Kahn Sovel Mertz Fund
Kahn Sovel Mertz Fund is a private foundation based in Bethesda, Maryland. It gave $163,764 through 24 grants in 2024. Its grants went to organizations in several states, with the largest share of grant dollars going to recipients in Michigan.
Kahn Sovel Mertz Fund at a glance
In short: Kahn Sovel Mertz Fund gave $164K across 24 grants in 2024 (avg $7K), mostly in Michigan. 50% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $163,764
- +6.0% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 24
- -31.4% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $6,824
- +54.6% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $2,692
- Total assets
- $656,208
- -16.0% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 50% first-time grantees (12 of 24, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Michigan (65% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Kahn Sovel Mertz Fund
- How to Apply
-
The foundation’s filing says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Applicants should provide their full name, address, and phone number and contact Julee Mertz. The filing states there are no submission deadlines and no restrictions or limitations on awards.
- Contact
Application contact: Julee Mertz
Mailing address: 8309 River Trail Lane, Bethesda, MD 20817
Phone: (312) 208-0287
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Kahn Sovel Mertz Fund funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Cure Multiple Myeloma Corp ($50K). Together the top 10 received $142K.
Grant Size Distribution
170 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 167 grants of 170 (98%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 65% of grant dollars went to recipients in Michigan, 25% to New York, 6% to Washington, DC, and 2% each to Illinois and Ohio.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 24 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Kahn Sovel Mertz Fund open to new grantees?
50%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 12 of 24 grantees (50%) were first-time recipients. With only 24 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 4 points. First grants averaged $9K; repeat grants $5K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 46% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 41% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 447% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2024). 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 2019 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $90K (2020) to $164K (2024). In 2024 it made 24 grants totaling $164K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Cure Multiple Myeloma Corp Novi, MI | General Fund Contribution | $50,000 |
| Friends of Magen David Adom New York, NY | General Fund Contribution | $36,000 |
| Jewish Federation of Detroit Bloomfield Hills, MI | General Fund Contribution | $20,000 |
| Adat Shalom Synagogue Farmington Hills, MI | General Fund Contribution | $6,970 |
| Hadassah West Bloomfield, MI | General Fund Contribution | $5,000 |
| Hias Washington, DC | General Fund Contribution | $5,000 |
| National Museum of Wimon in the Art Washington, DC | General Fund Contribution | $5,000 |
| Planned Parenthood Ann Arbor, MI | General Fund Contribution | $5,000 |
| Sanctum House Royal Oak, MI | General Fund Contribution | $5,000 |
| Detroit Institute of Arts Detroit, MI | General Fund Contribution | $4,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $656,208 | $49,605 | $174,683 | $163,764 | 24 | $163,764 | $38,686 | $36,655 |
| 2023 | $781,286 | $501,023 | $161,945 | $154,475 | 35 | $154,475 | $93,602 | $33,814 |
| 2022 | $442,208 | $170,669 | $123,072 | $116,434 | 41 | $116,434 | $85,431 | $23,175 |
| 2021 | $394,611 | $265,538 | $121,770 | $116,391 | 36 | $116,391 | $50,112 | $20,946 |
| 2020 | $250,843 | $50,877 | $95,267 | $89,893 | 34 | — | $19,854 | $16,630 |
| 2019 | $295,233 | $83,994 | $109,575 | $103,976 | 37 | — | $63,395 | $14,395 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Kahn Sovel Mertz Fund reported a distributable amount of $37K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for CURE Multiple Myeloma Corporation, whose mission is to raise funds for medical research into multiple myeloma treatment, and the Jewish Federation of Detroit, which says it works to meet the needs of Jewish people and build a strong Jewish future in Detroit, Israel, and around the world.
Other 2024 grantees describe work that includes supporting women survivors of human trafficking to return to the workplace (Sanctum House), enriching the lives of people with disabilities through support and community engagement in accordance with Jewish values (JARC), promoting the welfare and education of cantors and Jewish music (Cantors Assembly), and helping youth access and complete postsecondary education and develop workplace life skills (The Midnight Golf Program).
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation awarded 24 grants totaling $163,764. Grants ranged from $100 to $50,000, with a median grant of $2,692. The largest awards included $50,000 to CURE Multiple Myeloma Corp, $36,000 to Friends of Magen David Adom, and $20,000 to Jewish Federation of Detroit. Other listed grants included $6,970 to Adat Shalom Synagogue; $5,000 each to Hadassah, HIAS, National Museum of Women in the Arts, Planned Parenthood, and Sanctum House; and $4,000 to Detroit Institute of Arts.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Julee Mertz as president and treasurer, and Alyssa Mertz as vice president and secretary.
Kahn Sovel Mertz Fund is led by Julee Mertz, President & Treasurer on every filing since 2023; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Julee Mertz
President & Treasurer
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Alyssa Mertz
Vice President & Secretary
President → Vice President & Secretary, 2023
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Julie Mertz Webster (2019–2022) — Vice President
- Former: Susan Sovel (2019–2022) — Secretary & Treasurer
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Kahn Sovel Mertz Fund
How much does Kahn Sovel Mertz Fund give each year?
Kahn Sovel Mertz Fund gave $164K across 24 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $154K across 35 grants.
What is Kahn Sovel Mertz Fund's typical grant size?
Kahn Sovel Mertz Fund's median grant in 2024 was $2,692, and its average grant was $6,824, across 24 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Kahn Sovel Mertz Fund that year got $9K on average.
Where does Kahn Sovel Mertz Fund give grants?
Kahn Sovel Mertz Fund gives mostly in Michigan: 65% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New York (25%) and District of Columbia (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Detroit, MI (3 grants), New York, NY (2 grants), Bloomfield Hills, MI (2 grants) and Washington, DC (2 grants).
Does Kahn Sovel Mertz Fund give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Kahn Sovel Mertz Fund's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (24 of 24) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Kahn Sovel Mertz Fund's largest grantees?
Kahn Sovel Mertz Fund's largest 2024 grantees include Cure Multiple Myeloma Corp ($50,000), Friends of Magen David Adom ($36,000) and Jewish Federation of Detroit ($20,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 65% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Kahn Sovel Mertz Fund?
Kahn Sovel Mertz Fund reported $656K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $164K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $37K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Kahn Sovel Mertz Fund fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Kahn Sovel Mertz Fund?
The foundation’s filing says it 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 Kahn Sovel Mertz Fund's EIN?
Kahn Sovel Mertz Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 38-3573217. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 11, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 27, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 27, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 11, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 7, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 15, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
Live grants for the work Kahn Sovel Mertz Fund funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Kahn Sovel Mertz Fund funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 21, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/kahn-sovel-mertz-fund-morg_3cac332a0ad54e639ab79d132b77548c
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_383573217_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Kahn Sovel Mertz Fund funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/kahn-sovel-mertz-fund-morg_3cac332a0ad54e639ab79d132b77548c},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-21. 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 Kahn Sovel Mertz Fund'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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