J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation
/OVERVIEW: The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation’s supports education, medical research, community stewardship, and hospitality workforce development in the United States, although many programs only support organizations and programs in the Washington, D.C. area.
IP TAKE: This funder awards grants to organizations across the United States, but those located in the Washington, D.C. metro area will have the best shot at support.
PROFILE: Established in 1965, the J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation is a private foundation based in Bethesda, Maryland. The Marriott couple and their two sons transformed a small root beer stand business into what is now one of the largest hospitality companies in the world. Marriott International has over 4,100 properties in 79 countries and territories around the world. J. Willard Marriott passed away in 1985, and Alice Marriott led much of the family’s philanthropy until her death in 2000. The foundation currently dedicates its grantmaking to “supporting exceptional nonprofit organizations that provide civic and human services, foster educational achievement, expand opportunities for youth and adults, develop the next generation of hospitality leaders and lead innovation in health and medicine.” Grantmaking programs include Community Stewardship, Hospitality, Medical Research, and Education.
Grants for Housing and Homelessness, Community Development
The foundation’s Community Stewardship grants focus on programs and organizations that support the people of the Washington, D.C. region. It seeks to address the area’s challenges in food security, housing, education and mental health.
Past local grantees include the Fishing School, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, So Others Might Eat, and Prevention of Blindness Society of the Metropolitan Area.
Grants for Work and Economic Development
The Marriott Foundation’s Hospitality grantmaking supports “organizations that provide young people with exposure to the hospitality field” through “exceptional curricula, real-world experiences, and opportunities for young people to engage with mentors in the field.” This includes partnerships with secondary schools, colleges and universities, and global hospitality programs.
Past grantees include Bridges from School to Work, Culinary Institute of America, and DECA Inc (Distributed Education Clubs of America).
Grants for Science Research, Mental Health and Diseases
Marriott’s Medical Research grantmaking has evolved. It used to conduct mental health grantmaking through a previous health program, but now gives to organizations focused on mental health and medical research more broadly. Its funding prioritizes “finding cures and improving treatment options for diseases and disorders of importance to the Marriott family.” The foundation supports innovative medical research projects, particularly those “with an emphasis on multi-disciplinary and cross-institutional collaboration.”
The foundation also conducts medical research and health grantmaking through its Community Stewardship initiative, which broadly funds Washington D.C. organizations focused on mental health, among other concerns.
Past grantees in the medical research space include the American Heart Association, the Mental Health Association of Montgomery County, and the Boston Center for Endometriosis.
Grants for Early Childhood Education, K-12 , College Readiness, and Higher Education
The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation’s education program focuses on early childhood development quality teachers and leaders, quality K-12 academics, and college and career readiness. Hospitality grants target secondary school hospitality programs, college and university programs, and global hospitality programs. Marriott’s Education program only makes grants in the Washington, D.C. area.
Past education grantees include One World Education, AppleTree Institute for Education Innovation, DC School Reform Now, and Greater Washington Educational Telecommunications Association
Important Grant Details:
Grants range from about $5,000 to over $1 million; however, most grants fall somewhere between $10,000 and $100,000. Grantmaking focuses on the Washington, D.C. metro area. However, the foundation also makes more limited grants in other parts of the U.S. as well.
Overall, the funder provides single-year and multi-year grants for programs, general operating support, scholarships, endowments, and capital campaigns. The Marriott Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals and only consider requests for funding on an invitation-only basis.
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