Merit Foundation
Merit Foundation is a private foundation based in Mount Prospect, Illinois. Its 2025 filing reports 27 grants totaling $59,200 to charitable organizations, including recipients identified for charitable, educational, and religious purposes.
Merit Foundation at a glance
In short: Merit Foundation gave $59K across 27 grants in 2025 (avg $2K), top state Illinois. 19% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $59,200
- -17.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 27
- +8.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $2,193
- -23.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $1,700
- Total assets
- $1,482,881
- +4.7% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 19% first-time grantees (5 of 27, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (19% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Merit Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds; it states that contributions are made only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 15 South Pine Street Suite 404, Mount Prospect, IL 60056
Phone: (336) 345-7535
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Merit Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation ($5K). Together the top 10 received $39K.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($2,700), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
113 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 113 grants of 113 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s 2025 grant dollars went to recipients in multiple states. The largest reported shares were Illinois (19%), North Carolina (11%), Massachusetts (10%), Wisconsin (9%), and California (9%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 27 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Merit Foundation open to new grantees?
19%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 5 of 27 grantees (19%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $2K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $2K repeat.
- 74% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 26% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 97% 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 (2020–2025). 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 $27K (2020) to $72K (2024). In 2025 it made 27 grants totaling $59K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Pasadena, CA | Charitable | $5,200 |
| Lafayette College Easton, PA | Education | $5,200 |
| Mental Health America Inc Alexandria, VA | Charitable | $5,200 |
| Foundation for the Mount Prospect Public Library Mount Prospect, IL | Charitable | $5,200 |
| Roman Catholic Diocese of Madison Inc Madison, WI | Religious | $4,200 |
| The Parenting Path Winston-Salem, NC | Charitable | $3,000 |
| Wheaton North High School Wheaton, IL | Education | $3,000 |
| St Jude Childrens Research Hospital Inc Memphis, TN | Charitable | $2,700 |
| Summit School of Ahwatukee Phoenix, AZ | Education | $2,700 |
| 1 grant to individuals Recipients not named | — | $2,700 |
Ready to take the next step with Merit 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,482,881 | $232,354 | $116,115 | $59,200 | 27 | $89,895 | $111,760 | $92,369 |
| 2024 | $1,416,710 | $231,097 | $106,517 | $71,500 | 25 | $83,814 | $110,614 | $83,694 |
| 2023 | $1,389,606 | $118,858 | $91,077 | $59,000 | 24 | $74,746 | $13,697 | $71,100 |
| 2022 | $1,361,825 | $182,779 | $89,411 | $47,100 | 18 | $62,794 | $69,360 | $66,749 |
| 2021 | $1,359,570 | $481,354 | $66,962 | $47,600 | 19 | $49,057 | $385,733 | $67,488 |
| 2020 | $1,016,046 | $190,311 | $40,793 | $26,800 | 17 | — | $78,977 | $54,177 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Merit Foundation reported a distributable amount of $92K 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
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include organizations with different stated missions: Mental Health America describes its work as advancing mental health and well-being through public education, research, advocacy, public policy, and direct service; Lafayette College describes its focus as undergraduate education; and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital says it advances cures and prevention for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment. These are the grantees’ descriptions of their own work.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 27 grants totaling $59,200. Grants ranged from $500 to $5,200, with a median of $1,700. Among the largest awards were $5,200 each to GLAAD, Lafayette College, Mental Health America, and the Foundation for the Mount Prospect Public Library. Other reported grants included $4,200 to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Madison and $3,000 each to The Parenting Path and Wheaton North High School.
Other 2025 recipients included the Edith Kanakaʻole Foundation ($1,700), Undies for Everyone ($1,500), Albion College ($1,500), Camp Gray ($1,000), and Cancer Services Inc. ($500). Their stated work includes Indigenous Hawaiian cultural education, providing new underwear to children living in poverty or crisis, undergraduate liberal arts education, Catholic community programming, and support for people living with cancer, respectively.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Brenda Frucht as treasurer and Michael Frucht as president. Directors listed are Rebecca Johnson, Lauren B. Cantoni, Stephen Frucht, Andrew Frucht, Annemarie Johnson, James Frucht, Katherine Frucht, and Nathaniel Frucht.
Merit Foundation is led by Michael Frucht, President since 2022 (on filings since 2020); 10 of 18 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Michael Frucht
President
Director → President, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Andrew Frucht
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$300 (2022) → $300 (2025)
Anna Frucht
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$300 (2024) → $300 (2025)
Emma Cantoni
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$300 (2025)
James Frucht
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$300 (2024) → $300 (2025)
Katherine Frucht
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$300 (2023) → $300 (2025)
Lauren B. Cantoni
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$300 (2022) → $300 (2025)
Mark Frucht
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$300 (2024) → $0 (2025)
Nathaniel Frucht
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$300 (2024) → $300 (2025)
Rebecca Johnson
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$300 (2022) → $300 (2025)
Stephen Frucht
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$300 (2022) → $300 (2025)
Annemarie Johnson
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
$300 (2023) → $300 (2025)
Adam Frucht
Junior Director
Director → Junior Director, 2024
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Vivian Johnson
Junior Director
Director → Junior Director, 2024
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Elizabeth Cantoni
Junior Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mitchell Johnson
Junior Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Brenda Frucht
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Brian Cantoni
Secretary
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (4)
- Former: Annemarie Frucht (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: David Frucht (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Marlys Weary (2020–2021) — President
- Former: Sharon Frucht (2020–2021) — Secretary
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $300, to Rebecca Johnson (Director). 10 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Merit Foundation
How much does Merit Foundation give each year?
Merit Foundation gave $59K across 27 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $72K across 25 grants.
What is Merit Foundation's typical grant size?
Merit Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $1,700, and its average grant was $2,193, across 27 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Merit Foundation that year got $2K on average.
Where does Merit Foundation give grants?
Merit Foundation's top state is Illinois, with 19% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were North Carolina (11%) and Massachusetts (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Wheaton, IL (2 grants), Phoenix, AZ (2 grants), Winston-Salem, NC (2 grants) and Clemmons, NC (2 grants).
Does Merit Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 27 grants with a stated purpose on Merit Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable" (15 grants), "Education" (5 grants) and "Religious" (3 grants).
Who are Merit Foundation's largest grantees?
Merit Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation ($5,200), Lafayette College ($5,200) and Mental Health America Inc ($5,200), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($2,700), which are not listed by name. Together they received 26% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Merit Foundation?
Merit Foundation reported $1.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $90K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $92K (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 Merit Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Merit Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds; it states that contributions are made only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Merit Foundation's EIN?
Merit Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-4156727. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Merit Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
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 2020 (received by the IRS June 14, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 12, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 30, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS October 16, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Merit Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/merit-foundation-morg_76599327ede84fec9040f94c76648571
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_364156727_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Merit Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/merit-foundation-morg_76599327ede84fec9040f94c76648571},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-14. 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 Merit 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.
Merit Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?