OVERVIEW: The Maritz Family Foundation demonstrates a strong interest in the well being of infants and toddlers. Other areas of giving include education, economic opportunity and Jewish causes.
IP TAKE: The Maritz Family Foundation lacks transparency, which limits information available on its grantmaking priorities and activities. Yaffa Maritz is a social worker with a strong interest in infant mental health, which is reflected in the foundation’s giving. The foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals, but organizations working with mothers and infants, especially in the Seattle area, might network with past grantees to open a door here.
PROFILE: The Maritz Family Foundation was founded in 2015 by businessman Paul Maritz and his wife, Yaffa, a social worker. Paul spent nearly a decade and a half at Microsoft, where he served as a member of the five-person executive committee that managed the company. He is currently chairman of Pivotal Software. The foundation does not maintain a website, which limits information available on its grantmaking priorities and activities. According to tax records, the Maritz Family Foundation supports health, education, community development and human services in Washington, with only a few grants supporting national organizations.
Grants for Public Health, Reproductive and Maternal Health
Health is a significant area of giving for this funder, although the Maritz Foundation does not name specific priorities for its grants. Grantees include Open Arms Perinatal Services of Seattle, the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and the Seattle Children’s Hospital.
Grants for Mental Health
Yaffa Maritz maintains a strong interest in infant mental health and is involved with University of Washington’s Center for Child and Family Well-Being. The couple helped create a new initiative at the center promoting mindful living and practice, which aims to “promote the positive development and well-being of children and families by engendering, translating, applying and sharing knowledge about mindfulness with children, parents, practitioners and educators.” In addition to the University of Washington, grants for early mental health have gone to Seattle’s Children’s Alliance, Childcare Resources and Zero to Three: the National Center for Infants. Toddlers and Families.
Grants for Education, Work and Opportunity
This funder demonstrates strong interest in education and initiatives for work and economic opportunity, especially in Washington. The University of Washington receives ongoing support from the foundation. Other grantees include the Southeast Seattle Education Coalition, What’s Next Washington and United World College, a consortium of colleges from around the world working together for peace and a sustainable future.
Grants for Jewish Causes
The Maritz Family Foundation’s giving for Jewish causes has tapered off recently, but past grantmaking has gone to Jewish organizations in Washington and elsewhere. Grantees include the Samuel and Althea Stroum Jewish Community Center of Mercer Island and the Givat Haviva Educational Foundation.
Important Grant Details:
Grants range from $1,000 to about $1 million.
Grants for health and mental health related to infants and early childhood comprise the foundation’s largest giving area.
More than half of all grants stay in Washington and prioritize the Seattle area.
This funder does not accept unsolicited proposals for funding.
For additional information about past grantmaking, see the foundation’s past tax filings.
The Maritz Family Foundation does not provide a way to get in touch, but its phone number is listed as 425-242-1153.
PEOPLE:
Search for staff contact info and bios in PeopleFinder (paid subscribers only).
CONTACT:
Maritz Family Foundation
Po Box 1743
Bellevue, WA 98009
425-242-1153
