Merancas Foundation Inc
The Merancas Foundation, Inc. is a private foundation based in Charlotte, North Carolina. Founded in 1989 by Anke and Casey Mermans, it supports local nonprofits serving individuals and families experiencing socio-economic hardship in the metropolitan areas of Charlotte, Atlanta, and Trenton.
Merancas Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Merancas Foundation Inc gave $16.2M across 140 grants in 2025 (avg $116K), mostly in North Carolina. 7% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $16,238,472
- -3.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 140
- -18.1% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $115,989
- +17.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $50,000
- Total assets
- $174,427,068
- +13.2% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 7% first-time grantees (9 of 136, 2025)
- Primary geography
- North Carolina (82% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Merancas Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- Yes
- How to Apply
-
The Foundation accepts unsolicited requests through its “Are We a Match” process for potential and not-yet-approved applicants; full grant proposals are limited to pre-approved applicants and current partners. Applications are submitted online.
- Review Cycle
- Current partners have an assigned annual deadline of February 15 for the spring cycle or August 15 for the fall cycle. Applicants should contact the Foundation if unsure of their deadline; late submissions without prior communication will not be accepted.
- Deadline
- Current partners have an assigned annual deadline of February 15 for the spring cycle or August 15 for the fall cycle.
- Contact
Application contact: Anthony A Mermans
Mailing address: 615 South College St 9Th Floor, Charlotte, NC 28202
Phone: (980) 237-1386
Website: https://merancas.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Merancas Foundation Inc
Who Merancas Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Central Piedmont Community College ($1.8M). Together the top 10 received $7.2M.
Organizations only. It also paid 3 grants to individuals ($120,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
805 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $50–100K range: 290 grants of 805 (36%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation’s stated geographic focus is the metropolitan areas of Charlotte, North Carolina; Atlanta, Georgia; and Trenton, New Jersey. Its 2025 grant dollars were reported as 82% to North Carolina recipients, 9% to New Jersey, 8% to Georgia, 1% to South Carolina, and less than 1% to New York.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 140 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Merancas Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
7%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 9 of 136 grantees (7%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $66K; repeat grants $121K. How we count
Medians: $50K first-time, $50K repeat.
- 88% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−14%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 99% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $6.9M (2019) to $19.0M (2022). In 2025 it made 140 grants totaling $16.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Central Piedmont Community College Charlotte, NC | Fostering Economic Independence Thro | $1,800,000 |
| Roof Above Charlotte, NC | Roof Above General Operating Support | $1,100,000 |
| American Red Cross Charlotte, NC | American Red Cross Disaster Relief-R | $1,000,000 |
| Foundation for the Carolinas Charlotte, NC | Caps Scholarship-Schloarship Funds F | $900,000 |
| YWCA Central Carolinas Charlotte, NC | Grounds for Change: Affordable Housi | $625,000 |
| Planned Parenthood South Atlantic Raleigh, NC | Charlotte Reproductive and Sexual He | $500,000 |
| Freedom School Partners Charlotte, NC | 2025 Freedom School Summer Program-S | $400,000 |
| Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy Charlotte, NC | Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy | $250,000 |
| Crisis Assistance Ministry Charlotte, NC | General Operating-Crisis Funding for | $250,000 |
| Habitat for Humanity of the Charlot Charlotte, NC | Critical Home Repair Program Support | $250,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Merancas Foundation Inc?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $174,427,068 | $38,196,865 | $17,849,105 | $16,238,472 | 140 | $16,238,472 | $38,095,971 | $16,384,883 |
| 2024 | $154,081,403 | $19,799,108 | $18,105,108 | $16,828,165 | 171 | $16,828,165 | $19,697,340 | $13,607,322 |
| 2023 | $152,384,008 | $14,755,922 | $17,426,591 | $16,588,000 | 169 | $16,588,000 | $14,709,371 | $11,720,088 |
| 2022 | $155,053,300 | $-6,520,569 | $20,168,521 | $18,977,000 | 194 | $18,977,000 | $302,559 | $14,073,030 |
| 2021 | $181,742,490 | $364,669,812 | $14,823,122 | $14,128,000 | 131 | $14,128,000 | $34,164,228 | $19,725,025 |
| 2020 | $42,401,483 | $13,041,499 | $9,143,163 | $8,780,870 | 137 | — | $11,734,377 | $4,653,881 |
| 2019 | $39,791,015 | $13,730,831 | $7,276,517 | $6,852,000 | 111 | — | $9,440,348 | $2,823,458 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Merancas Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $16.4M for 2025 — 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 mission is to support local nonprofits that provide opportunities to improve the lives of individuals and families experiencing socio-economic hardship. It focuses on education initiatives—from early childhood through adult career education—that provide pathways to economic mobility; collaborative approaches to affordable housing, from emergency shelter to permanent solutions; and interconnected services that empower individuals, families, and communities.
