William and Cynthia Marcus
The William and Cynthia Marcus Family Charitable Trust is a private foundation based in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. Established in May 1962, the trust operates as a tax-exempt charitable organization with EIN 04-6042910.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$317K
+2.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$286K
+26.2% YoY
Grant Count
62
-21.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$5K
+60.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, William and Cynthia Marcus reported a distributable amount of $31K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's grant-making priorities include:
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Human Services
- Nonprofit Human Services
- Poverty Alleviation
Grantmaking
The foundation makes grants primarily to support nonprofit organizations in its focus areas, with a concentration on human services and educational initiatives.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation directs its grant-making primarily to organizations in:
- Massachusetts
- New York
- New Hampshire
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Metric | Amount |
|---|---|
| Total Assets | $788,349 |
| Total Annual Giving | $278,543 |
The foundation's financial data is based on the most recent IRS Form 990 filing for fiscal year 2025.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $317,069 | $308,552 | $322,507 |
| Revenue | $313,993 | $242,609 | $225,615 |
| Expenses | $305,476 | $256,564 | $301,888 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $294,627 | $239,564 | $291,505 |
| Net Investment Income | $162,817 | $164,072 | $272,540 |
| Distributable Amount | $31,414 | $26,277 | $36,068 |
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
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Gann Academy ($68,000), Solomon Schechter Day School of Greater Boston ($36,000), Combined Jewish Philanthropies ($24,100).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 2LIFE COMMUNITIES INC BRIGHTON, MA | CHARITABLE OPERATIONS | $500 |
| AMERICA ISRAEL DEMOCRACY COALITION WYNNEWOOD, PA | CHARITABLE OPERATIONS | $5,000 |
| AMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE NEW YORK, NY | CHARITABLE OPERATIONS | $15,000 |
| AMERICAN JEWISH JOINT DISTRIBUTION COMMITTEE INC NEW YORK, NY | CHARITABLE OPERATIONS | $6,000 |
| AMERICAN JEWISH WORLD SERVICE NEW YORK, NY | CHARITABLE OPERATIONS | $10,000 |
| AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR TECHNION - ISRAEL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY NEW YORK CITY, NY | CHARITABLE OPERATIONS | $6,440 |
| BABSON COLLEGE BABSON PARK, MA | CHARITABLE OPERATIONS | $1,000 |
| BETH ISRAEL DECAONESS MEDICAL CENTER BOSTON, MA | CHARITABLE OPERATIONS | $1,000 |
| BIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL NEW YORK CITY, NY | CHARITABLE OPERATIONS | $5,000 |
| BROOKLINE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION INC BROOKLINE, MA | CHARITABLE OPERATIONS | $500 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| WILLIAM M MARCUS | TRUSTEE | 10 | — |
| CYNTHIA S MARCUS | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| DANIEL H MARCUS | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| MELANIE L MARCUS | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| RICHARD S MARCUS | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does William and Cynthia Marcus fund?
The foundation's grant-making priorities include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services • Nonprofit Human Services • Poverty Alleviation
How do I apply for a grant from William and Cynthia Marcus?
**Financial Profile:** • Total assets: $788,349 • Total annual giving: $278,543 • Typical grant awards: $50,000–$68,000 The foundation makes grants primarily to support nonprofit organizations in its focus areas, with a concentration on human services and educational initiatives.
Where does William and Cynthia Marcus make grants?
The foundation directs its grant-making primarily to organizations in: • Massachusetts • New York • New Hampshire
What size grants does William and Cynthia Marcus award?
In 2024, William and Cynthia Marcus awarded 62 grants totaling $286K — an average of about $5K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is William and Cynthia Marcus required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, William and Cynthia Marcus reported a distributable amount of $31K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is William and Cynthia Marcus's EIN?
William and Cynthia Marcus's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-6042910. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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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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