Arthur H Merry & Ernest B Merry
Arthur H Merry & Ernest B Merry is a private foundation based in Augusta, Georgia. It supports organizations through contributions for general assistance; in 2025, it made 26 grants totaling $98,000.
Key facts about Arthur H Merry & Ernest B Merry
In short: Arthur H Merry & Ernest B Merry gave $98K across 26 grants in 2025 (avg $4K), mostly in Georgia. 19% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 82-2050931
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $98,000
- Grants made (2025)
- 26
- Average grant
- $3,769
- Median grant
- $3,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 19% first-time grantees (5 of 26, 2025)
- Total assets
- $1,672,036
- Primary geography
- Georgia (95% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- The 2024 filing says the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$1.7M
-2.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$98K
+2.1% YoY
Grant Count
26
+13.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$4K
-9.7% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Arthur H Merry & Ernest B Merry reported a distributable amount of $98K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is Arthur H Merry & Ernest B Merry open to new grantees?
19%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 5 of 26 grantees (19%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $1K; repeat grants $4K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 77% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−5%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 100% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s filing describes its charitable activity as contributions to organizations for general assistance. Its 2025 grantees include organizations working in areas such as shelter and services for people experiencing homelessness, healthcare, adoption services, pregnancy counseling, workforce education, food assistance, and early childhood education. These are descriptions of the grantees’ work, not a stated mission or set of focus areas for the foundation.
For example, Augusta Rescue Mission describes its work as sheltering homeless men and providing food, clothing, and life-skills training. Christ Community Health Services describes its work as providing and promoting healthcare in medically underserved areas of the Central Savannah River Area. Appraro Academy describes its programs as specialized early intervention and education for children.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 26 grants totaling $98,000. Grants ranged from $500 to $9,000, with a median of $3,000. The filing lists grant purposes as general assistance.
Review Cycle
.
Ready to take the next step with Arthur H Merry & Ernest B Merry?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 95% of grant dollars went to recipients in Georgia. The remaining grant dollars went to recipients in Maryland (2%), and New York, South Carolina, and Michigan (1% each).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 26 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $85K (2020) to $117K (2021). In 2025 it made 26 grants totaling $98K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Augusta Rescue Mission ($9K). Together the top 10 received $68K.
Grant Size Distribution
115 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 115 grants of 115 (100%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Augusta Rescue Mission Augusta, GA | General Assistance | $9,000 |
| Young Life of Augusta Augusta, GA | General Assistance | $9,000 |
| Easter Seals of East Georgia Augusta, GA | General Assistance | $7,000 |
| Broad Street Ministry Augusta, GA | General Assistance | $7,000 |
| Christ Community Health Services Inc Augusta, GA | General Assistance | $7,000 |
| Covenant Care Services Inc Macon, GA | General Assistance | $7,000 |
| Augusta Care Pregnancy Center Augusta, GA | General Assistance | $6,000 |
| Boys & Girls Club of Augusta Augusta, GA | General Assistance | $6,000 |
| Augusta Technical College Augusta, GA | General Assistance | $5,000 |
| Golden Harvest Food Bank Augusta, GA | General Assistance | $5,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,672,036 | $62,552 | $110,482 | $98,000 |
| 2024 | $1,719,966 | $80,469 | $106,683 | $96,000 |
| 2023 | $1,746,180 | $71,920 | $100,105 | $90,000 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $1,672,036 | $1,719,966 | $1,746,180 |
| Revenue | $62,552 | $80,469 | $71,920 |
| Expenses | $110,482 | $106,683 | $100,105 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $98,000 | $96,000 | $90,000 |
| Net Investment Income | $70,397 | $80,469 | $71,920 |
| Distributable Amount | $97,920 | $96,430 | $87,603 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS February 14, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS February 12, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS February 7, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 25, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS February 6, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS January 30, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS February 5, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Catherine M Williams as President, James Leibach as Vice President, and Robert B McDonald as Trustee.
Arthur H Merry & Ernest B Merry is led by Catherine M Williams, President on every filing since 2019; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Catherine M Williams
President
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Robert B McDonald
Trustee
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
James Leibach
Vice President
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: Joseph Brian Williams (2022–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Herbert P Williams (2019–2020) — Vice President
- Former: Kenneth H Merry Jr. (2019) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Contact
Application contact: Arthur Ernest Merry Foundation Inc
Mailing address: 2919 Sussex Drive, Augusta, GA 30909
Phone: (706) 738-7976
Frequently asked questions about Arthur H Merry & Ernest B Merry
How much does Arthur H Merry & Ernest B Merry give each year?
Arthur H Merry & Ernest B Merry gave $98K across 26 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $96K across 23 grants.
What is Arthur H Merry & Ernest B Merry's typical grant size?
Arthur H Merry & Ernest B Merry's median grant in 2025 was $3,000, and its average grant was $3,769, across 26 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Arthur H Merry & Ernest B Merry that year got $1K on average.
Where does Arthur H Merry & Ernest B Merry give grants?
Arthur H Merry & Ernest B Merry gives mostly in Georgia: 95% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Augusta, GA (18 grants).
Does Arthur H Merry & Ernest B Merry give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Arthur H Merry & Ernest B Merry's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (26 of 26) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Arthur H Merry & Ernest B Merry's largest grantees?
