Ea Mellinger Educational
The Edward Arthur Mellinger Educational Foundation is a private philanthropic foundation based in Monmouth, Illinois. Founded in 1959 to honor Edward Arthur Mellinger, an early executive in the telephone industry, the foundation has distributed over $40 million to several thousand students throughout its existence. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization committed to alleviating the burden of student debt through educational support.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$23.3M
+5.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.1M
+1.5% YoY
Grant Count
556
-4.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$2K
+6.0% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ea Mellinger Educational reported a distributable amount of $1.1M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission centers on providing scholarships and educational support to help prospective college students obtain certificates or college degrees. The foundation was established to use its funds and income for charitable and educational purposes, accomplished through the issuance of educational scholarships, loans, and related operating expenses.
Primary focus areas include:
- Undergraduate scholarships
- Graduate student loans
- Educational grants to institutions
- Support for higher education initiatives
Grantmaking
How to Apply
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Primary Service Area: The foundation prioritizes applicants from six Illinois counties: Warren, Henderson, Knox, Mercer, Fulton, and McDonough.
Secondary and Tertiary Consideration:
- Second consideration given to students from the remainder of Illinois and Iowa and surrounding states
- Third consideration given to applicants from other states
- The foundation extends support across multiple states including Arkansas, Delaware, Iowa, Idaho, Indiana, Missouri, Nebraska, Texas, and Wisconsin
Geographic Priority Note: The foundation gives first consideration to students who reside in Western Illinois and Eastern Iowa and attend institutions in these two states.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total assets: $23,271,296
- Total revenues: $1,397,402
- Total expenses: $1,416,362
- Number of employees: 0
Historical Context: The foundation has distributed over $40 million in scholarships since its establishment in 1959.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $23,271,296 | $22,144,208 | $20,651,932 |
| Revenue | $1,397,402 | $1,267,856 | $1,276,384 |
| Expenses | $1,416,362 | $1,554,954 | $1,371,882 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,234,064 | $1,216,838 | $1,171,967 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,201,066 | $1,083,774 | $1,087,308 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,124,964 | $1,042,672 | $1,083,900 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Alcala Carlos Daniel ($6,200), Adams Benjamin Frank ($2,400), Alcala Benjamin ($2,400).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ADAMS BENJAMIN FRANK ONEIDA, IL | SCHOLARSHIP | $2,400 |
| AGAN SAMANTHA L KNOXVILLE, IL | SCHOLARSHIP | $2,367 |
| ALCALA BENJAMIN MONMOUTH, IL | SCHOLARSHIP | $2,400 |
| ALCALA CARLOS DANIEL MONMOUTH, IL | SCHOLARSHIP | $6,200 |
| ALDRED GAGE R WILLIAMSFIELD, IL | SCHOLARSHIP | $2,400 |
| ALFANO DOMENICO MONMOUTH, IL | SCHOLARSHIP | $767 |
| ALLAMAN ELAINA R MONMOUTH, IL | SCHOLARSHIP | $2,100 |
| ALLEN CHASE DANIEL ABINGDON, IL | SCHOLARSHIP | $2,100 |
| ALLEN KAYLEE MARIE GALESBURG, IL | SCHOLARSHIP | $2,100 |
| ALLEN MADISON GRACE GALESBURG, IL | SCHOLARSHIP | $2,100 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Gary Martin — President/Trustee
- Lynn R. McVey — Vice President/Treasurer/Trustee
- Jackie Watson — Secretary/Trustee
- Tim Quinn — Trustee
- Gary Heaton — Trustee
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| GARY MARTIN | PRESIDENT/TRUSTEE | 17 | $26,541 |
| LYNN R MCVEY | VP/TREASURER/TRUSTEE | 17 | $35,439 |
| JACKIE WATSON | SECRETARY/TRUSTEE | 17 | $34,191 |
| TIM QUINN | TRUSTEE | 2 | — |
| GARY HEATON | TRUSTEE | 2 | $3,600 |
Contact Information
The Edward Arthur Mellinger Educational Foundation, Inc.
- Address: 1025 East Broadway, P.O. Box 770, Monmouth, IL 61462
- Phone: (309) 734-2419
- Fax: (309) 734-4435
- Website: www.mellinger.org
- Email: Available through website
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Ea Mellinger Educational fund?
The foundation's mission centers on providing scholarships and educational support to help prospective college students obtain certificates or college degrees. The foundation was established to use its funds and income for charitable and educational purposes, accomplished through the issuance of educational scholarships, loans, and related operating expenses. Primary focus areas include: • Undergraduate scholarships • Graduate student loans • Educational grants to institutions • Support for hig…
How do I apply for a grant from Ea Mellinger Educational?
**Scholarship Program:** • In 2024, the foundation granted 551 scholarships to individuals • Scholarships are gifts that do not require repayment • No application fee required • Renewable annually if recipients maintain good academic standing • Award amounts vary **Other Grants:** • In 2024, the foundation issued 5 grants to other organizations • Recent institutional grants include $20,000 to Monmouth College and $15,000 to Carl Sandburg College Foundation (both 2024) **Application Process:** •…
Where does Ea Mellinger Educational make grants?
**Primary Service Area:** The foundation prioritizes applicants from six Illinois counties: Warren, Henderson, Knox, Mercer, Fulton, and McDonough. **Secondary and Tertiary Consideration:** • Second consideration given to students from the remainder of Illinois and Iowa and surrounding states • Third consideration given to applicants from other states • The foundation extends support across multiple states including Arkansas, Delaware, Iowa, Idaho, Indiana, Missouri, Nebraska, Texas, and Wiscon…
What size grants does Ea Mellinger Educational award?
In 2024, Ea Mellinger Educational awarded 556 grants totaling $1.1M — an average of about $2K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Ea Mellinger Educational required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Ea Mellinger Educational reported a distributable amount of $1.1M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Ea Mellinger Educational's EIN?
Ea Mellinger Educational's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-2428421. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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