The Marc David Foundation concentrates its philanthropy on higher education institutions in Philadelphia, providing substantial institutional support rather than small community grants. Its giving is dominated by large charitable gifts to local colleges and universities, with repeated, multi-grant support to the Community College of Philadelphia and a major grant to Thomas Jefferson University, suggesting a focus on expanding access, workforce training, and health/science education locally.
Highly concentrated giving: very few, large grants primarily to local higher-education institutions; repeat funding to a core grantee (Community College of Philadelphia).
Notable grantees: Community College of Philadelphia, Thomas Jefferson University
The Marc David Foundation C/o Mr Marc Berman makes unusually large gifts for a regional funder, with a recent pattern of six-figure support to Philadelphia institutions. The largest recent grant in the record was $764,997 to Community College of Philadelphia in 2024, followed by $405,907 in 2025 to the same college and $294,909 in 2025 to Thomas Jefferson University. That pattern points to a funder that favors institutional support over small, dispersed awards. Philadelphia colleges and universities sit at the center of the foundation’s grantmaking, but the portfolio also reaches into adjacent civic and health-related organizations. Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia received $103,436 in 2025, while William Way Community Center received $100,595 in 2024 and Mazzoni Center received $75,000 in 2025. Other gifts in the recent record include Aclu Foundation Pennsylvania, Drexel University, Heights Philadelphia, Philadelphia Futures, and Feast of Justice. The overall picture is place-based philanthropy anchored in higher education and related community institutions. The repeated support to the same grantees across multiple years suggests ongoing institutional relationships rather than isolated project grants.
A defining thread in the foundation’s giving is higher education in Philadelphia. Community College of Philadelphia received $764,997 in 2024 and $405,907 in 2025, and Thomas Jefferson University received $294,909 in 2025, plus additional grants of $65,000 and $45,000 in the record. Drexel University also appears more than once, with $65,000 and $50,000 grants in 2024 and 2025. The foundation also funds health and human services organizations tied to the city. Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia received $103,436 in 2025, Mazzoni Center received $75,000 in 2025, and Feast of Justice received $25,600 in 2024 and $25,000 in 2025. Civic and legal advocacy groups are part of the mix as well. Aclu Foundation Pennsylvania received $50,000 in 2025 and $45,000 in 2024, while Delaware Vally Fairness Projects received $10,000 in 2023.
Typical grants cluster around a median of $10,000, with the 25th percentile at $5,000 and the 75th percentile at $28,900. The distribution includes both smaller awards and very large institutional commitments, including six-figure grants to the same recipients across multiple years. That repeated support shows an ongoing relationship pattern rather than one-off giving. The foundation is private and does not fund individuals or make program-related investments.
$1.1M
$10.1M
$6.4M
$1.1M
Most grants fall between $5K and $29K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$5K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$29K
Sign up for a free Kindora account to access AI-generated insights into this funder's giving patterns, decision-makers, and fit signals.
Get Started FreeFree Kindora accounts unlock side-by-side comparisons with foundations that share this funder's focus areas and giving profile.
Get Started FreeSign up free to see how well your nonprofit fits this funder, get an AI-generated pitch, and unlock similar foundations.
Grant recipients are overwhelmingly in the United States, and 62% of grants go to recipients in Pennsylvania. Philadelphia is the dominant city by far, with many awards directed there across education, health, and community-serving organizations. Outside Pennsylvania, the recent record includes Pueblo, CO for Wings Guatemala, New York, NY for American Jewish World Service and related grantees, Washington, DC for World Central Kitchen, and Beverly Hills, CA for Isra Aid Global Humaniterian. Colorado is the top state by grant count.
The recent record is dominated by Philadelphia higher education institutions, especially Community College of Philadelphia and Thomas Jefferson University. It also includes health, civic, and community organizations such as Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, William Way Community Center, Mazzoni Center, Aclu Foundation Pennsylvania, and Feast of Justice.
The foundation’s typical grant size is $10,000 at the median, with a 25th percentile of $5,000 and a 75th percentile of $28,900. The recent record also includes much larger institutional grants, including several awards above $100,000.
Yes. Community College of Philadelphia appears with grants of $764,997 in 2024 and $405,907 in 2025. Thomas Jefferson University, Drexel University, Aclu Foundation Pennsylvania, Feast of Justice, and American Jewish World Service also appear multiple times across the recent grants list.
Pennsylvania receives 62% of grants, and Philadelphia is the main recipient city. The foundation also gives outside Pennsylvania, including to recipients in Colorado, New York, Washington, DC, and California.
No. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments. Its recent grants are all to organizations, with the record concentrated in charitable-function grants to institutions and nonprofits.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| COMMUNITY COLLEGE OF PHILADELPHIA | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $405,907 | 2025 | CHARITABLE FUNCTION |
| THOMAS JEFFERSON UNIVERSITY | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $294,909 | 2025 | CHARITABLE FUNCTION |
| CHILDRENS HOSPITAL OF PHILADELPHIA | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $103,436 | 2025 | CHARITABLE FUNCTION |
| MAZZONI CENTER | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $75,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE FUNCTION |
| DREXEL UNIVERSITY | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $50,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE FUNCTION |
| ACLU FOUNDATION PENNSYLVANIA | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $50,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE FUNCTION |
| AMERICAN JEWISH WORLD SERVICE | NEW YORK, NY | $40,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE FUNCTION |
| TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $30,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE FUNCTION |
| FEAST OF JUSTICE | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $25,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE FUNCTION |
| PENN STATE ABINGTON | ABINGTON, PA | $6,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE FUNCTION |
| BROWARD PARTNERSHIP | FORT LAUDERDALE, FL | $5,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE FUNCTION |
| ABINGTON FRIENDS SCHOOL | JENKINTOWN, PA | $5,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE FUNCTION |
| CENTER SCHOOL | ABINGTON, PA | $4,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE FUNCTION |
| REFORM CONGREGATION KENESETH ISRAEL | ELKINS PARK, PA | $1,800 | 2025 | CHARITABLE FUNCTION |
| BE A PART OF THE CONVERSATION | ARDMORE, PA | $1,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE FUNCTION |
| COMMUNITY COLLEGE OF PHILADELPHIA | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $764,997 | 2024 | CHARITABLE FUNCTION |
| WILLIAM WAY COMMUNITY CENTER | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $100,595 | 2024 | CHARITABLE FUNCTION |
| THOMAS JEFFERSON UNIVERSITY | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $65,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE FUNCTION |
| DREXEL UNIVERSITY | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $65,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE FUNCTION |
| ACLU FOUNDATION PENNSYLVANIA | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $45,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE FUNCTION |
| JEFFERSON UNIVERSITY | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $45,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE FUNCTION |
| AMERICAN JEWISH WORLD SERVICE | NEW YORK, NY | $40,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE FUNCTION |
| HEIGHTS PHILADELPHIA | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $35,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE FUNCTION |
| FEAST OF JUSTICE | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $25,600 | 2024 | CHARITABLE FUNCTION |
| WINGS GUATEMALA | PUEBLO, CO | $20,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE FUNCTION |
| WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN | WASHINGTON, DC | $15,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE FUNCTION |
| ISRA AID GLOBAL HUMANITERIAN | BEVERLY HILLS, CA | $10,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE FUNCTION |
| CODED BY KIDS | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $10,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE FUNCTION |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF MAGEN DAVID ADOM | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE FUNCTION |
| TEEN SHARP | WILMINGTON, DE | $7,500 | 2024 | CHARITABLE FUNCTION |
| PENN STATE ABINGTON | ABINGTON, PA | $6,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE FUNCTION |
| FRIENDS OF SUEVOS | WYNNEWOOD, PA | $5,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE FUNCTION |
| MAZZONI CENTER | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $5,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE FUNCTION |
| EXPERIENCE CAMPS | WESTPORT, CT | $5,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE FUNCTION |
| BEBASHI TRANSITION HOPE | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $5,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE FUNCTION |
| ABINGTON FRIENDS SCHOOL | JENKINTOWN, PA | $5,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE FUNCTION |
| CENTER SCHOOL | ABINGTON, PA | $4,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE FUNCTION |
| PHILLY ASAP | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $1,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE FUNCTION |
| AJWS | NEW YORK, NY | $40,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE FUNCTION |
| PHILADELPHIA FUTURES | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $32,500 | 2023 | CHARITABLE FUNCTION |
| ACLU FOUNDATION OF PA | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $30,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE FUNCTION |
| DREXEL U | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $25,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE FUNCTION |
| CCP FOUNDATION | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $10,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE FUNCTION |
| COMMON HOPE | ST PAUL, MN | $10,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE FUNCTION |
| ABINGTON FRIENDS | JENKINTOWN, PA | $10,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE FUNCTION |
| THE BRIGID ALLIANDCE | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE FUNCTION |
| DELAWARE VALLY FAIRNESS PROJECTS | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $10,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE FUNCTION |
| PENN STATE UNIVERSITY | UNIVERSITY PARK, PA | $6,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE FUNCTION |
| HIAS | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $5,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE FUNCTION |
| EXPERIENCE CAMPS | WESTPORT, CT | $5,000 | 2023 | CHARITABLE FUNCTION |
COMMUNITY COLLEGE OF PHILADELPHIA
$405,907CHARITABLE FUNCTION
ACLU FOUNDATION PENNSYLVANIA
CHARITABLE FUNCTION
FEAST OF JUSTICE
$25,000CHARITABLE FUNCTION
PENN STATE ABINGTON
$6,000CHARITABLE FUNCTION
BROWARD PARTNERSHIP
$5,000CHARITABLE FUNCTION
CENTER SCHOOL
$4,000CHARITABLE FUNCTION
REFORM CONGREGATION KENESETH ISRAEL
$1,800CHARITABLE FUNCTION
BE A PART OF THE CONVERSATION
$1,000CHARITABLE FUNCTION
ACLU FOUNDATION PENNSYLVANIA
$45,000CHARITABLE FUNCTION
FEAST OF JUSTICE
$25,600CHARITABLE FUNCTION
WINGS GUATEMALA
$20,000CHARITABLE FUNCTION
ISRA AID GLOBAL HUMANITERIAN
$10,000CHARITABLE FUNCTION
PENN STATE ABINGTON
$6,000CHARITABLE FUNCTION
FRIENDS OF SUEVOS
$5,000CHARITABLE FUNCTION
BEBASHI TRANSITION HOPE
$5,000CHARITABLE FUNCTION
CENTER SCHOOL
$4,000CHARITABLE FUNCTION
PHILLY ASAP
$1,000CHARITABLE FUNCTION
AJWS
$40,000CHARITABLE FUNCTION
PHILADELPHIA FUTURES
$32,500CHARITABLE FUNCTION
ACLU FOUNDATION OF PA
$30,000CHARITABLE FUNCTION
CCP FOUNDATION
$10,000CHARITABLE FUNCTION
ABINGTON FRIENDS
$10,000CHARITABLE FUNCTION
THE BRIGID ALLIANDCE
$10,000CHARITABLE FUNCTION
DELAWARE VALLY FAIRNESS PROJECTS
$10,000CHARITABLE FUNCTION
PENN STATE UNIVERSITY
$6,000CHARITABLE FUNCTION