Merck Foundation a New Jersey Nonprofit Corporation
Merck Foundation a New Jersey Nonprofit Corporation is a private foundation based in Rahway, New Jersey. Merck describes its Foundation as a separate legal entity, established and funded by the company, that supports eligible nonprofit organizations and programs aligned with its health and community priorities.
Merck Foundation a New Jersey Nonprofit Corporation at a glance
In short: Merck Foundation a New Jersey Nonprofit Corporation gave $29.1M across 74 grants in 2025 (avg $393K), top state New Jersey. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $29,088,762
- +14.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 74
- -5.1% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $393,091
- +20.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $148,859
- Total assets
- $337,872,981
- +2.9% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- New Jersey (44% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.
How to apply to Merck Foundation a New Jersey Nonprofit Corporation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The Foundation’s grant guidelines state that it does not accept unsolicited requests. Its 2024 filing says requests may be submitted by letter and lists Leslie Hardy as the contact. The letter should briefly describe the organization, include documentation of federal tax-exempt status, explain project objectives and how they will be achieved, provide the budget and other funding sources, and state the grant amount requested. Applicants should demonstrate a sound program, competent leadership and the ability to accomplish the objectives. Eligible applicants are IRS-designated 501(c)(3) organizations whose interests and experience align with the giving priorities. The filing says awards are evaluated for relevance to the philanthropic priorities, Merck & Co.’s interests, the location of major facilities and employee concerns. It excludes political, labor and sectarian groups, and grants for endowments, publications or media productions; outside Foundation programs, it also excludes scholarships, fellowships and grants to individuals.
- Review Cycle
- None is listed on the Foundation’s 2024 filing.
- Deadline
- None is listed on the Foundation’s 2024 filing.
- Contact
Application contact: Leslie Hardy
Mailing address: 126 E, Rahway, NJ 07065
Phone: (732) 594-4000
Website: https://merck.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Merck Foundation a New Jersey Nonprofit Corporation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Partnership for Giving matching gifts ($10.1M). Together the top 10 received $19.5M.
Grant Size Distribution
412 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 155 grants of 412 (38%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation’s guidelines describe support for underserved communities and for communities where Merck operates or its employees live and work. In 2025, the largest shares of grant dollars by recipient state went to New Jersey (44%), Maryland (10%), New Mexico (8%), the District of Columbia (7%) and Pennsylvania (6%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 74 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Merck Foundation a New Jersey Nonprofit Corporation gives
- 65% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 28% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 186% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $22.7M (2022) to $29.1M (2025). In 2025 it made 74 grants totaling $29.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Partnership for Giving matching gifts Rahway, NJ | Contribution provided | $10,113,892 |
| The Childrens Inn at NIH Bethesda, MD | Contribution provided | $2,800,000 |
| University of New MexicoExempt Albuquerque, NM | Contribution provided | $1,899,566 |
| United Nations Foundation Inc Washington, DC | Contribution provided | $1,000,000 |
| American Cancer Society Kennesaw, GA | Contribution provided | $790,851 |
| Medical College of Virginia Foundation Richmond, VA | Contribution provided | $657,573 |
| Johns Hopkins University Chicago, IL | Contribution provided | $627,869 |
| American National Red Cross Washington, DC | Contribution provided | $600,000 |
| Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center OSBI New York, NY | Contribution provided | $400,000 |
| University of Kentucky Research Foundation Lexington, KY | Contribution provided | $399,960 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $337,872,981 | $33,821,748 | $30,083,750 | $29,088,762 | 74 | $29,761,191 | $17,364,149 | $16,004,637 |
| 2024 | $328,259,324 | $45,354,708 | $26,363,826 | $25,376,354 | 78 | $26,035,883 | $10,828,588 | $15,899,814 |
| 2023 | $316,231,990 | $17,266,335 | $26,068,342 | $24,333,666 | 55 | $25,713,126 | $2,460,204 | $15,523,551 |
| 2022 | $321,475,454 | $-21,982,603 | $23,413,935 | $22,650,160 | 99 | $23,171,312 | $40,840,166 | $16,259,496 |
| 2021 | $367,230,219 | $118,148,157 | $25,204,054 | $24,744,435 | 106 | $24,909,450 | $1,369,693 | $18,467,046 |
| 2020 | $280,865,875 | $19,794,513 | $28,749,250 | $28,006,465 | 1 | — | $10,936,741 | $13,636,089 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Merck Foundation a New Jersey Nonprofit Corporation reported a distributable amount of $16.0M 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 stated focus is advancing access to health through innovative programs and partnerships. Its health priorities include reducing disparities and improving access to care for underserved communities, particularly for people affected by cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and HIV/AIDS. It also supports stronger health systems, innovation in health care delivery, and efforts to help patients overcome social and environmental barriers to care. Its community focus includes support for local nonprofits and employee volunteer programs.
Recipients in 2025 included organizations with varied missions. The Children’s Inn at NIH, which received $2.8 million, says it provides a residence and support for families and children participating in pediatric research at NIH. Boston Medical Center, which received $399,864, describes its mission as providing accessible health services to people in need regardless of status or ability to pay. The United Nations Foundation, which received $1 million, says it supports the UN and its causes through advocacy, ideas, resources and partnerships.
