William and Cynthia Marcus
William and Cynthia Marcus is a private foundation based in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. Its 2025 filing lists grants to charitable organizations, including Jewish community, educational, and international relief organizations.
William and Cynthia Marcus at a glance
In short: William and Cynthia Marcus gave $279K across 59 grants in 2025 (avg $5K), top state Massachusetts. 25% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $278,543
- -2.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 59
- -4.8% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $4,721
- +2.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Total assets
- $788,349
- +148.6% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 25% first-time grantees (15 of 59, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (47% 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 William and Cynthia Marcus
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 99-50 Florence Street, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467-1930
Phone: (781) 237-6655
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who William and Cynthia Marcus funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Friends of Israel Defense Forces ($32K). Together the top 10 received $204K.
Grant Size Distribution
325 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 322 grants of 325 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, the reported shares of grant dollars by recipient state were Massachusetts 47%, New York 37%, California 13%, New Jersey 3%, and New Hampshire 1%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 59 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is William and Cynthia Marcus open to new grantees?
25%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 15 of 59 grantees (25%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $5K. How we count
Medians: $500 first-time, $1K repeat.
- 69% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−1%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 630% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $227K (2023) to $513K (2019). In 2025 it made 59 grants totaling $279K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Friends of Israel Defense Forces New York, NY | Charitable Operations | $32,000 |
| Temple Beth Elohim Wellesley, MA | Charitable Operations | $27,618 |
| Combined Jewish Philanthropies Boston, MA | Charitable Operations | $20,325 |
| American Jewish Committee New York, NY | Charitable Operations | $20,000 |
| American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee Inc New York, NY | Charitable Operations | $20,000 |
| Jewish Community Centers of Greater Boston Newton, MA | Charitable Operations | $20,000 |
| Jewish Federation Council of Greater Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | Charitable Operations | $20,000 |
| Solomon Schechter Day School of Greater Boston Newton, MA | Charitable Operations | $18,000 |
| Gann Academy Waltham, MA | Charitable Operations | $15,100 |
| Valley Beth Shalom Encino, CA | Charitable Operations | $10,770 |
Ready to take the next step with William and Cynthia Marcus?
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 | $788,349 | $776,669 | $305,389 | $278,543 | 59 | $292,049 | $244,557 | $46,327 |
| 2024 | $317,069 | $313,993 | $305,476 | $286,008 | 62 | $294,627 | $162,817 | $31,414 |
| 2023 | $308,552 | $242,609 | $256,564 | $226,642 | 79 | $239,564 | $164,072 | $26,277 |
| 2022 | $322,507 | $225,615 | $301,888 | $282,630 | 69 | $291,505 | $272,540 | $36,068 |
| 2021 | $398,780 | $175,886 | $276,634 | $268,814 | 56 | — | $207,862 | $25,210 |
| 2020 | $499,528 | $280,317 | $305,370 | $280,677 | 57 | — | $119,537 | $35,566 |
| 2019 | $524,581 | $497,144 | $534,603 | $512,510 | 55 | — | $170,730 | $40,077 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, William and Cynthia Marcus reported a distributable amount of $46K 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
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for organizations whose missions span several areas. For example, American Jewish Committee says it works to advance the wellbeing of Jewish people and Israel, human rights, and democratic values; American Jewish World Service says it works toward human rights and ending poverty in several regions around the world. MIT Hillel says it promotes religious, educational, and social activities for the Jewish community at MIT. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not the foundation’s.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation gave $278,543 through 59 grants. Grant amounts ranged from $50 to $32,000, with a median of $1,000. Among the largest awards were $32,000 to Friends of Israel Defense Forces, $27,618 to Temple Beth Elohim, $20,325 to Combined Jewish Philanthropies, and $20,000 each to American Jewish Committee, American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, Jewish Community Centers of Greater Boston, and Jewish Federation Council of Greater Los Angeles. The filing lists each grant’s purpose as charitable operations.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists William M. Marcus, Cynthia S. Marcus, Daniel H. Marcus, Melanie L. Marcus, and Richard S. Marcus as trustees.
William and Cynthia Marcus's 2025 filing lists 5 officers; none of the 5 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Cynthia S. Marcus
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Daniel H. Marcus
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Melanie L. Marcus
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Richard S. Marcus
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
William M. Marcus
Trustee
On filings since 2019
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 William and Cynthia Marcus
How much does William and Cynthia Marcus give each year?
