Merrick Family Foundation
The Merrick Family Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1999 and based in Dallas, Texas. The foundation provides support and opportunities to children and young adults who have experienced unforeseen hardships in order to enhance their quality of life.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$1.2M
+16.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$556K
-4.0% YoY
Grant Count
39
-4.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$14K
+0.9% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Merrick Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $58K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission centers on supporting children and young adults facing hardship. The founders—Paul Merrick, John Merrick, Terry Callanan, and Karl Laue—believe that those blessed with good fortune have a responsibility to help others, and that businesses should invest in the communities they serve.
Primary funding areas include:
- Education
- Human Services
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Christian youth programs
- General support and unrestricted grants
Grantmaking
The foundation typically selects grantees rather than accepting unsolicited applications. It makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations only.
Average Grant
amount: $100–$115,000
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Texas, Virginia, and Pennsylvania, which account for 62% of all grants. Grantmaking reaches organizations across 19 states, with concentration in Texas.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 2024:
- Total assets: $1,232,356
- Total revenues: $810,408
- Total expenses: $576,922
- Total grants and contributions: $200,000
- Number of employees: 0
Historical Growth:
- Total assets grew from $777,000 in 2011 to $1,232,356 in 2024
- Annual giving grew from $478,000 in 2020 to $579,000 in 2023
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $1,232,356 | $1,056,353 | $808,519 |
| Revenue | $810,408 | $539,486 | $533,366 |
| Expenses | $576,922 | $618,472 | $481,312 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $555,500 | $578,500 | $376,800 |
| Net Investment Income | $589,760 | $102,530 | $398,854 |
| Distributable Amount | $58,215 | $49,138 | $44,004 |
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
212 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Seton Lasalle Catholic High School ($100,000), Impact Investing Charitable Foundation ($50,000), Catholic Charities - Dallas ($40,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ACT FOUNDATION DALLAS, TX | GENERAL SUPPORT | $15,000 |
| BEHIND EVERY DOOR MINISTRIES DALLAS, TX | GENERAL SUPPORT | $2,500 |
| CATHOLIC CHARITIES - DALLAS DALLAS, TX | GENERAL SUPPORT | $40,000 |
| CISTERCIAN PREPARATORY SCHOOL IRVING, TX | EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT | $15,000 |
| CONSERVATIVE ROUNDTABLE OF TEXAS DALLAS, TX | THE EDUCATION OF BUSINESS AND CIVIC LEADERS ABOUT THE ECONOMIC, POLITICAL AND PUBLIC POLICY OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES FACING THE STATE OF TEXAS. | $5,000 |
| COUNCIL FOR LIFE DALLAS, TX | UNRESTRICTED GRANT | $15,000 |
| CROSSWORLD KANSAS CITY, MO | GENERAL SUPPORT | $1,000 |
| EQUIPNET ALAMO, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $1,500 |
| GLOBAL HORIZIONSFUTURE HOPE MINNEAPOLIS, MN | GENERAL SUPPORT | $20,000 |
| GREY NUNS OF THE SACRED HEART PHILADELPHIA, PA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $5,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Nicholas A Merrick (Principal Officer)
- The foundation is governed by 3 officers and trustees
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| NICHOLAS A MERRICK | PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| LESLIE T MERRICK | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
Contact Information
Address: 3625 Greenbrier Drive Dallas, TX 75225-5106
Phone: 214-750-9407
Website: merrickfamilyfoundation.org
EIN: 75-2851383
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Merrick Family Foundation fund?
The foundation's mission centers on supporting children and young adults facing hardship. The founders—Paul Merrick, John Merrick, Terry Callanan, and Karl Laue—believe that those blessed with good fortune have a responsibility to help others, and that businesses should invest in the communities they serve. Primary funding areas include: • Education • Human Services • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Christian youth programs • General support and unrestricted grants
How do I apply for a grant from Merrick Family Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** • Made 38 grants in 2024 • Total giving of $555,500 in 2024 • Average grant amount: $100–$115,000 • Median grant: $5,000 • Individual grants have ranged from $100 to $115,000 **Recent Grant Examples (2024):** • Seton Lasalle Catholic High School: $100,000 (General Support) • Impact Foundation / Impact Investing Charitable Foundation Inc: $50,000 (General Support) • Catholic Charities Dallas Children's: $40,000 (General Support) **Application Process:** The foundation typical…
Where does Merrick Family Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Texas, Virginia, and Pennsylvania, which account for 62% of all grants. Grantmaking reaches organizations across 19 states, with concentration in Texas.
What size grants does Merrick Family Foundation award?
In 2024, Merrick Family Foundation awarded 39 grants totaling $556K — an average of about $14K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Merrick Family Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Merrick Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $58K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Merrick Family Foundation's EIN?
Merrick Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 75-2851383. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Merrick Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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