Marriott Daughters Foundation

The Marriott Daughters Foundation represents a next-generation family philanthropy model, founded by sisters Sandra Marriott Bertha, Julie Ann Marriott, and Karen Christine Marriott -- daughters of the Marriott hotel dynasty. Established in 2011, the foundation has evolved dramatically from making a single large annual grant of approximately $5.5 million (2017-2022) to distributing 117 individual grants in 2023, signaling a strategic pivot toward broader community impact. The sisters are all actively engaged in grantmaking decisions, which they describe as strengthening family bonds while advancing shared philanthropic goals. Their approach is deeply personal and values-driven, with Karen Marriott noting they seek opportunities where they feel they can have real impact. The foundation employs a professional staff including CEO Nancie Lynch and two program directors (Tom DiGenno and Meredith Asbury), enabling systematic evaluation of grant opportunities across multiple states. Their strategic emphasis on mental health reflects a sophisticated understanding that healthy communities require attention to behavioral and psychological wellbeing alongside physical health and basic services.

The Marriott Daughters Foundation underwent a remarkable transformation in its grantmaking approach. From 2017 through 2022, the foundation consistently made just one large grant per year averaging $5.5 million, effectively channeling its entire annual distribution through a single intermediary entity. In 2023, the foundation pivoted dramatically to 117 individual grants, with award sizes ranging from $1,000 to $432,000. Total giving has remained stable at $5.4-5.6 million annually despite this structural change. The foundation's $78 million asset base generates approximately $3.7 million in annual revenue primarily from dividends (63.6%) and asset sales (31.9%), with a healthy 7.2% giving rate that exceeds the 5% minimum payout requirement for private foundations. The 2022 $700,000 grant to Park City Community Foundation's Mental Wellness Alliance -- distributed across six organizations including Christian Center of Park City ($200K), Jewish Family Service of Utah ($125K), People's Health Clinic ($125K), Peace House ($100K), Holy Cross Ministries ($75K), and Latino Behavioral Health Services ($75K) -- exemplifies their collaborative, community-centered funding model.

The foundation stands out from peers with its above-average payout rate of 7.2%, its rapid evolution from single-grant to multi-grant model, and its all-female family board leadership -- a distinctive governance structure among foundations of this size.

In fiscal year 2024 (ending August 2024), the Marriott Daughters Foundation reported total revenues of $3.73 million, total expenses of $6.12 million, total assets of $78.04 million, and zero liabilities. The foundation distributed $5.87 million in charitable disbursements, continuing its pattern of spending down assets modestly to maintain robust giving levels. The revenue composition was dominated by dividends ($2.37M, 63.6%) and asset sales ($1.19M, 31.9%), with smaller contributions from interest ($89K) and other income ($75K). Staff compensation totaled approximately $384K across four employees: CEO Nancie Lynch ($152K + $39K benefits), Program Directors Tom DiGenno ($73K + $19K) and Meredith Asbury ($74K + $19K), and Assistant Treasurer Christina Birgin ($25K + $7K). The foundation's website (marriottdaughtersfoundation.org) is live and features an application portal, grant guidelines, grant procedures, current partners, and past partnerships pages -- indicating increasing transparency and accessibility compared to the foundation's earlier years of operation.

To maximize your chances of receiving funding from the Marriott Daughters Foundation, consider these evidence-based strategies: (1) Align your proposal with their core pillars of health (especially mental health), human services, and education -- proposals addressing mental health professional recruitment/retention or behavioral health access have documented success with this funder. (2) Demonstrate community-level impact with measurable outcomes; the foundation favors organizations that take a community-centered approach, as evidenced by their $700,000 Mental Wellness Alliance grant distributed across six complementary organizations in Summit County, Utah. (3) Visit marriottdaughtersfoundation.org/apply-for-grants/ and review the published grant guidelines and procedures before applying, as the foundation has formalized its application process. (4) Geographic alignment matters -- the foundation gives across Maryland, Utah, California, DC, Florida, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Ohio, Virginia, and Wisconsin, so demonstrate strong local presence in one of these areas. (5) Consider collaborative proposals that partner with other community organizations, since the foundation has shown clear preference for ecosystem-level investments that address systemic needs rather than isolated programmatic requests. Contact (301) 246-0520 for preliminary inquiries about fit before investing time in a full application.