# The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation

The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation is an Endowment / Foundation based in Bethesda, United States.

## Overview

- **Organization type:** Endowment / Foundation
- **Headquarters:** Bethesda, United States
- **Region:** North America
- **Address:** Fernwood Road Bethesda, MD 20817, US
- **Founded:** 1966
- **Assets under management:** 435 (Altss estimate)
- **Website:** jwasmarriottfoundation.org
- **LinkedIn:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-j-willard-and-alice-s-marriott-foundation

## Regulatory record

- **Reports private funds:** No

## About

The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation was created in 1966 by J. Willard Marriott and Alice Sheets Marriott. Its grantmaking continues to reflect the founders' emphasis on the Washington, D.C. area. The foundation channels capital through direct grants to nonprofits rather than fund commitments or co-investments. Primary focus areas include education and health programs inside the District and surrounding counties. Ticket sizes range from $10,000 to $20 million. Geographic scope remains limited to the mid-Atlantic. The organization employs 13 professionals and maintains relationships with four related family foundations. Mieka Wick has led day-to-day operations as CEO. No material governance or leadership changes occurred in the last 24 months. The foundation operates as a grantmaking vehicle tied directly to the Marriott family rather than an independent investment manager. Its structure channels distributions through the same family entities that control Marriott International equity positions.

## Sectors

- Education
- Health

## People

- Mieka Wick — Chief Executive Officer
- J.W. Marriott Jr. — Trustee and Chairman Emeritus
- Richard E. Marriott — Trustee

## Questions

### Who runs investment decisions at the J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation?

Mieka Wick serves as Chief Executive Officer and oversees grant deployment. Trustees include J.W. Marriott Jr. and Richard E. Marriott.

### Does the foundation participate in fund commitments or only direct grants?

The foundation makes direct grants to nonprofits. No fund commitments or external manager relationships are disclosed.

### What is the foundation's known posture on co-investments alongside external GPs?

No co-investment activity with external managers is recorded. Capital deployment occurs solely through grant awards.

### Which sectors does the foundation explicitly avoid?

No explicit avoidance list is published. Activity concentrates on education, health, and community programs inside the Washington, D.C. region.

## Related profiles

- [Pensioenfonds Koninklijke Ten Cate](https://altss.com/profile/pensioenfonds-koninklijke-ten-cate)
- [Rhodes College Endowment](https://altss.com/profile/rhodes-college-endowment)

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Last updated: 2026-06-03T20:00:00.000Z

Canonical page: https://altss.com/profile/the-j-willard-and-alice-s-marriott-foundation

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