The Mars Wrigley Foundation concentrates its giving on international humanitarian and development causes, with an emphasis on child-focused emergency relief and strengthening civil society through intermediary grantmakers. Grants are frequently large, general/unrestricted awards routed through international intermediaries and grantmaking partners, and they include repeat support for established global NGOs and education programs. The foundation appears to prioritize flexible funding that enables rapid emergency response and long‑term program support rather than project‑restricted gifts.
Mars Wrigley Foundation’s recent giving shows a clear emphasis on oral health and child-focused emergency response. One of its largest current grants went to Save the Children Federation Inc for global emergency care kits, while another funded oral health education, outreach, and access to care through the same organization. The foundation also uses intermediary grantmakers heavily, including Give2Asia, Charities Aid Foundation America, and King Baudouin Foundation United States Inc, to move general and unrestricted support to international partners and programs. Alongside those global awards, the foundation supports community health and place-based initiatives in the United States. Grants to the Chicago Community Trust, Heartland Alliance Health, the American Dental Hygienists Association Institute F, and Friends of the Chicago River show attention to community service, health education, and local environmental improvement. The pattern across the recent grants is flexible funding, with many awards labeled general and unrestricted and several repeated recipients appearing in multiple years. The foundation also made large support grants to Pratham USA for general and unrestricted use, reinforcing its interest in education and durable operating support rather than narrowly restricted project funding.
Oral health is a consistent thread in the foundation’s recent grants. It gave $1,000,000 to Save the Children Federation Inc for oral health education, outreach, and access to care as part of SHN, and $144,000 to the American Dental Hygienists Association Institute F for the Mars Wrigley Foundation Healthier Smiles Community Service fund. It also made a $50,000 grant to the Chicago Dental Society Foundation for the Mars Wrigley Healthier Smiles Grants fund. Child and family health education appears as a separate but related priority. Heartland Alliance Health received $175,000 for The Oral Health Forum (OHF) Child & Family Health Education empowerment project. In disaster response, Save the Children Federation Inc received $50,000 for urgent relief efforts in response to the earthquake in Turkiye and Syria. The foundation also backed local community improvement through $70,000 to Friends of the Chicago River for Litter Free Chicago-Calumet River.
$5.4M
$39.8M
$4.9M
$6.1M
Most grants fall between $99K and $500K, with a median of $200K.
25th Percentile
$99K
Median
$200K
75th Percentile
$500K
About 0% of grants go to recipients in IL.
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Concentrated portfolio of relatively few, large grants (many six‑figure to multi‑million) with repeat funding to select global NGOs and intermediaries; preference for general/unrestricted support and funding routed through intermediary grantmakers for international impact.
Notable grantees: Save the Children Federation, Inc., Give2Asia, Pratham USA, King Baudouin Foundation United States, Charities Aid Foundation America
The foundation’s typical grant size is substantial: the 25th percentile is $99,015, the median is $200,000, and the 75th percentile is $500,000. Recent awards cluster around flexible support, with many grants labeled general and unrestricted. Several organizations received support in more than one year, including Save the Children Federation Inc, Pratham USA, Give2Asia, Heartland Alliance Health, and Friends of the Chicago River. Mars Wrigley Foundation is a regular funder rather than a donor-advised fund, and the data shows no program-related investments. Individuals can also be funded.
Giving is national, but the recipient map is concentrated in a few U.S. metros. Chicago appears frequently through grants to the Chicago Community Trust, Heartland Alliance Health, the American Dental Hygienists Association Institute F, Role Model Movement Inc Nfp, Friends of the Chicago River, and Chicago Dental Society Foundation. New York shows up through King Baudouin Foundation United States Inc, Myriad USA Inc, and Local Initiatives Support Corporation. Houston appears through Pratham USA, while Oakland is represented by Give2Asia. All recent grants in the dataset went to U.S. recipients.
The recent grants favor intermediary grantmakers, oral health organizations, child-focused relief groups, and community-based nonprofits. Examples include Give2Asia, Save the Children Federation Inc, the American Dental Hygienists Association Institute F, Heartland Alliance Health, and the Chicago Community Trust.
Yes. Many recent grants are labeled general and unrestricted, including awards to Give2Asia, King Baudouin Foundation United States Inc, Myriad USA Inc, Pratham USA, Charities Aid Foundation America, Local Initiatives Support Corporation, and Friends of the Chicago River.
The grant-size distribution is large: p25 is $99,015, median is $200,000, and p75 is $500,000. Recent awards also include several seven-figure and high-six-figure grants, such as $1,257,150 to Give2Asia and $1,020,000 to Save the Children Federation Inc.