Grantmaking
The Foundation reported 74 grants totaling $29,088,762 in 2025. Awards ranged from $25,000 to $10,113,892, with a median grant of $148,859. It reported 78 grants totaling $25,376,354 in 2024 and 55 grants totaling $24,333,666 in 2023.
Among the largest 2025 grants were $10,113,892 to Partnership for Giving for a matching-gift contribution; $2.8 million to The Children’s Inn at NIH; $1,899,566 to University of New MexicoExempt; and $1 million to the United Nations Foundation. Other large awards included $790,851 to the American Cancer Society, $657,573 to the Medical College of Virginia Foundation, and $600,000 to the American National Red Cross. The filing lists the purposes of these awards as “Contribution provided.”
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Zachary Jennifer as Chairperson of the Board; Allison Goldberg as President; Grez Kelly E W as Secretary; and Melissa Leonard as Treasurer. It also lists Timothy Dillane and Robert Swartwood as Assistant Treasurers, Karen Ettelman as Assistant Secretary, Jon Filderman as Vice President, Gary Henningsen as Vice President Tax, and Leslie Hardy as Executive Vice President.
Merck Foundation a New Jersey Nonprofit Corporation is led by Allison Goldberg, President on every filing since 2022; none of the 12 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Allison Goldberg
President
On filings since 2022
No compensation reported
Zachary Jennifer
Chairperson of the Board
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Dillane Timothy
Assistant Treasurer
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Filderman Jon
Vice President
Secretary → Vice President, 2022
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Hardy Leslie
Executive Vice President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Grez Kelly E W
Secretary
Assistant Secretary → Secretary, 2022
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Ettelman Karen
Assistant Secretary
On filings since 2022
No compensation reported
Gary Henningsen
Vice President Tax
On filings since 2022
No compensation reported
Swartwood Robert
Assistant Treasurer
On filings since 2022
No compensation reported
Wildasin Anthony
Assistant Secretary
On filings since 2022
No compensation reported
Melissa Leonard
Treasurer
New on the 2025 filing
No compensation reported
Walker Mark
Assistant Treasurer
New on the 2025 filing
No compensation reported
Former officers (11)
- Former: Lee Juanita (2022–2024) — Treasurer
- Former: Rosenberg Aaron (2022–2024) — Treasurer
- Former: Carmen Villar (2023–2024) — Chief Executive Officer
- Former: Jerome Mychalowych (2020–2021) — Vice President Tax
- Former: Litchfield Caroline (2020–2021) — Treasurer
- Former: Schwartz Michael G (2020–2021) — Assistant Treasurer
- Former: Villar Carmen (2020–2021) — Chief Executive Officer
- Former: Gerberding Julie (2021) — Vice Chairman of the Board
- Former: Goldberg Allison (2021) — President
- Former: Brown Faye C (2020) — Assistant Secretary
- Former: Colatrella Brenda D (2020) — President
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 Merck Foundation a New Jersey Nonprofit Corporation
How much does Merck Foundation a New Jersey Nonprofit Corporation give each year?
Merck Foundation a New Jersey Nonprofit Corporation gave $29.1M across 74 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $25.4M across 78 grants.
What is Merck Foundation a New Jersey Nonprofit Corporation's typical grant size?
Merck Foundation a New Jersey Nonprofit Corporation's median grant in 2025 was $148,859, and its average grant was $393,091, across 74 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Merck Foundation a New Jersey Nonprofit Corporation give grants?
Merck Foundation a New Jersey Nonprofit Corporation's top state is New Jersey, with 44% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Maryland (10%) and New Mexico (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were Rahway, NJ (3 grants), Washington, DC (3 grants), Chicago, IL (3 grants) and New York, NY (3 grants).
Does Merck Foundation a New Jersey Nonprofit Corporation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 74 grants with a stated purpose on Merck Foundation a New Jersey Nonprofit Corporation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Contribution provided" (73 grants).
Who are Merck Foundation a New Jersey Nonprofit Corporation's largest grantees?
Merck Foundation a New Jersey Nonprofit Corporation's largest 2025 grantees include Partnership for Giving matching gifts ($10,113,892), The Childrens Inn at NIH ($2,900,000 across 2 grants) and University of New MexicoExempt ($1,899,566), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 51% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Merck Foundation a New Jersey Nonprofit Corporation?
Merck Foundation a New Jersey Nonprofit Corporation reported $337.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $29.8M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $16.0M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Merck Foundation a New Jersey Nonprofit Corporation fund?
The Foundation’s stated focus is advancing access to health through innovative programs and partnerships. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Merck Foundation a New Jersey Nonprofit Corporation?
The Foundation’s grant guidelines state that it does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Merck Foundation a New Jersey Nonprofit Corporation's EIN?
Merck Foundation a New Jersey Nonprofit Corporation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 22-6028476. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Merck Foundation a New Jersey Nonprofit Corporation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, 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 2020 (received by the IRS November 11, 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 13, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 13, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 8, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 20, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Merck Foundation a New Jersey Nonprofit Corporation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 4, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/merck-foundation-a-new-jersey-nonprofit-corporation-morg_33a4f62ee5604e4faf39e8b5bdd081b8
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_226028476_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Merck Foundation a New Jersey Nonprofit Corporation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/merck-foundation-a-new-jersey-nonprofit-corporation-morg_33a4f62ee5604e4faf39e8b5bdd081b8},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-04. 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 Merck Foundation a New Jersey Nonprofit Corporation'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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