Arlene & Joseph Meraux Charitable
Arlene & Joseph Meraux Charitable is a private foundation based in Violet, Louisiana, focused on improving quality of life in St. Bernard Parish. Its work includes grants to charitable organizations, scholarships for local public high school graduates, and direct charitable activities at Docville Farm and through arts programs.
Arlene & Joseph Meraux Charitable at a glance
In short: Arlene & Joseph Meraux Charitable gave $4.7M across 42 grants in 2025 (avg $111K), mostly in Louisiana. 17% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $4,650,357
- +50.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 42
- -10.6% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $110,723
- +68.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $9,000
- Total assets
- $100,530,922
- +3.8% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 17% first-time grantees (7 of 41, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Louisiana (98% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Arlene & Joseph Meraux Charitable
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Its filing describes a written request stating the purpose, organization name, contact person, and amount requested; it says a grant application is available upon request. The filing lists a restriction that 60 scholarships are awarded to graduates of St. Bernard Parish public schools.
- Review Cycle
- None listed.
- Deadline
- None listed.
- Contact
Application contact: Rita O Gue
Mailing address: 5128 E St Bernard Hwy, Violet, LA 70092
Phone: (504) 279-6559
Email: info@merauxfoundation.org
Website: https://merauxfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Arlene & Joseph Meraux Charitable funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was World War II Museum New Orleans ($3.7M across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $4.4M.
Grant Size Distribution
234 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 197 grants of 234 (84%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s stated mission and programs center on St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana. In 2025, 98% of grant dollars went to recipients in Louisiana, 1% to Minnesota, 1% to Michigan, and less than 1% to New York.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 42 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Arlene & Joseph Meraux Charitable open to new grantees?
17%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 7 of 41 grantees (17%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $570K; repeat grants $19K. How we count
Medians: $20K first-time, $7K repeat.
- 80% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 285% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 150% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $1.2M (2022) to $4.7M (2025). In 2025 it made 42 grants totaling $4.7M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| World War II Museum New Orleans New Orleans, LA | Donated 916-926 magazine st properties in new orleans on 2/6/2025 | $2,655,000 |
| World War II Museum New Orleans New Orleans, LA | Donated 906-912 magazine st properties in new orleans on 2/6/2025 | $1,065,000 |
| Scholarship New Orleans, LA | Donation | $194,000 |
| Wyes-TV - Greater New Orleans Education Television Foundation New Orleans, LA | Donation | $125,000 |
| Community Center of St Bernard Chalmette, LA | Donation | $91,000 |
| Goat in the Road Productions New Orleans, LA | Donation | $70,325 |
| Hamline University Saint Paul, MN | Donation | $59,800 |
| Nocca Institute New Orleans, LA | Donation | $50,000 |
| Louisiana State University Agcenter Jefferson, LA | Donation | $47,619 |
| Interlochen Center for the Arts Interlochen, MI | Donation | $40,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Arlene & Joseph Meraux Charitable?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $100,530,922 | $12,012,447 | $8,409,742 | $4,650,357 | 42 | $6,164,080 | $9,215,566 | $4,110,910 |
| 2024 | $96,866,240 | $9,077,354 | $6,448,128 | $3,086,632 | 47 | $4,995,492 | $7,745,186 | $4,440,595 |
| 2023 | $94,413,235 | $4,666,720 | $5,721,872 | $2,598,286 | 58 | $4,396,184 | $3,292,850 | $4,315,403 |
| 2022 | $95,293,815 | $4,077,817 | $5,034,483 | $1,207,301 | 46 | $3,514,294 | $2,580,520 | $4,351,550 |
| 2021 | $95,291,949 | $9,307,858 | $6,405,239 | $3,593,781 | 41 | $6,153,444 | $5,621,857 | $4,576,915 |
| 2020 | $92,294,924 | $23,881,992 | $9,435,600 | $2,787,867 | 44 | — | $17,653,829 | $3,746,155 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Arlene & Joseph Meraux Charitable reported a distributable amount of $4.1M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated mission is to improve quality of life in St. Bernard Parish. Its website describes education, environmental work, community resilience, arts and culture, economic development, and land strategies as program areas. It also manages and stewards diverse properties, with stated goals of preserving natural environments and advancing the community through smart-growth and sustainable development.