Chicago appears most often in the recent grants list, with recipients such as the Chicago Community Trust, Heartland Alliance Health, the American Dental Hygienists Association Institute F, Role Model Movement Inc Nfp, Friends of the Chicago River, and Chicago Dental Society Foundation. New York, Oakland, and Houston also appear repeatedly.
Yes. Several organizations appear in multiple years, including Save the Children Federation Inc, Pratham USA, Give2Asia, Heartland Alliance Health, Friends of the Chicago River, and the Chicago Dental Society Foundation. That pattern suggests ongoing relationships rather than one-time gifts.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAVE THE CHILDREN FEDERATION INC | FAIRFIELD, CT | $1,740,474 | 2026 | Healthy Behaviors, Healthy Learners: Promoting Health and Resilience in Safe and Sustainable School Environments |
| MYRIAD USA INC | NEW YORK, NY | $1,030,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| MYRIAD USA INC | NEW YORK, NY | $413,149 | 2026 | Pratham Education Foundation (India) |
| LOCAL INITIATIVES SUPPORT CORPORATION | NEW YORK, NY | $400,000 | 2026 | Chicago Neighborhoods Creative Placekeeping Partnership |
| GIVE2ASIA | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $333,000 | 2026 | Chinese Stomatological Association for "Smiles of Kids" - the standardization of oral healthcare education and promotion program |
| CHICAGO COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | CHICAGO, IL | $250,000 | 2026 | We Rise Together: For an Equitable and Just Recovery |
| AFTER SCHOOL MATTERS INC | CHICAGO, IL | $250,000 | 2026 | Community Connection grant designated for After School Matters Orleans Teen Center |
| UNITED WAY OF METROPOLITAN CHICAGO INC | CHICAGO, IL | $200,000 | 2026 | General operating support for the Partnership for Safe and Peaceful Communities; Chicago Fund for Safe and Peaceful Communities |
| GIVE2ASIA | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $167,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| MYRIAD USA INC | NEW YORK, NY | $112,725 | 2026 | ADA Dental Health Foundation (Australia) |
| CHARITIES AID FOUNDATION AMERICA | ALEXANDRIA, VA | $105,000 | 2026 | Community Connection Program - Save the Children Philippines |
| AMERICAN DENTAL HYGIENISTS ASSOCIATION INSTITUTE F | CHICAGO, IL | $100,000 | 2026 | Healthier Smiles |
| ROLE MODEL MOVEMENT INC NFP | CHICAGO, IL | $100,000 | 2026 | Block Club Program |
| MYRIAD USA INC | NEW YORK, NY | $90,300 | 2026 | Special Olympics Germany |
| CHICAGO DENTAL SOCIETY FOUNDATION | CHICAGO, IL | $50,000 | 2026 | Healthier Smiles Program |
| AMERICAN NATIONAL RED CROSS | WASHINGTON, DC | $25,000 | 2026 | California Wildfires Relief |
| UNITED WAY OF METROPOLITAN CHICAGO INC | CHICAGO, IL | $25,000 | 2026 | Corporate Coalition of Chicago |
| MINDS MATTER | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | General Support - NYC Branch |
| HUDDLE UP MOMS | ROANOKE, VA | $10,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| NEXT GENERATION MEN AND WOMEN INC | ATLANTA, GA | $10,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| BREAKFAST PROGRAM AT ST ANDREWS | ANN ARBOR, MI | $10,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| NEW YORK SPIRIT CHARITIES INC | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | General & Unrestricted |
| FRIENDS OF THE CHICAGO RIVER | CHICAGO, IL | $5,000 | 2026 | Chicago River Day |
| SAVE THE CHILDREN FEDERATION INC | FAIRFIELD, CT | $1,000,000 | 2025 | Oral health education, outreach, and access to care as part of SHN |
| PRATHAM USA | HOUSTON, TX | $510,233 | 2025 | Education and Livelihoods Program in Uttar Pradesh |
| MYRIAD COMMUNITY | WAKE FOREST, NC | $430,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| GIVE2ASIA | OAKLAND, CA | $388,500 | 2025 | China Foundation for Rural Development |
| GIVE2ASIA | OAKLAND, CA | $333,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| CHICAGO COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | CHICAGO, IL | $250,000 | 2025 | Chicago Fund for Safe & Peaceful Communities and General operations |
| CHICAGO COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | CHICAGO, IL | $250,000 | 2025 | We Rise Together: For an Equitable and Just Recovery |
