JEFFREY SPRITZER | DIRECTOR | 2 | $10,000 |
| MARYLOU ROWE | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 3 | $24,984 |
Contact Information
Address: PO Box 445, Chatham, NJ 07928-0445
Phone: 973-635-6727
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Mario Family Foundation fund?
The foundation's primary funding interests include: • Education • Science and STEM education • Human services • Health care and medical research • Pharmacy and medical scholarships
How do I apply for a grant from The Mario Family Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** The foundation made 25 grants in 2024 and 13 grants in 2023. Recent notable grants include: • Rutgers University Foundation: $500,000 (Pharmacy/MD Scholarships, 2024) • Duke University Health System: $220,000 (Family Chronic Care Improvement, 2024) • The Naval Institute Foundation: $151,120 (Digitizing Maritime History, 2024) • Duke University Health System: $152,000 (Colon Cancer Clinical Trial, 2023) **Grant Range:** Typical awards range from $5,000 to $500,274.
Where does The Mario Family Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in: • North Carolina • New Jersey • South Carolina
What size grants does The Mario Family Foundation award?
In 2024, The Mario Family Foundation awarded 19 grants totaling $2.1M — an average of about $110K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Mario Family Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Mario Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.8M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Mario Family Foundation's EIN?
The Mario Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-1400656. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Mario Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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