About the Foundation
MBTF is more than a foundation—it is part of your family’s legacy.
Carll and Marcia Brady Tucker established an account in the late 1920s, which allowed them to contribute to charities while simultaneously maximizing their tax deductions. Carll Tucker said that it is illegal not to pay all the taxes that you owe, but it is immoral to pay any more than you have to.
In the early 1930s, after graduating from Yale, Luther Tucker, Carll and Marcia's firstborn, became the first director of the account besides its founders. His role involved meeting with his parents annually for about 20 minutes to receive a list of their contributions. Sometimes, they entertained his grant requests.
In 1941, The Marcia Brady Tucker Foundation was incorporated in the State of New York. It was still a vehicle for annual giving by Marcia & Carll. The family lawyer and William Heron, the family accountant, were also on the board. Much later on, Carll Tucker Jr. was very active in the foundation with his mother.
When Carll Tucker died in 1957, he left $600,000 to MBTF, increasing its assets to $1.4 million. This transformed the foundation from a personal tax vehicle into a self-sustaining charitable entity. In 1958 the substantial bequest of Carll Tucker provided sufficient principal to enable the Foundation, for the first time, to grants out of income from investments.
In 1965, three grandchildren of the Donor were the first to be elected as directors: Marcia Boogaard, Anne Draper, and Toinette Tucker. Subsequently other grandchildren rotated as Directors.
In 1976, after Marcia Brady Tucker died, the family gathered to decide the foundation’s future. They unanimously voted to continue MBTF rather than dissolve it. Luther Tucker, the last surviving second-generation member, took over as president.
In 1977, all the Donor’s grandchildren were elected as members, and in 1978 as Directors; one resigned.
With Luther Tucker leading the new generation, he brought more structure, including:
Separating annual gifts from non-recurring gifts
Tracking gifts by category
Setting a minimum gift amount
In 1984, the Board approved matching charitable contributions of family members.
In 1986, the Board agreed to grant membership to those great-grandchildren 18 years or older who indicated interest.
By 2000, Luther had passed, and the foundation faced another crossroads. The debate over whether to keep MBTF together, divide it, or dissolve it led to intense discussions. Ultimately, the decision was made to continue the foundation while modernizing its structure to accommodate future generations.
Today, MBTF members continue operating this family foundation with clear policies, grant procedures, and a commitment to its mission.
