The North Star Charitable Foundation
The North Star Charitable Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation established in 2014 and based in New York City. The foundation operates as a family philanthropy supported by Christopher M White and leadership from the Mars family. It functions as an independent foundation with no employees and does not maintain a public website or accept unsolicited funding requests.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$15.2M
+229.9% YoY
Grant Count
56
+47.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$271K
+123.9% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation supports a diverse range of causes including:
- Education
- Healthcare access
- Reproductive rights
- Environmental conservation
- Food security
- Social justice initiatives
The foundation makes grants on a discretionary basis to organizations selected by its leadership and board, rather than operating formal grant programs with specific names or application cycles.
Grantmaking
The foundation does not accept unsolicited funding requests. All grants are made exclusively to preselected charitable organizations.
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports national U.S.-based organizations, with recent grantmaking activity concentrated in Colorado, Washington, and the District of Columbia.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total assets: $20,553,696
- Total revenues: $24,401,071
- Total expenses: $15,302,669
- Annual giving: $15.2 million (representing 99.3% of total expenses)
- Total grants distributed: $15,193,596
As of 2023:
- Total assets: $18.8 million
- Total revenues: $14.1 million
- Total expenses: $4.62 million
Revenue Composition (2024):
- Total grants and contributions: $16,681,401
- Investment income and dividends: $569,950
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
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
187 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Planned Parenthood Federation ($4,000,000), Protestant Episcopal Cathedral ($1,250,000), Capital Area Food Bank ($1,100,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| RESPONSE ASPEN ASPEN, CO | GENERAL | $50,000 |
| ROARING FORK PUBLIC RADIO INC ASPEN, CO | GENERAL | $30,000 |
| CROSSROADS COMMUNITY FOOD NETWORK TAKOMA PARK, MD | GENERAL | $20,000 |
| THE GROWHAUS DENVER, CO | GENERAL | $30,000 |
| VOCES UNIDAS GLENWOOD SPRINGS, CO | GENERAL | $30,000 |
| REPROHUB SEATTLE, WA | GENERAL | $75,000 |
| VALLEY SETTLEMENT GLENWOOD SPRINGS, CO | GENERAL | $100,000 |
| FEEL GOOD ACTION SEATTLE, WA | GENERAL | $1,000,000 |
| ENGLISH IN ACTION BASALT, CO | GENERAL | $20,000 |
| ARMAND HAMMER MUSEUM OF ART AND CULTURAL LOS ANGELES, CA | GENERAL | $276,596 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| VALERIE A MARS | CHAIRMAN | 1 | — |
| PHILIP M WHITE | CHAIRMAN | 1 | — |
| CHRISTOPHER M WHITE | VICE-CHAIRMAN | 1 | — |
| JUSTIN F WHITE | VICE-CHAIRMAN | 1 | — |
| KELLY J CHAPMAN | VICE-CHAIRMAN | 1 | — |
| MOLLY CHRISTINE LYNCH | VICE-CHAIRMAN | 1 | — |
Contact Information
Address: C/O BBH Co, 140 Broadway PB-Tax S, New York, NY 10005
Telephone: 212-493-8000
EIN: 46-5425456
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The North Star Charitable Foundation fund?
The foundation supports a diverse range of causes including: • Education • Healthcare access • Reproductive rights • Environmental conservation • Food security • Social justice initiatives The foundation makes grants on a discretionary basis to organizations selected by its leadership and board, rather than operating formal grant programs with specific names or application cycles.
How do I apply for a grant from The North Star Charitable Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** • 2024: 56 grants distributed • 2023: 38 grants distributed • Total grants awarded since founding through 2023: 219 individual grants totaling approximately $39.7 million **Grant Amounts:** • Range: $5,000 to $4,000,000 • Median grant: $75,000 **Recent Notable Grants (2024):** • Planned Parenthood Federation of America: $4,000,000 • The Colorado College: $1,559,000 • Capital Area Food Bank: $1,100,000 **Application Process:** The foundation does not accept unsolicited fundin…
Where does The North Star Charitable Foundation make grants?
The foundation supports national U.S.-based organizations, with recent grantmaking activity concentrated in Colorado, Washington, and the District of Columbia.
What size grants does The North Star Charitable Foundation award?
In 2024, The North Star Charitable Foundation awarded 56 grants totaling $15.2M — an average of about $271K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is The North Star Charitable Foundation's EIN?
The North Star Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 46-5425456. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The North Star Charitable 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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