William and Cynthia Marcus gave $279K across 59 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $286K across 62 grants.
What is William and Cynthia Marcus's typical grant size?
William and Cynthia Marcus's median grant in 2025 was $1,000, and its average grant was $4,721, across 59 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from William and Cynthia Marcus that year got $3K on average.
Where does William and Cynthia Marcus give grants?
William and Cynthia Marcus's top state is Massachusetts, with 47% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were New York (37%) and California (13%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (11 grants), Boston, MA (8 grants), Newton, MA (3 grants) and Los Angeles, CA (3 grants).
Does William and Cynthia Marcus give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 59 grants with a stated purpose on William and Cynthia Marcus's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable Operations" (59 grants).
Who are William and Cynthia Marcus's largest grantees?
William and Cynthia Marcus's largest 2025 grantees include Friends of Israel Defense Forces ($32,000), Temple Beth Elohim ($27,618) and Combined Jewish Philanthropies ($20,325), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 29% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is William and Cynthia Marcus?
William and Cynthia Marcus reported $788K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $292K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $46K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does William and Cynthia Marcus fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for organizations whose missions span several areas. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from William and Cynthia Marcus?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
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 2019–2025.
Does William and Cynthia Marcus accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS February 11, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS January 20, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS February 8, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS February 14, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS February 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS February 7, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS February 13, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in William and Cynthia Marcus's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
Aetna Foundation Inc
Hartford, CT
Aetna Foundation supported health and wellness, access to health care, and related community needs; its 2021 grants ranged from $5,000 to $1 million, with a median of $40,000, and went to organizations across multiple states, especially in D.C. and Connecticut. Its 2021 filing was marked final, so it appears to have ended or be winding down grantmaking; that filing said there were no restrictions on who could apply and pointed applicants to its website for application materials.
Assets
—
Grants
65
Total Given
$7.2M
McKesson Foundation Inc
Dallas, TX
The McKesson Foundation funds cancer support and care, healthcare workforce pathways, and emergency response, with grants mainly supporting organizations in the United States and Canada. Its 2025 grants had a median of $100,000, though amounts ranged from $10,000 to about $2.47 million. Its filing says it does not accept unsolicited requests, while its application page describes an online application process with stated submission windows.
Assets
$1.6M
Grants
76
Total Given
$16.6M
Lovett-Woodsum Foundation Inc
Boston, MA
The foundation supports a range of charitable organizations, including those in education and career development, the arts, animal welfare, family support, conservation, and ecology. Its 2024 grants had a median of $8,000 and ranged from $7 to $400,000; most funding went to Massachusetts, followed by New Hampshire. It gives only to preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$87.6M
Grants
85
Total Given
$1.9M
Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation Inc
Princeton, NJ
The Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation supports health access and stronger health systems, with a focus on adult and pediatric cancers, blood disorders, brain health, and clinical-trial participation in the United States, Brazil, India, and ten Sub-Saharan African countries. In 2024, its median grant was about $134,000, though awards varied widely; it does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests, and advises prospective applicants to contact the Foundation about its process.
Assets
$83.3M
Grants
144
Total Given
$67.7M
Joseph and RAE Gann Charitable
Bal Harbour, FL
Assets
$17.0M
Grants
237
Total Given
$1.8M
The Klarman Family Foundation
Boston, MA
The Klarman Family Foundation funds health research, democracy, access to services and enrichment, and the global Jewish community, through operating, project, and capital grants, with giving across the U.S. and internationally and a strong Massachusetts presence. Its 2024 grants ranged from $50 to $5 million, with a median of $100,000. Most grants are by invitation; the Community Capital Fund accepts applications for eligible Massachusetts capital projects.
Assets
$713.2M
Grants
260
Total Given
$82.2M
More similar funders
More Funders in Massachusetts
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). William and Cynthia Marcus funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/william-and-cynthia-marcus-morg_147cc0d8bd78486f97a4dd1149dc9b3f
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_046042910_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{William and Cynthia Marcus funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/william-and-cynthia-marcus-morg_147cc0d8bd78486f97a4dd1149dc9b3f},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 William and Cynthia Marcus'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.
William and Cynthia Marcus down — hundreds of funders to go?