Arthur H Merry & Ernest B Merry's largest 2025 grantees include Augusta Rescue Mission ($9,000), Young Life of Augusta ($9,000) and Easter Seals of East Georgia ($7,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 26% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Arthur H Merry & Ernest B Merry?
Arthur H Merry & Ernest B Merry reported $1.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $98K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $98K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Arthur H Merry & Ernest B Merry fund?
The foundation’s filing describes its charitable activity as contributions to organizations for general assistance. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Arthur H Merry & Ernest B Merry?
The 2024 filing says the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Arthur H Merry & Ernest B Merry's EIN?
Arthur H Merry & Ernest B Merry's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 82-2050931. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Here's the math on researching Arthur H Merry & Ernest B Merry by hand.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Arthur H Merry & Ernest B Merry's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
Creel-Harison Foundation Inc
Augusta, GA
The foundation funds literacy, youth development, education, food access, human services, arts instruction, cancer support, and disaster relief, with most 2024 funding going to Georgia and some to Colorado. Its 2024 grants ranged from $2,715 to $89,138, with a median of $20,000. It accepts grant applications after prospective grantees contact its director to confirm eligibility; the annual deadline is October 1.
Assets
$13.7M
Grants
54
Total Given
$1.2M
The Knox Foundation
Thomson, GA
The Knox Foundation supports social services, arts, education, and cultural activities, with nearly all of its giving going to organizations in Georgia. Its 2024 grants ranged from $1,000 to $800,000, with a median award of $25,000. It does not limit grants to preselected organizations; applicants must be 501(c)(3) organizations and should contact the foundation for application materials and deadlines.
Assets
$102.0M
Grants
83
Total Given
$4.4M
The Community Foundation for the Central Savannah River Area Inc
Augusta, GA
The Community Foundation for the CSRA funds nonprofits and community initiatives in arts, education and workforce readiness, health, and basic needs across six counties in Georgia and South Carolina. Its 2024 grants had a median of $21,250 and ranged from $5,002 to $1,434,819; the profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$182.6M
Grants
196
Total Given
$16.1M
United Way of the Csra Inc
Augusta, GA
United Way of the CSRA funds local programs focused on children’s learning and youth opportunity, financial security, health and nutrition, and community resiliency. Its 2024 grants ranged from $6,034 to $75,808, with a median of $15,522, and went to organizations in Georgia, primarily serving the CSRA. It accepts proposals through a published Community Grant Letter of Intent process.
Assets
$4.0M
Grants
26
Total Given
$532K
Trustees of the Augusta Free
Augusta, GA
Assets
$841K
Grants
6
Total Given
$45K
The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta Inc
Atlanta, GA
The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta funds equity and shared-prosperity work across areas including education, housing, income and wealth, arts and culture, health, and neighborhood development, primarily in the Atlanta region. Its 2024 grants had a median of $21,000, though amounts varied widely; specific arts programs offer $5,000–$7,500. The profile describes application opportunities through its Grants Portal but does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$1.5B
Grants
1,414
Total Given
$152.3M
Boys & Girls Clubs of America
Atlanta, GA
Boys & Girls Clubs of America funds local Clubs and youth-development work, including general support, staff training, mentoring, and programs focused on academics, health, leadership, and readiness for life and work. Its 2024 grants ranged from $5,047 to $2.7 million, with a median of about $81,000, supporting Clubs across the United States, Native lands, and military communities. The profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$95.2M
Grants
797
Total Given
$120.5M
Habitat for Humanity International Inc
Americus, GA
Habitat for Humanity International funds affordable housing through grants to Habitat for Humanity organizations, including local affiliates, across the United States and internationally. Its 2025 grants ranged from $5,027 to $6,365,641, with a median of $48,658. The profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$760.0M
Grants
719
Total Given
$101.6M
Atlanta Community Food Bank Inc
Atlanta, GA
Atlanta Community Food Bank funds Georgia nonprofits addressing hunger and food insecurity, including food pantries and other community-based services, within its 29-county metro Atlanta and north Georgia service area. Its 2025 grants ranged from $620 to $74,500, with a median of $10,000. It accepts applications from prospective agency partners in its service area; applications are not described as unsolicited grant requests.
Assets
$65.0M
Grants
594
Total Given
$211.6M
The Arthur M Blank Family Foundation
Atlanta, GA
The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation funds work in Atlanta’s Westside, democracy, the environment, mental health and well-being, youth development, and founder initiatives, with a focus on Georgia and Montana and some national impact. In 2024, grants ranged from $500 to $20 million, with a median of $50,000. It makes grants by invitation and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
—
Grants
586
Total Given
$212.1M
Georgia Power Foundation Inc
Atlanta, GA
The foundation supports health, education and workforce development, the environment, arts and culture, and community initiatives, prioritizing Georgia, where 86% of its 2024 grant dollars went. Its 2024 grants ranged from $500 to $1 million, with a median of $10,000. The Georgia Power Grant is invitation-only and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$217.0M
Grants
517
Total Given
$18.6M
American Cancer Society Inc
Atlanta, GA
The American Cancer Society funds cancer research, patient support, advocacy, and related programs, with research support available to institutions across the United States. Its 2025 grants ranged from $5,648 to $9.6 million, with a median of $15,000. It accepts applications for research grants through specific programs and ProposalCentral; the profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests for other funding.
Assets
$1.7B
Grants
509
Total Given
$23.1M
More Funders in Georgia
Arthur H Merry & Ernest B Merry down — hundreds of funders to go?