The Mars Family Charitable Foundation
The Mars Family Charitable Foundation is a private foundation based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Its 2024 filing lists grants to charitable organizations in areas including community services, education, arts, food assistance, and Jewish community organizations.
The Mars Family Charitable Foundation at a glance
In short: The Mars Family Charitable Foundation gave $60K across 48 grants in 2024 (avg $1K), top state Pennsylvania. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $60,150
- +3.7% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 48
- +23.1% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $1,253
- -15.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $675
- Total assets
- $181,849
- -23.8% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (32% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to The Mars Family Charitable Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 681 Andersen Drive Ste 300, Pittsburgh, PA 15220-2747
Phone: (412) 928-1406
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Mars Family Charitable Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Tree of Life ($13K). Together the top 10 received $33K.
Grant Size Distribution
160 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 159 grants of 160 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, grant dollars were distributed across multiple states. Pennsylvania received 32%, California 31%, Arizona 15%, North Carolina 6%, and Washington, DC 5%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 48 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How The Mars Family Charitable Foundation gives
- 67% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 20% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 446% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (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 $50K (2022) to $60K (2024). In 2024 it made 48 grants totaling $60K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Tree of Life Pittsburgh, PA | All Grants Made to Charity's General Fund | $12,750 |
| Jewish Federation & Family Services of Orange Cty Irvin, CA | All Grants Made to Charity's General Fund | $3,500 |
| Fuente Latina Miami, FL | All Grants Made to Charity's General Fund | $3,000 |
| Beloved Ashville Ashville, NC | All Grants Made to Charity's General Fund | $2,500 |
| World Central Kitchen Washington, DC | All Grants Made to Charity's General Fund | $2,500 |
| Planned Parenthood Action Fund Tempe, AZ | All Grants Made to Charity's General Fund | $2,000 |
| Youth in Arts San Rafael, CA | All Grants Made to Charity's General Fund | $2,000 |
| Congregation Kehillah Cave Creek, AZ | All Grants Made to Charity's General Fund | $1,800 |
| Coleman Elementary School San Rafael, CA | All Grants Made to Charity's General Fund | $1,500 |
| Denver Health Foundation Denver, CO | All Grants Made to Charity's General Fund | $1,500 |
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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 | $181,849 | $10,757 | $67,650 | $60,150 | 48 | $60,150 | $7,850 | $13,488 |
| 2023 | $238,742 | $6,976 | $66,902 | $58,000 | 39 | $58,000 | $5,900 | $14,795 |
| 2022 | $298,668 | $27,658 | $59,594 | $49,750 | 39 | $49,750 | $5,286 | $15,910 |
| 2021 | $330,604 | $16,779 | $55,278 | $49,990 | 33 | $49,990 | $15,411 | $18,011 |
| 2020 | $369,103 | $379,358 | $57,840 | $57,490 | 1 | — | $4,358 | $12,878 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Mars Family Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $13K 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 include support for a range of charitable organizations. For example, Youth in Arts says it builds visual and performing arts skills and promotes equitable access to arts education; World Central Kitchen says it provides meals in response to humanitarian, climate, and community crises; and Feeding America says it works to ensure equitable access to nutritious food.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation awarded 48 grants totaling $60,150. Grants ranged from $500 to $12,750, with a median of $675. The largest grant was $12,750 to Tree of Life in Pittsburgh. Other notable grants included $3,500 to Jewish Federation & Family Services of Orange County, $3,000 to Fuente Latina, $2,500 each to Beloved Ashville and World Central Kitchen, and $2,000 each to Planned Parenthood Action Fund and Youth in Arts. The stated purpose for the listed grants is the recipient charity’s general fund.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Peter F. Mars, Sally Mars Carey, and Andrew F. Mars as trustees, and David M. Martin as administrative trustee.
The Mars Family Charitable Foundation's 2024 filing lists 4 officers; none of the 4 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Andrew F. Mars
Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
David M. Martin
Administrative Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Peter F. Mars
Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Sally Mars Carey
Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
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.
Frequently asked questions about The Mars Family Charitable Foundation
How much does The Mars Family Charitable Foundation give each year?
The Mars Family Charitable Foundation gave $60K across 48 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $58K across 39 grants.
What is The Mars Family Charitable Foundation's typical grant size?
The Mars Family Charitable Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $675, and its average grant was $1,253, across 48 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Mars Family Charitable Foundation give grants?
The Mars Family Charitable Foundation's top state is Pennsylvania, with 32% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were California (31%) and Arizona (15%). The most frequent recipient cities were San Rafael, CA (13 grants), Pittsburgh, PA (8 grants), Scottsdale, AZ (4 grants) and San Francisco, CA (4 grants).
Does The Mars Family Charitable Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Mars Family Charitable Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (48 of 48) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Mars Family Charitable Foundation's largest grantees?
The Mars Family Charitable Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Tree of Life ($12,750), Jewish Federation & Family Services of Orange Cty ($3,500) and Fuente Latina ($3,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 32% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Mars Family Charitable Foundation?
The Mars Family Charitable Foundation reported $182K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $60K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $13K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Mars Family Charitable Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants include support for a range of charitable organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Mars Family Charitable Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Mars Family Charitable Foundation's EIN?
The Mars Family Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 25-6585615. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Mars Family Charitable 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). The Mars Family Charitable Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 4, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-mars-family-charitable-foundation-morg_318c482d27a5494ca13b73ca0a652124
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_256585615_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Mars Family Charitable Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-mars-family-charitable-foundation-morg_318c482d27a5494ca13b73ca0a652124},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-04. 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 The Mars Family Charitable 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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