Marshall Foundation

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OVERVIEW: The Marshall Foundation supports education, social services, arts and culture, and early childhood development causes in Tucson and Pima County, Arizona.

IP TAKE: The Marshall Foundation is a long-established and influential funder in its giving region, having been an institution in the area for almost a hundred years. This group and its founder have a long and fascinating association with Tucson and the University of Arizona, the latter receiving the lion’s share of Marshall’s funding each year. But despite its long history, Marshall’s grantmaking priorities have remained remarkably focused on primary, secondary, and higher education. To that end, the foundation supports some schools and districts directly, in addition to funding education-related non-profits. It also funds general human services programs providing basic needs and other resources, but in this area it still strongly prioritizes grantmaking through the lens of youth development. If you are not applying from an education-related non-profit, you would still do well to show how your work serves children, youths, and families in the area.

Despite its long history, the Marshall Foundation is not the most transparent funder, as it does not maintain a list or database of past grantees on its website. It does not have a news, blog, or press-release section either, so the foundation does not appear to be keen on publicizing its work. In terms of accessibility, the foundation’s application guidelines are very loose and do not contain much information to help grantseekers target or refine their applications. The application timeline also moves quickly, with typically less than a month between when the submission portal opens and the deadline for LOIs, and only a month after that for full proposals. If you intend to apply for a grant with this funder, it may be a good idea to get started on your full proposal well in advance of being invited to apply. On the other hand, this funder appears to encourage grantseekers to make contact, so do not hesitate to reach out with questions or inquiries.

PROFILE: Established in 1930, the Marshall Foundation is based in Tucson, Arizona. Founded by Louise and her husband, Thomas to “carry on our work when we are gone,” it was the first private charitable foundation in Arizona. Louise Foucar Marshall was a university professor, businesswoman and philanthropist who had invested her sizeable inheritance in real estate surrounding the University of Arizona. In 1931, shortly after the foundation was established, she was arrested for the murder of her husband after discovering his affair with a housekeeper, but was acquitted based on evidence that he had been poisoning her. She continued to manage her real estate holdings and promote the work of the Marshall Foundation until her death in 1956 at the age of 92. The foundation was the sole beneficiary of Louise’s estate and is still fully funded by it. Today, its mission is to “transform lives by fostering equitable access to education.” Grantmaking areas of interest are education, social services, arts and culture, and early childhood development.

Grants for Education and Youth

The Marshall Foundation’s Education grants broadly fund “early childhood through undergraduate education and supportive wrap-around social services for underserved populations.” In addition to school programs, after-school activities, arts education, education-related nonprofits, and youth development programs, Marshall also funds general basic needs and human services initiatives aimed at supporting children and families through difficult times, such as food banks, shelters, and clinics. Past grantees include Youth on their Own, Books for Classrooms, Casa de los Ninos, Educational Enrichment Foundation, Literacy Connects, Tucson Festival of Books, and City Center for Collaborative Learning.

The Marshall Foundation also funds scholarships at the University of Arizona, where Marshall was a professor for many years. The school receives over $500,000 annually in scholarship funds, totally nearly half of the foundation’s total annual giving. These scholarships fall into many categories, including institutional university and college scholarships, children’s and youth programs, arts and cultural organizations and programs, education, rehabilitation, community service organizations and medical research. Students enrolling in the University of Arizona for undergraduate or graduate programs may inquire about Marshall scholarships through the school’s financial aid department.

IMPORTANT GRANT DETAILS:

Grants generally range from $5,000 to $50,000, although it awards larger grants than this as well on an occasional basis. The foundation does not have an online grants database, but grantseekers may review its tax filings for more information on the types of organizations it supports.

  • The Marshall Foundation’s grantmaking mainly centers around Pima County, Arizona, and the city of Tucson.

  • The Marshall Foundation has one grant cycle per year. For requests over $25,000, applicants must submit a letter of inquiry (LOI) once the submission portal is open. This is typically in January and LOIs are due by mid-February. Select applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal, with the deadline typically falling in March.

  • For requests under $25,000, applicants are requested to contact the foundation by email before submitting a letter of inquiry.

Grantseekers may with further inquiries may contact Kay Hoenig at kay@marshallfoundation.com or direct general questions to the staff at info@marshallfoundation.com or via its contact page.

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