The Richard E. and Nancy P. Marriott Foundation

Overview

Richard E. and Nancy P. Marriott founded their foundation as a vehicle for the family's philanthropy, drawing on wealth generated by Marriott International, the global hotel chain founded by J. Willard Marriott in 1927. Richard served as CEO and chairman of Marriott International before retiring from operational roles; the foundation is one of several Marriott family philanthropic entities, distinct from the J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation. The foundation's grantmaking targets education — including scholarships and university support — healthcare services, and community development initiatives. Its geographic focus is the Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia region, reflecting the family's base in Bethesda, Maryland. Public records show grants to organizations such as the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, and local hospitals. The foundation does not disclose its asset size or annual grant budgets publicly. It is a grantmaking foundation, not an operating foundation; it does not run its own programs. In recent years, the foundation has maintained a low public profile, issuing grants through occasional press releases and required IRS Form 990 filings. Structurally, the foundation is a traditional independent private foundation — funded entirely by the Marriott family, governed by a board that includes Richard and Nancy Marriott and their descendants. Unlike some family offices that blend philanthropic and for-profit capital, this entity is purely charitable, with no known direct investment or co-investment activity.