Its direct activities include Docville Farm as a cultural and educational center and base for charitable programs, along with St. Claude Art Park and the Artify Artist Center program. The foundation also runs a scholarship program for St. Bernard Parish public high school graduates. Its website describes scholarships for academic achievement, artistic accomplishment, and vocational study; the filing states that around 60 scholarships are awarded each year.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 42 grants totaling $4,650,357. Grant amounts ranged from $150 to $2,655,000, with a median of $9,000. The two largest grants were to the World War II Museum New Orleans: $2,655,000 for donated properties at 916–926 Magazine Street and $1,065,000 for donated properties at 906–912 Magazine Street.
Other 2025 grants included $194,000 listed as “Scholarship”; $125,000 to WYES-TV – Greater New Orleans Education Television Foundation; $91,000 to Community Center of St. Bernard; $70,325 to Goat in the Road Productions; $59,800 to Hamline University; and $50,000 to the NOCCA Institute. The Community Center of St. Bernard says its mission is to provide food resources for low-income and asset-poor individuals. Goat in the Road Productions describes itself as a nonprofit theatre company dedicated to new works and educational programming. Other recipients included education, arts, and community organizations.
The foundation’s 2025 filing says it donated $742,107 to 501(c)(3) organizations as a community contribution. It also describes direct charitable activities at Docville Farm and through its arts programs, as well as its scholarship program.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Rita Gue as president and chairwoman, Floyd Gue as senior vice-president, Sidney D. Torres III as secretary, Erica Beck as recording secretary, William Haines as vice-president, and Christopher Haines as treasurer. The foundation’s website lists Rita Gue, Floyd Gue, Bill Haines, Chris Haines, and Sidney Torres III on its board of directors.
Arlene & Joseph Meraux Charitable is led by Rita Gue, President & Chairwoman since 2023 (on filings since 2020); 4 of 6 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Rita Gue
President & Chairwoman
Chairwoman → President & Chairwoman, 2023
On filings since 2020
35 hrs/week
$150K (2020) → $166K (2025)
Christopher Haines
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$120K (2020) → $136K (2025)
Floyd Gue
Senior Vice President
President → Senior Vice President, 2023
On filings since 2020
35 hrs/week
$125K (2020) → $141K (2025)
William Haines
Vice President
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$120K (2020) → $136K (2025)
Erica Beck
Recording Secretary
Assistant Secretary → Recording Secretary, 2023
On filings since 2020
25 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sidney D. Torres III
Secretary
On filings since 2020
25 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $166K, to Rita Gue (President/Chairwoman). 4 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Arlene & Joseph Meraux Charitable
How much does Arlene & Joseph Meraux Charitable give each year?
Arlene & Joseph Meraux Charitable gave $4.7M across 42 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $3.1M across 47 grants.
What is Arlene & Joseph Meraux Charitable's typical grant size?
Arlene & Joseph Meraux Charitable's median grant in 2025 was $9,000, and its average grant was $110,723, across 42 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Arlene & Joseph Meraux Charitable that year got $570K on average.
Where does Arlene & Joseph Meraux Charitable give grants?
Arlene & Joseph Meraux Charitable gives mostly in Louisiana: 98% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Chalmette, LA (16 grants), New Orleans, LA (14 grants) and Arabi, LA (4 grants).
Does Arlene & Joseph Meraux Charitable give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 42 grants with a stated purpose on Arlene & Joseph Meraux Charitable's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Donation" (39 grants).
Who are Arlene & Joseph Meraux Charitable's largest grantees?
Arlene & Joseph Meraux Charitable's largest 2025 grantees include World War II Museum New Orleans ($3,720,000 across 2 grants), Scholarship ($194,000) and Wyes-TV - Greater New Orleans Education Television Foundation ($125,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 87% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Arlene & Joseph Meraux Charitable?
Arlene & Joseph Meraux Charitable reported $100.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $6.2M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $4.1M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Arlene & Joseph Meraux Charitable fund?
The foundation’s stated mission is to improve quality of life in St. Bernard Parish. Its website describes education, environmental work, community resilience, arts and culture, economic development, and land strategies as program areas. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Arlene & Joseph Meraux Charitable?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Arlene & Joseph Meraux Charitable's EIN?
Arlene & Joseph Meraux Charitable's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 72-1400981. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Arlene & Joseph Meraux Charitable accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 29, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Arlene & Joseph Meraux Charitable funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/arlene-and-joseph-meraux-charitable-morg_c76b4c30db18451cbcd2e16afa52e6ca
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_721400981_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Arlene \& Joseph Meraux Charitable funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/arlene-and-joseph-meraux-charitable-morg_c76b4c30db18451cbcd2e16afa52e6ca},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-14. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Arlene & Joseph Meraux Charitable's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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