The Markus Charitable Foundation
The Markus Charitable Foundation is a private foundation based in Wayzata, Minnesota. It says it was organized to promote Christian, educational, and conservation values, and that the benefits are not limited.
The Markus Charitable Foundation at a glance
In short: The Markus Charitable Foundation gave $33K across 28 grants in 2025 (avg $1K), mostly in Minnesota. 25% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $32,694
- +15.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 28
- +55.6% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $1,168
- -25.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $563
- Total assets
- $706,565
- -2.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 25% first-time grantees (7 of 28, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Minnesota (58% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Markus Charitable Foundation
- How to Apply
-
Send a letter to Ann Markus stating the organization’s charitable function and explaining how the money will be used. The foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations.
- Review Cycle
- Applications are accepted anytime; notice of approval or rejection is sent within three weeks.
- Deadline
- Applications are accepted anytime; notice of approval or rejection is sent within three weeks.
- Contact
Application contact: Ann Markus
Mailing address: 398 Waycliffe Drive North, Wayzata, MN 55391
Phone: (612) 961-3277
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Markus Charitable Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Westgate Church ($10K). Together the top 10 received $25K.
Grant Size Distribution
121 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 121 grants of 121 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 58% of grant dollars went to recipients in Minnesota, 11% to New York, 9% to Washington, D.C., 8% to Connecticut, and 5% to North Carolina.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 28 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Markus Charitable Foundation open to new grantees?
25%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 7 of 28 grantees (25%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $249; repeat grants $1K. How we count
Medians: $125 first-time, $1K repeat.
- 50% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+8%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 84% 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 (2020–2025). 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 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $25K (2020) to $36K (2023). In 2025 it made 28 grants totaling $33K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Westgate Church Plymouth, MN | Donation | $10,048 |
| Heart Trust Inc Southport, CT | Donation | $2,500 |
| Mobile Hope Corcoran, MN | Donation | $2,500 |
| Tunnels to Towers Staten Island, NY | Donation | $2,000 |
| Samaritan's Purse Boone, NC | Donation | $1,700 |
| International Fellowship of Christians & Jews Washington, DC | Donation | $1,500 |
| Smile Train Washington, DC | Donation | $1,500 |
| Catholic Charities St. Paul, MN | Donation | $1,000 |
| Doctors Without Borders New York, NY | Donation | $1,000 |
| Interfaith Outreachcommunity Partners Plymouth, MN | Donation | $1,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Markus Charitable Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $706,565 | $24,603 | $42,278 | $32,694 | 28 | $36,154 | $18,479 | $42,997 |
| 2024 | $724,240 | $11,846 | $39,989 | $28,300 | 18 | $34,325 | $6,182 | $38,670 |
| 2023 | $752,383 | $10,006 | $56,765 | $35,544 | 23 | $39,497 | — | $33,743 |
| 2022 | $799,142 | $130,783 | $37,018 | $30,360 | 23 | $32,445 | $126,210 | $35,003 |
| 2021 | $706,452 | $4,797 | $42,447 | $26,425 | 29 | $31,265 | $2,351 | $39,914 |
| 2020 | $745,250 | $339,439 | $33,895 | $24,855 | 24 | — | $335,208 | $28,915 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Markus Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $43K for 2025 — 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 purpose is to promote Christian, educational, and conservation values. Its 2025 grants went to organizations with varied missions. For example, Mobile Hope says it builds relationships and supports education, healthy activities, resource connections, and faith development in mobile home communities. Samaritan’s Purse describes itself as an evangelical Christian organization providing spiritual and physical aid. Other grantees describe work that includes pediatric cardiac care, cleft care, support for veterans, cancer research and patient support, and meals and human connection for people living independently.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 28 grants totaling $32,694. Awards ranged from $100 to $10,048, with a median of $562. It made 18 grants totaling $28,300 in 2024 and 23 grants totaling $35,544 in 2023.
The largest 2025 grant was $10,048 to Westgate Church in Plymouth, Minnesota. Other notable awards included $2,500 each to Heart Trust Inc and Mobile Hope; $2,000 to Tunnels to Towers; and $1,700 to Samaritan’s Purse. The listed purposes for these grants were donations.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Ann Markus as president and Chad Markus and Jeffrey Markus as board members.
The Markus Charitable Foundation is led by Ann Markus, President on every filing since 2020; 1 of 3 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Ann Markus
President
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$3K (2020) → $1K (2025)
Chad Markus
Board Member
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jeffrey Markus
Board Member
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Andrew Markus (2020–2022) — Board Member
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $1K, to Ann Markus (President).
Frequently asked questions about The Markus Charitable Foundation
How much does The Markus Charitable Foundation give each year?
The Markus Charitable Foundation gave $33K across 28 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $28K across 18 grants.
What is The Markus Charitable Foundation's typical grant size?
The Markus Charitable Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $563, and its average grant was $1,168, across 28 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Markus Charitable Foundation that year got $249 on average.
Where does The Markus Charitable Foundation give grants?
The Markus Charitable Foundation gives mostly in Minnesota: 58% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New York (11%) and District of Columbia (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Minneapolis, MN (7 grants), St. Paul, MN (3 grants), Plymouth, MN (2 grants) and Washington, DC (2 grants).
Does The Markus Charitable Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 28 grants with a stated purpose on The Markus Charitable Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Donation" (28 grants).
Who are The Markus Charitable Foundation's largest grantees?
The Markus Charitable Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Westgate Church ($10,048), Heart Trust Inc ($2,500) and Mobile Hope ($2,500), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 46% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Markus Charitable Foundation?
The Markus Charitable Foundation reported $707K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $36K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $43K (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 The Markus Charitable Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated purpose is to promote Christian, educational, and conservation values. Its 2025 grants went to organizations with varied missions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Markus Charitable Foundation?
Send a letter to Ann Markus stating the organization’s charitable function and explaining how the money will be used. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Markus Charitable Foundation's EIN?
The Markus Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 41-1991436. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 26, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 2, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 22, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 15, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 19, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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