Billi and Bernie Marcus Foundation

OVERVIEW: The Marcus Foundation’s health-related grantmaking is relatively wide-ranging. The foundation has a history of supporting research related to cancer, innovative therapies to treat conditions such as heart disease and autism, pathology, ALS, and conditions affecting the brain. In its Jewish-related philanthropy, preserving Jewish identity and culture is the top priority, which manifests in substantial support for the state of Israel and youth development, among other focus areas. 

IP TAKE: This is not an accessible funder. It is also an extremely quiet funder with next to no web presence, making it difficult for lesser-known organizations to attract the foundation’s attention. The vast majority of its related grants are awarded to large, well-known medical institutions and research facilities. However, you can contact them at the number provided below. They’re reasonably approachable, but don’t expect to secure funds by networking over the phone. Note that this funder does not support progressive causes. Indeed, its founder, Bernie Marcus has donated heavily to Donald Trump’s presidential campaigns.

PROFILE: According to Bernard “Bernie” Marcus’s profile on Forbes, the Home Depot co-founder has already given away over $1 billion through his Atlanta-based Marcus Foundation. But you would hardly know it, as the foundation keeps a low profile and does not have a website. However, it awards hundreds of grants each year, many surpassing the million dollar mark. Main areas of giving focus for the Marcus Foundation include health and Jewish causes.

Grants for Public Health and Diseases

The foundation’s support for diseases covers a number of conditions and illnesses, including different types of cancers, innovative therapies to treat conditions such as heart disease and autism, pathology, ALS, and conditions affecting the brain. Since the foundation does not have a website, it is difficult to determine its overall mission or grantmaking goals. However, it appears to have an affinity for innovative and novel projects. The majority of grants are awarded to large medical institutions and research facilities, however, some grants also go to groups fighting certain diseases, such as the Israel Cancer Association and the National Tay-Sachs and Allied Diseases Association.

Other major grants include a five-year $38 million grant to University of Colorado Anschutz Medical to improve its programs geared toward military vets and their families and establish the Marcus Institute for Brain Health (MIBH) at CU Anschutz; a $20 million grant to what is now known as the Marcus Heart Valve Center, which is part of the Atlanta-based Piedmont Healthcare group; and a $75 million gift for continuing support of the Piedmont Heart Institute. In 2015, the foundation awarded two researchers at Duke University a $15 million grant to fund a study of the use of umbilical cord blood cells to treat brain disorders such as autism and cerebral palsy. Marcus’ interest in funding brain studies goes back further than that, though. In 2005, the foundation gave $25 million to launch Autism Speaks, and in 2012, it gave Boca Raton Regional Hospital a $25 million grant to create the Marcus Neuroscience Institute. Of the gift, Bernie Marcus said, “We have long tried to help those involved in caring for individuals with neurological disease or impairment on both a pediatric and adult basis.” In 2020, The Shepherd Center, a specialty rehabilitation hospital in Atlanta, received a $80 million grant.

Grants for Jewish Causes

The primary through-line to all of Marcus’ Jewish-related giving is a focus on maintaining Jewish communities and Jewish culture, both in the U.S. and Israel. Support of youth development and education play a major role for this funder, with an enormous list of organizations that receive significant support. These include the Foundation for Campus Jewish Life, the Israel on Campus Coalition, BBYO, Birthright Israel, and a wide variety of day camps, Hillels, and Jewish day schools. The foundation gave $20 million to establish RootOne, a program that helps to pay for trips to Israel for Jewish teens seeking a deeper connection to the country and their Jewish identity. Marcus’ youth development and education focus also extends to the youth of and from Israel. For example, in a recent year the Marcus Foundation gave a 7-figure gift to Friends of Yemin Orde, specifically earmarked for “transforming education for Israeli immigrants and at-risk children and youth.” 

More broadly, the state of Israel is a very significant cause for Marcus. In 1991, with the assistance of Israeli leaders and former Secretary of State George Shultz, Marcus helped co-found the Israel Democracy Institute, which self describes as “an independent center of research and action dedicated to strengthening the foundations of Israeli democracy.” As Marcus Foundation Executive Director Jay Kaiman explains, Marcus “got concerned years ago not only about the external threats to Israel, but about the internal threats.” The Marcus Foundation has given tens of millions to the Israel Democracy Institute through the years and recently gave a $25 million gift to American Friends of Magen David Adom to build a new blood center—called the Marcus National Blood Services Center. Back stateside, the Atlanta-area is home to the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta.

Grants for Military and Veterans

The Marcus foundation does not have a specific grantmaking program dedicated to supporting veterans and military families, but tax records show that it has made substantial grants in this area in the past, particularly for veterans with traumatic brain injuries. Marcus created The Marcus Institute for Brain Health at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus to care for former military personnel with Traumatic Brain Injury or who suffer from post-traumatic stress, depression or anxiety. The Foundation gave $80 million to The Shepherd Center in Atlanta, a specialty rehabilitation hospital that treats veterans and other patients with spinal cord injury, brain injury, stroke, multiple sclerosis, spine and chronic pain, and other neuromuscular conditions. In 2021, Marcus gave The Gary Sinise Foundation Avalon Network $20 million to support cognitive health and mental wellness programs military veterans and their families. Other grantees include $1.5 to The Warrior Alliance, for a veteran community integration program, and $15 million to Boca Raton Regional Hospital’s Marcus Neuroscience Institute.

Important Grant Details:

The Marcus Foundation’s grants range from around $10,000 to over $1 million, though most fall between $25,000 and $200,000. The foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals.

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CONTACT:

1266 W. Paces Ferry Road No. 615

Atlanta, Georgia 30327

(404) 240-7700