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.
Key facts about Merrick Family Foundation
- EIN
- 75-2851383
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $555,500
- Grants made (2024)
- 39
- Average grant
- $14,244
- Median grant
- $6,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 31% first-time grantees (12 of 39, 2024)
- Total assets
- $1,232,356
- Primary geography
- Texas (42% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- The foundation typically selects grantees rather than accepting unsolicited applications. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Merrick Family Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Merrick Family Foundation's 39 itemized 2024 grants were Texas (42%), Pennsylvania (19%) and Virginia (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Dallas, TX (17 grants), Charlottesville, VA (2 grants) and Colorado Springs, CO (2 grants). 90% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
Is Merrick Family Foundation open to new grantees?
31%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 12 of 39 grantees (31%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $12K; repeat grants $15K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $8K repeat.
- 62% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 22% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 954% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with Merrick Family Foundation
- How to evaluate Merrick Family Foundation as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
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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
Average Grant
amount: $100–$115,000
How to Apply
**
Ready to take the next step with Merrick Family Foundation?
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
Share of all 39 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
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 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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 recipients include Seton Lasalle Catholic High School ($100,000), Impact Investing Charitable Foundation ($50,000), Catholic Charities - Dallas ($40,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| SETON LASALLE CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL Mount Lebanon, PA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $100,000 |
| IMPACT INVESTING CHARITABLE FOUNDATION Lenexa, KS | GENERAL SUPPORT | $50,000 |
| CATHOLIC CHARITIES - DALLAS Dallas, TX | GENERAL SUPPORT | $40,000 |
| OUR LADY OF VICTORY Lackawanna, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $40,000 |
| NORTH TEXAS FOOD BANK Plano, TX | GENERAL SUPPORT | $35,000 |
| THE NETWORK Arlington, VA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $35,000 |
| SEARCH MINISTRIES Fort Worth, TX | GENERAL SUPPORT | $25,000 |
| PARK CITIES PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH Dallas, TX | GENERAL SUPPORT | $20,500 |
| GLOBAL HORIZIONSFUTURE HOPE Minneapolis, MN | GENERAL SUPPORT | $20,000 |
| JH RANCH Birmingham, AL | GENERAL SUPPORT | $20,000 |
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
No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.
From 2024 IRS 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?
The foundation typically selects grantees rather than accepting unsolicited applications. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
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.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.