Its grantees include organizations working in areas such as education, housing, legal services, food assistance, and health care. For example, Roof Above describes its mission as uniting the community to end homelessness through homeless and housing services in the Charlotte metro region. Freedom School Partners says it aims to inspire scholars to love reading and learning, believe in themselves, and create extraordinary futures. Nourish Up describes its work as reducing hunger and malnutrition in Mecklenburg County through grocery distribution and meal delivery.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the Foundation reported 140 grants totaling $16,238,472. Individual grants ranged from $10,000 to $1,800,000, with a median of $50,000. Among its largest reported awards were $1,800,000 to an individual recipient Community College, $1,100,000 to Roof Above, $1,000,000 to the American Red Cross, and $900,000 to Foundation For The Carolinas. Other awards included $625,000 to YWCA Central Carolinas, $500,000 to Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, and $400,000 to Freedom School Partners.
Potential and not-yet-approved applicants may submit an “Are We a Match” request through the grant portal. Pre-approved applicants and current partners may submit a grant proposal using an access code. Organizations may submit one “Are We a Match” request per calendar year unless Foundation staff direct otherwise. Atlanta inquiries are currently limited to the Education interest. Applicants must file IRS Form 990; Form 990-N and 990-EZ filers are not eligible. The Foundation does not fund individuals, political, religious, arts, fraternal, or civic organizations, sponsorships, events, or grants to other foundations.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Anthony A. Mermans as President; Jennifer E. Mermans as Vice Chair; Nicole Vezengeho as Treasurer; Bryan K. Mermans as Secretary; Johanna K. Mermans as Assistant Secretary; and Robin B. Mermans, Robin M. Mermans, and Samuel Vezengeho as directors.
Merancas Foundation Inc is led by Anthony A. Mermans, President on every filing since 2019; 1 of 7 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Anthony A. Mermans
President
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$200K (2019) → $337K (2025)
Robin M. Mermans
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Samuel Vezenegho
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Bryan K. Mermans
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jennifer E. Mermans
Vice Chair
Secretary → Vice Chair, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Johanna K. Mermans
Assistant Secretary
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nicole Vezenegho
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: Cornelis A. M. Mermans (2019–2024) — Treasurer
- Former: Nicole A. Mermans (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Robin M. Perrigo (2019–2020) — Director
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $337K, to Anthony a Mermans (President &).
Frequently asked questions about Merancas Foundation Inc
How much does Merancas Foundation Inc give each year?
Merancas Foundation Inc gave $16.2M across 140 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $16.8M across 171 grants.
What is Merancas Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Merancas Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $50,000, and its average grant was $115,989, across 140 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Merancas Foundation Inc that year got $66K on average.
Where does Merancas Foundation Inc give grants?
Merancas Foundation Inc gives mostly in North Carolina: 82% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New Jersey (9%) and Georgia (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were Charlotte, NC (70 grants), Atlanta, GA (15 grants), Trenton, NJ (9 grants) and Lawrenceville, NJ (4 grants).
Does Merancas Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 14% of Merancas Foundation Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (19 of 140) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Merancas Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Merancas Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Central Piedmont Community College ($1,800,000), Roof Above ($1,100,000) and American Red Cross ($1,000,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 3 grants to individuals ($120,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 24% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Merancas Foundation Inc?
Merancas Foundation Inc reported $174.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $16.2M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $16.4M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Merancas Foundation Inc fund?
The Foundation’s mission is to support local nonprofits that provide opportunities to improve the lives of individuals and families experiencing socio-economic hardship. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Merancas Foundation Inc?
The Foundation accepts unsolicited requests through its “Are We a Match” process for potential and not-yet-approved applicants; full grant proposals are limited to pre-approved applicants and current partners. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Merancas Foundation Inc's EIN?
Merancas Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 56-1677733. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Merancas Foundation Inc accept unsolicited proposals?
Yes, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 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 2024 (received by the IRS November 17, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 15, 2026)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS June 9, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 9, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 14, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 15, 2024)
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Merancas Foundation Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Merancas Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/merancas-foundation-inc-morg_2e4b2bd6452c4206969bc207ea2edc00
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_561677733_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Merancas Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/merancas-foundation-inc-morg_2e4b2bd6452c4206969bc207ea2edc00},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Merancas Foundation Inc'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.
Merancas Foundation Inc down — hundreds of funders to go?