| LOCAL INITIATIVES SUPPORT CORPORATION | NEW YORK, NY | $200,000 | 2025 | Smile Grant Place-base Community Grant Program |
| MYRIAD USA INC | NEW YORK, NY | $146,200 | 2025 | An Taisce - Neat Streets Programm |
| HEARTLAND ALLIANCE HEALTH | CHICAGO, IL | $132,204 | 2025 | Healthy Smiles for Healthy Communities |
| MYRIAD USA INC | NEW YORK, NY | $112,725 | 2025 | ADAHAF - Healthier Smiles Community Service Grants program |
| ROLE MODEL MOVEMENT INC NFP | CHICAGO, IL | $100,000 | 2025 | Block Club Program |
| FRIENDS OF THE CHICAGO RIVER | CHICAGO, IL | $70,000 | 2025 | Litter Free Chicago-Calumet River fund |
| CHICAGO DENTAL SOCIETY FOUNDATION | CHICAGO, IL | $50,000 | 2025 | Healthier Smiles Program |
| MYRIAD USA INC | NEW YORK, NY | $26,250 | 2025 | Polish Red Cross Flood Response |
| MYRIAD USA INC | NEW YORK, NY | $26,250 | 2025 | Flooding Disaster Response in Porto Alegre, Brazil |
| UNITED WAY OF METROPOLITAN CHICAGO INC | CHICAGO, IL | $25,000 | 2025 | Chicago Coalition fund |
| AMERICAN NATIONAL RED CROSS | WASHINGTON, DC | $25,000 | 2025 | Hurricane Helene Relief fund |
| CASA CENTRAL SOCIAL SERVICES CORPORATION | CHICAGO, IL | $7,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| SAVE THE CHILDREN FEDERATION INC | FAIRFIELD, CT | $1,020,000 | 2024 | Purpose Day - Global Emergency Care Kits |
| SAVE THE CHILDREN FEDERATION INC | FAIRFIELD, CT | $1,000,000 | 2024 | Oral health education, outreach, and access to care as part of SHN |
| MYRIAD USA INC | NEW YORK, NY | $679,120 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
| PRATHAM USA | HOUSTON, TX | $534,609 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
| GIVE2ASIA | OAKLAND, CA | $350,000 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
| CHARITIES AID FOUNDATION AMERICA | ALEXANDRIA, VA | $300,000 | 2024 | Mars Wrigley Global Fund, Community Connections Grants program |
| LOCAL INITIATIVES SUPPORT CORPORATION | NEW YORK, NY | $200,000 | 2024 | Smile Grant Place-base Community Grant Program |
| HEARTLAND ALLIANCE HEALTH | CHICAGO, IL | $175,000 | 2024 | The Oral Health Forum (OHF) Child & Family Health Education empowerment project |
SAVE THE CHILDREN FEDERATION INC
$1,740,474Healthy Behaviors, Healthy Learners: Promoting Health and Resilience in Safe and Sustainable School Environments
Chicago Neighborhoods Creative Placekeeping Partnership
Chinese Stomatological Association for "Smiles of Kids" - the standardization of oral healthcare education and promotion program
CHICAGO COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
$250,000We Rise Together: For an Equitable and Just Recovery
Community Connection grant designated for After School Matters Orleans Teen Center
UNITED WAY OF METROPOLITAN CHICAGO INC
$200,000General operating support for the Partnership for Safe and Peaceful Communities; Chicago Fund for Safe and Peaceful Communities
CHARITIES AID FOUNDATION AMERICA
$105,000Community Connection Program - Save the Children Philippines
AMERICAN DENTAL HYGIENISTS ASSOCIATION INSTITUTE F
$100,000Healthier Smiles
UNITED WAY OF METROPOLITAN CHICAGO INC
$25,000Corporate Coalition of Chicago
HUDDLE UP MOMS
$10,000General & Unrestricted
BREAKFAST PROGRAM AT ST ANDREWS
$10,000General & Unrestricted
NEW YORK SPIRIT CHARITIES INC
$10,000General & Unrestricted
SAVE THE CHILDREN FEDERATION INC
$1,000,000Oral health education, outreach, and access to care as part of SHN
MYRIAD COMMUNITY
$430,000General & Unrestricted
GIVE2ASIA
$388,500China Foundation for Rural Development
CHICAGO COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
$250,000Chicago Fund for Safe & Peaceful Communities and General operations
CHICAGO COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
$250,000We Rise Together: For an Equitable and Just Recovery
Smile Grant Place-base Community Grant Program
SAVE THE CHILDREN FEDERATION INC
$1,000,000Oral health education, outreach, and access to care as part of SHN
CHARITIES AID FOUNDATION AMERICA
$300,000Mars Wrigley Global Fund, Community Connections Grants program
Smile Grant Place-base Community Grant Program
The Oral Health Forum (OHF) Child & Family Health Education empowerment project