The George W. Mergens Foundation is a private family foundation located in Milton, Vermont (with a mailing address in Colchester). Established in 1994 by Ann Mergens and their two children as a tribute to George W. Mergens, the foundation supports a broad variety of nonprofit organizations that serve the youth of Vermont. The foundation has awarded over $12 million in support since its founding.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$16.3M
-5.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.0M
+42.6% YoY
Grant Count
95
+41.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$11K
+0.6% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's purpose is to support educational and experiential opportunities for youth, fostering a sense of well-being, curiosity, and empowerment in young people so they are equipped to meet future challenges. The foundation is dedicated to enriching the lives of youth through programs that promote knowledge, creativity, leadership, and good health.
Primary funding areas include:
- Education and STEM education
- Youth programs and youth services
- Arts education and theater
- Out-of-school learning and camps
- Community recreation
- Employment and adult literacy
- Health and wellness
- Food security
- Equal opportunity in education
- Operating support for youth-serving organizations
Grantmaking
The foundation is currently accepting grant proposals. Organizations applying for the first time should complete an Eligibility Quiz to determine if they meet criteria. The board meets monthly to review requests, with awards or denials typically issued within 6–8 weeks of submission.
Grant Range
$2,000–$50,000
Average Grant
$12,200
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Vermont, with some grants extending to Maine and Illinois.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent (2024):
- Total assets: $17,167,415
- Total giving: $1,006,950
- Total revenue: $501,903
- Total expenses: $1,123,403
- Giving rate: 5.8%
- Number of employees: 3
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $16,311,906 | $17,167,415 | $17,785,925 |
| Revenue | $590,805 | $501,903 | $429,223 |
| Expenses | $1,446,691 | $1,123,403 | $1,173,295 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,322,535 | $1,006,950 | $1,052,513 |
| Net Investment Income | $473,296 | $387,387 | $314,607 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,234,609 | $1,119,615 | $1,020,213 |
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 2025
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from George W Mergens Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Paul G. Mergens – Chairman and President (40 hrs/week, $150,000 compensation)
- William H. Wiltshire – VP; Director of Operations (32 hrs/week, $150,000 compensation)
- Rachel Mergens – VP; Director of Finance (32 hrs/week, $75,000 compensation)
- Mary E. Mergens-Loughran – Vice President (5 hrs/week)
- Lenora A Mergens – Director (5 hrs/week)
- Bill Wiltshire – Director of Operations
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| PAUL G MERGENS | PRESIDENT & TREASURER | 40 | $150,000 |
| MARY E MERGENS-LOUGHRAN | VICE PRESIDENT | 5 | — |
| LENORA A MERGENS | DIRECTOR | 5 | — |
| WILLIAM H WILTSHIRE | VP; DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS | 32 | $150,000 |
| RACHEL MERGENS | VP; DIRECTOR OF FINANCE | 32 | $75,000 |
Contact Information
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 633 Milton, VT 05468
Phone: (802) 655-6770
Email: info@mergensfoundation.org
Key Contacts:
- Paul Mergens (Chairman): paul@mergensfoundation.org
- Bill Wiltshire (Director of Operations): bill@mergensfoundation.org
- Rachel Mergens (Finance Director/Grant Administrator): rachel@mergensfoundation.org
Website: mergensfoundation.org
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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