Melling Family Foundation
Melling Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Holladay, Utah. Its 2024 filing says it supports environment, wildlife, women’s health, education, and low-income issues, and excludes religious organizations or affiliations.
Melling Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Melling Family Foundation gave $137K across 20 grants in 2024 (avg $7K), mostly in District of Columbia. 10% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $137,000
- +34.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 20
- +11.1% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $6,850
- +20.9% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $4,000
- Total assets
- $991,826
- -4.3% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 10% first-time grantees (2 of 20, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- District of Columbia (54% 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 Melling Family Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation’s filing requests a preliminary letter stating the organization’s purpose and the size of the grant requested; further information may be requested. Trustees meet once a year during the summer. The filing says the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations and does not fund religious organizations or affiliations.
- Review Cycle
- June 1. The 2026 deadline has passed.
- Deadline
- June 1.
- Contact
Application contact: Nancy N Melling
Mailing address: 3081 Whitewater Dr, Holladay, UT 84121-1562
Phone: (801) 277-9118
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Melling Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Environmental Defense Fund ($20K). Together the top 10 received $116K.
Grant Size Distribution
96 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 96 grants of 96 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 54% of grant dollars went to recipients in Washington, DC; 22% to Utah; 18% to New York; 3% to Washington state; and 3% to California.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 20 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Melling Family Foundation open to new grantees?
10%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 2 of 20 grantees (10%) were first-time recipients. With only 20 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $12K; repeat grants $6K. How we count
Medians: $12K first-time, $4K repeat.
- 85% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 85% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 181% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $61K (2020) to $137K (2024). In 2024 it made 20 grants totaling $137K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Environmental Defense Fund Washington, DC | Support the work of supporting national environmental initiatives and programs benefiting air quality, water and habitat restoration. | $20,000 |
| Natural Resources Defense Council New York, NY | Support the mission of programs to safeguard the earth: its people, its plants and animals and the natural systems on which all life depends. | $20,000 |
| Ocean Conservancy Washington, DC | Support the work of creating science-based solutions for a healthy ocean and the wildlife and communities that depend on it. | $20,000 |
| Protect Democracy Project Washington, DC | Support the mission to protect democracy from declining into a more authoritarian form of government. | $20,000 |
| Planned Parenthood Federation of America Washington, DC | Support the programs and work of ppfa, providing reproductive healthcare and services. | $10,000 |
| Wildlife Rehabilitaion Center of Northern Utah Far West, UT | Support the mission: "through wildlife rehabilitation and education we will empower the community to engage in education and responsible stewardship of wildlife and habitat." | $10,000 |
| African Wildlife Foundation Washington, DC | Support the mission of ensuring the wildlife and wildlands of africa will endure forever through increased scientific understanding of africa's extraordinary ecosystems and the use of community conservation and conservation enterprise to demonstrate that wildlife can be conserved while prople's well being is also improved. | $4,000 |
| Big Life Foundation Ridgefield, WA | Support big life's mission is to protect and sustain the wildlife and habitats of the more than 1.6 million acres in the greater amboseli ecosystem, including one of the largest populations of elephants remaining in east africa. | $4,000 |
| Madre New York, NY | Support the mission to advance women's human rights, working in partnership with community-based women's organizations in the area of economic and environmental justice. | $4,000 |
| Utah Food Bank Salt Lake City, UT | Support Utah food bank, which has operated under various names but has always remained true to our mission of fighting hunger statewide. 410,000 utahns, which equates to 1 in 8 individuals, are at risk of missing a meal today. | $4,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Melling Family Foundation?
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 | $991,826 | $110,575 | $152,350 | $137,000 | 20 | $137,000 | $97,130 | $75,636 |
| 2023 | $1,036,440 | $-29,004 | $114,590 | $102,000 | 18 | $102,000 | $17,008 | $64,843 |
| 2022 | $1,178,581 | $4,108 | $88,230 | $74,000 | 18 | $74,000 | $7,284 | $63,407 |
| 2021 | $1,262,342 | $496,664 | $86,279 | $74,000 | 21 | $74,000 | $184,385 | $70,341 |
| 2020 | $852,254 | $-17,856 | $68,734 | $61,000 | 19 | — | $5,933 | $45,911 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Melling Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $76K 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
The foundation’s filing lists support for environment, wildlife, women’s health, education, and low-income issues. Its 2024 grantees included organizations working in these areas. For example, Ocean Conservancy describes its mission as uniting science, people, and policy to protect the ocean; Hawkwatch International says it conserves the environment through education, long-term monitoring, and scientific research on raptors. The Road Home describes its mission as helping individuals and families experiencing homelessness in Salt Lake County through emergency shelter and housing services.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation gave 20 grants totaling $137,000. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $20,000, with a median grant of $4,000. Notable awards included $20,000 each to Environmental Defense Fund, Natural Resources Defense Council, Ocean Conservancy, and Protect Democracy Project; $10,000 each to Planned Parenthood Federation of America and Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Northern Utah; and $4,000 each to African Wildlife Foundation, Big Life Foundation, MADRE, Utah Food Bank, and Wildlife Conservation Network. Other reported grants included $3,000 to Feeding America and $2,000 each to The Road Home and Hawkwatch International.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists George D. Melling, Nancy N. Melling, Thomas G. Melling, and Amy M. Christiansen as trustees.
Melling Family Foundation's 2024 filing lists 4 officers; none of the 4 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Amy M. Christiansen
Trustee
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
George D. Melling
Trustee
On filings since 2020
16 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Nancy N. Melling
Trustee
On filings since 2020
60 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Thomas G. Melling
Trustee
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 Melling Family Foundation
How much does Melling Family Foundation give each year?
Melling Family Foundation gave $137K across 20 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $102K across 18 grants.
What is Melling Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Melling Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $4,000, and its average grant was $6,850, across 20 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Melling Family Foundation that year got $12K on average.
Where does Melling Family Foundation give grants?
Melling Family Foundation gives mostly in District of Columbia: 54% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Utah (22%) and New York (18%). The most frequent recipient cities were Salt Lake City, UT (8 grants), Washington, DC (5 grants) and New York, NY (3 grants).
Does Melling Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 20 grants with a stated purpose on Melling Family Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are Melling Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Melling Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Environmental Defense Fund ($20,000), Natural Resources Defense Council ($20,000) and Ocean Conservancy ($20,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 44% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Melling Family Foundation?
Melling Family Foundation reported $992K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $137K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $76K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Melling Family Foundation fund?
The foundation’s filing lists support for environment, wildlife, women’s health, education, and low-income issues. Its 2024 grantees included organizations working in these areas. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Melling Family Foundation?
The foundation’s filing requests a preliminary letter stating the organization’s purpose and the size of the grant requested; further information may be requested. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Melling Family Foundation's EIN?
Melling Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 87-0663843. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Melling Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/melling-family-foundation-morg_b85729c330cc45209367293ee1fe032b
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_870663843_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Melling Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/melling-family-foundation-morg_b85729c330cc45209367293ee1fe032b},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 Melling Family Foundation'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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