The Gary and Barbara Marsella Family Foundation focuses its philanthropy on supporting local Catholic primary and secondary education in Fresno, CA, directing unrestricted/general fund gifts to parish and diocesan schools. Giving is highly concentrated: the foundation made four grants totaling $110,000, split between two longstanding grantees, indicating a preference for repeat support to familiar local schools.
Concentrated, local giving with repeat grants to a very small number of grantees; relatively large, unrestricted gifts to sustain school operations rather than project-specific funding.
The Gary and Barbara Marsella Family Foundation’s giving is tightly centered on Catholic schooling in Fresno, with its largest recent grant going to San Joaquin Memorial High School for general fund support. Across the recent grants list, that school appears in both 2023 and 2024, alongside repeated support for Saint Helen's School, showing a pattern of backing familiar local institutions rather than spreading gifts broadly. The foundation also directed unrestricted support to other Fresno organizations, but its education work remains the clearest throughline. The foundation made four grants totaling $110,000 in the top two school relationships shown in the recent grants list, with awards ranging from $15,000 to $45,000 for general fund charitable contributions. It also provided designated scholarship support to Fresno High School Senate Scholarship, indicating that its education philanthropy includes both operating support and student aid. All listed grants went to recipients in Fresno, keeping the foundation’s footprint local and highly concentrated.
Catholic K-12 education is the foundation’s most visible area of support. It gave $45,000 in 2024 to San Joaquin Memorial High School for a general fund charitable contribution, and $15,000 in both 2023 and 2024 to Saint Helen's School for the same purpose. The foundation also supported student scholarship funding. It awarded $2,500 in 2023 and $2,500 in 2024 to Fresno High School Senate Scholarship, with the stated purpose of supporting scholarship programs at Fresno High School. Beyond schools, the foundation made unrestricted gifts to community organizations in Fresno. Examples include $10,000 in 2024 to Marjaree Mason Center for Women and $7,000 in 2024 to Court Appointed Special Advocate, both listed as general fund charitable contributions.
Typical grant size is modest: the p25 is $4,250, the median is $6,200, and the p75 is $9,500. The recent grants list also shows a few larger school gifts, including one $45,000 award, but the middle of the distribution sits in the low-thousands to single-digit-thousands range. Giving appears recurring rather than one-off. Several recipients received support in both 2023 and 2024, including San Joaquin Memorial High School, Saint Helen's School, and Fresno High School Senate Scholarship. The foundation operates as a family foundation and directs grants as general fund charitable contributions, with some designated scholarship support.
$110K
$932K
$201K
$129K
Most grants fall between $4K and $10K, with a median of $6K.
25th Percentile
$4K
Median
$6K
75th Percentile
$10K
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Notable grantees: San Joaquin Memorial High School, Saint Helen's School
The foundation’s giving is entirely local in the data provided: 100% of grants went to recipients in California. Fresno dominates the recipient map, with all listed grantees located there, including San Joaquin Memorial High School, Saint Helen's School, Marjaree Mason Center for Women, Boys and Girls Club of Fresno, and Court Appointed Special Advocate. No non-U.S. recipient countries appear in the grant record.
Its clearest focus is Catholic primary and secondary education in Fresno. The recent grants also show support for scholarship programs and general operating support to Fresno-based community organizations, including women’s services, youth development, child advocacy, and arts-related support.
Yes. The recent grants show repeat support across years for multiple grantees. San Joaquin Memorial High School, Saint Helen's School, and Fresno High School Senate Scholarship each received grants in both 2023 and 2024.
The typical grant size is in the low thousands: p25 is $4,250, median grant size is $6,200, and p75 is $9,500. The recent list also includes larger awards, but most grants cluster near those lower figures.
