Who’s Behind the Marmot Foundation and What Does It Fund?
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Members of the prominent du Pont family run the Marmot Foundation. Photo: ricochet64/shutterstock
With strong ties to Delaware, the Marmot Foundation is connected to one of the wealthiest families in the mid-Atlantic region. The du Pont family rose to fortune during the 19th century through the gunpowder business. But family members are also well known for their extensive involvement in the chemical and automotive industries, as well as for highly publicized criminal cases, chemical leaks and controversial stances on political issues.
One lesser-known endeavor affiliated with the du Ponts is the Marmot Foundation, which has been quietly operating since 1968 and awards grants in the region each year. Here is what we know so far about the low-key Marmot Foundation and how grantseekers in the mid-Atlantic region can get involved with this funder.
A family-run foundation
Willis H. du Pont serves as the chairman of this family foundation, and other du Pont family members have roles as foundation trustees. Willis H. du Pont is the youngest of 10 du Pont children, left his Delaware family home for sunny Florida, formerly led E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company as well as General Motors, and married a Spanish model. Lammot du Pont, Miren Dea du Pont and Miren du Pont Sanchez are also Marmot Foundation trustees.
Main funding focuses
The Marmot Foundation does not have a website, so information about its grantmaking strategies and future plans is limited. But according to recent tax records, the foundation has a wide variety of interests, including health, education, arts and culture, human services, youth and the environment. Typical foundation grantees include libraries, universities, museums, residential care programs and housing organizations.
Geographic interests
While its grantmaking interests are fairly broad, the Marmot Foundation keeps most of its grants close to home. It gives to many organizations in the family’s home state of Delaware. Local Delaware grantees include the Nativity Preparatory School of Wilmington, Milford Housing Development and the Wilmington Senior Center. In addition to grantees in Wilmington and Milford, the funder has also recently given to organizations based in the Delaware towns of Winterthur, New Castle and Newark.
Meanwhile, grants have gone to groups elsewhere on the East Coast as well, including Pennsylvania, Virginia and Florida. The West Palm Beach area of Florida has been a frequent destination for Marmot Foundation grantmaking lately.
Seeking foundation support
Despite the Marmot Foundation’s lack of a web presence, it’s an accessible funder that nonprofits can easily approach with funding requests. Grantseekers can submit written requests to the foundation’s mailing address in Wilmington, Delaware and to the attention of Willis H. du Pont. There are no formal application documents to complete, but the foundation does request that organizations submit their proposals in April or October, since it makes grant determinations in May and November.
Learn more about the Marmot Foundation in IP’s Mid-Atlantic States Funding Guide.
