Merck Family Fund
The Merck Family Fund (MFF) is a private foundation established in 1954 by George W. Merck, then president of Merck & Co., Inc. Based in Boston, Massachusetts, the fund was created with the dual aim of doing good with resources acquired through the company's success and to ensure the family had regular opportunities to come together. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) private foundation (tax-exempt since February 1958).
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$64.1M
+2.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$3.2M
+2.7% YoY
Grant Count
87
+2.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$37K
+0.4% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The Merck Family Fund's mission is to restore and protect the natural environment, ensure a healthy planet for generations to come, and strengthen the social fabric and the physical landscape of urban communities.
The fund's current programmatic areas include:
- Land conservation in the Southeast
- Sustainable paper production
- Reduction in carbon emissions through carbon pricing policies and energy efficiency
- Urban farming and youth leadership
- Civic engagement and climate justice in Massachusetts and New York
- Community-led climate resilience projects
The fund conducts grantmaking "through a justice and equity lens" and views civic engagement and community advocacy as integral to its environmental conservation and climate justice work.
Grantmaking
Since 1955, the Merck Family Fund has awarded 1,574 grants totaling over $37 million to more than 500 organizations.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Merck Family Fund focuses its grantmaking on:
- Massachusetts (statewide and specifically in Gateway Cities including Holyoke and New Bedford)
- New York
- The Southeast (for land conservation initiatives)
The fund prioritizes communities most impacted by climate change.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $64.1 million
- Revenue: $4.15 million
- Expenses: $5.6 million
- Total Liabilities: $1.89 million
As of 2023:
- Total Assets: $62.4 million
- Revenue: $2.86 million
- Expenses: $4.03 million
The fund manages approximately a $62 million endowment and awards roughly $4 million annually in grants.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $64,069,737 | $62,426,771 | $60,421,201 |
| Revenue | $4,153,396 | $2,856,107 | $5,734,245 |
| Expenses | $5,597,472 | $4,031,536 | $4,316,432 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $3,811,068 | $4,119,946 | $4,471,979 |
| Net Investment Income | $4,937,424 | $715,492 | $2,134,757 |
| Distributable Amount | $3,090,222 | $3,009,197 | $3,080,748 |
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
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Ruth Goldman serves as Executive Director.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| GEORGE WHITRIDGE | TRUSTEE, PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| KATHARINE MATYS | TRUSTEE, VICE PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| SERENA WHITRIDGE | TRUSTEE, SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| FREDERICK MORGAN WHITRIDGE | TRUSTEE, TREASURER | 1 | — |
| NATHANIEL CHAMBERLIN | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| OONA COY | TRUSTEE (BEGAN 02/4/2024) | 1 | — |
| IAN HATCH | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| WILHELM MERCK | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| WILHELM MERCK JR | TRUSTEE (THRU 02/04/2024) | 1 | — |
| RUTH GOLDMAN | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $182,126 |
| JAMES A MAGUIRE | CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER | 40 | $154,708 |
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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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