Giving is local and concentrated in Fresno, California. All listed grants went to California recipients, and the recipient city in the recent grants list is Fresno for every grant shown.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Joaquin Memorial High School | Fresno, CA | $45,000 | 2026 | General fund charitable contribution. |
| Saint Helen's School | Fresno, CA | $20,000 | 2026 | General fund charitable contribution. |
| Marjoree Mason Center | Fresno, CA | $10,000 | 2026 | General fund charitable contribution. |
| Boys and Girls Club of Fresno | Fresno, CA | $10,000 | 2026 | General fund charitable contribution. |
| Court Appointed Special Advocate | Fresno, CA | $7,500 | 2026 | General fund charitable contribution. |
| Philip Lorenz Memorial Keyboard Con | Fresno, CA | $5,400 | 2026 | General fund charitable contribution. |
| Sequoia Council Boys Scouts of Amer | Fresno, CA | $5,000 | 2026 | General fund charitable contribution. |
| Hope Now For Youth | Fresno, CA | $5,000 | 2026 | General fund charitable contribution. |
| Fresno High School Senate Scholarsh | Fresno, CA | $2,500 | 2026 | To be used for the Scholarship Programs at Fresno High School. |
| San Joaquin Memorial High School | Fresno, CA | $45,000 | 2025 | General fund charitable contribution. |
| Saint Helen's School | Fresno, CA | $20,000 | 2025 | General fund charitable contribution. |
| Marjoree Mason Center | Fresno, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | General fund charitable contribution. |
| Court Appointed Special Advocate | Fresno, CA | $7,500 | 2025 | General fund charitable contribution. |
| Boys and Girls Club of Fresno | Fresno, CA | $7,500 | 2025 | General fund charitable contribution. |
| Philip Lorenz Memorial Keyboard Con | Fresno, CA | $5,400 | 2025 | General fund charitable contribution. |
| Sequoia Council Boys Scouts of Amer | Fresno, CA | $5,000 | 2025 | General fund charitable contribution. |
| Hope Now For Youth | Fresno, CA | $5,000 | 2025 | General fund charitable contribution. |
| Fresno High School Senate Scholarsh | Fresno, CA | $2,500 | 2025 | To be used for the Scholarship Programs at Fresno High School. |
| San Joaquin Memorial High School | Fresno, CA | $45,000 | 2024 | General fund charitable contribution. |
| Saint Helen's School | Fresno, CA | $15,000 | 2024 | General fund charitable contribution. |
| Marjaree Mason Center for Women | Fresno, CA | $10,000 | 2024 | General fund charitable contribution. |
| Court Appointed Special Advocate | Fresno, CA | $7,000 | 2024 | General fund charitable contribution. |
| Boys and Girls Club of Fresno | Fresno, CA | $7,000 | 2024 | General fund charitable contribution. |
| Philip Lorenz Memorial Keyboard Con | Fresno, CA | $5,400 | 2024 | General fund charitable contribution. |
| Boys Scouts of America | Fresno, CA | $5,000 | 2024 | General fund charitable contribution. |
| Hope Now For Youth | Fresno, CA | $2,500 | 2024 | General fund charitable contribution. |
| Fresno High School Senate Scholarsh | Fresno, CA | $2,500 | 2024 | To be used for the Scholarship Programs at Fresno High School. |
| San Joaquin Memorial High School | Fresno, CA | $35,000 | 2023 | General fund charitable contribution. |
| Saint Helen's School | Fresno, CA | $15,000 | 2023 | General fund charitable contribution. |
| Marjaree Mason Center for Women | Fresno, CA | $8,000 | 2023 | General fund charitable contribution. |
| Boys and Girls Club of Fresno | Fresno, CA | $7,000 | 2023 | General fund charitable contribution. |
| Philip Lorenz Memorial Keyboard Con | Fresno, CA | $5,400 | 2023 | General fund charitable contribution. |
| Court Appointed Special Advocate | Fresno, CA | $5,000 | 2023 | General fund charitable contribution. |
| Boys Scouts of America | Fresno, CA | $4,000 | 2023 | General fund charitable contribution. |
| Fresno High School Senate Scholarsh | Fresno, CA | $2,500 | 2023 | To be used for the Scholarship Programs at Fresno High School. |
| Hope Now For Youth | Fresno, CA | $2,500 | 2023 | General fund charitable contribution. |
San Joaquin Memorial High School
$45,000General fund charitable contribution.
Saint Helen's School
$20,000General fund charitable contribution.
Marjoree Mason Center
$10,000General fund charitable contribution.
Boys and Girls Club of Fresno
$10,000General fund charitable contribution.
Court Appointed Special Advocate
$7,500General fund charitable contribution.
Philip Lorenz Memorial Keyboard Con
$5,400General fund charitable contribution.
Sequoia Council Boys Scouts of Amer
$5,000General fund charitable contribution.
Hope Now For Youth
$5,000General fund charitable contribution.
Fresno High School Senate Scholarsh
$2,500To be used for the Scholarship Programs at Fresno High School.
San Joaquin Memorial High School
$45,000General fund charitable contribution.
Saint Helen's School
$20,000General fund charitable contribution.
Marjoree Mason Center
$10,000General fund charitable contribution.
Court Appointed Special Advocate
$7,500General fund charitable contribution.
Philip Lorenz Memorial Keyboard Con
$5,400General fund charitable contribution.
Sequoia Council Boys Scouts of Amer
$5,000General fund charitable contribution.
Hope Now For Youth
$5,000General fund charitable contribution.
Fresno High School Senate Scholarsh
$2,500To be used for the Scholarship Programs at Fresno High School.
San Joaquin Memorial High School
$45,000General fund charitable contribution.
Saint Helen's School
$15,000General fund charitable contribution.
Court Appointed Special Advocate
$7,000General fund charitable contribution.
Boys and Girls Club of Fresno
$7,000General fund charitable contribution.
Philip Lorenz Memorial Keyboard Con
$5,400General fund charitable contribution.
Hope Now For Youth
$2,500General fund charitable contribution.
Fresno High School Senate Scholarsh
$2,500To be used for the Scholarship Programs at Fresno High School.
San Joaquin Memorial High School
$35,000General fund charitable contribution.
Saint Helen's School
$15,000General fund charitable contribution.
Philip Lorenz Memorial Keyboard Con
$5,400General fund charitable contribution.
Court Appointed Special Advocate
$5,000General fund charitable contribution.
Boys Scouts of America
$4,000General fund charitable contribution.
Fresno High School Senate Scholarsh
$2,500To be used for the Scholarship Programs at Fresno High School.
Hope Now For Youth
$2,500General fund charitable contribution.