Merrick Foundation Inc
Merrick Foundation Inc is a public charity based in an individual recipient, Nebraska. Founded in 1960, it directs charitable funds to support grants, awards, and scholarships intended to improve quality of life in Merrick County.
Key facts about Merrick Foundation Inc
In short: Merrick Foundation Inc gave $219K across 13 grants in 2024 (avg $17K), mostly in Nebraska. 38% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 47-6024770
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $219,052
- Grants made (2024)
- 13
- Average grant
- $16,850
- Median grant
- $9,500
- New grantees (estimate)
- 38% first-time grantees (5 of 13, 2024; small sample)
- Total assets
- $20,940,543
- Primary geography
- Nebraska (100% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- Submit a community grant application for consideration in a quarterly review cycle. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- The next listed community-grant deadline is January 2, 2027.
- Next open deadline
- November 30, 2026 (Extraordinary Educator Award)
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated October 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.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$20.9M
+20.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$219K
-29.5% YoY
Grant Count
13
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$17K
-29.5% YoY
Is Merrick Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
38%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 5 of 13 grantees (38%) were first-time recipients. With only 13 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $20K; repeat grants $15K. How we count
Medians: $15K first-time, $7K repeat.
- 54% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−12%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s stated mission is to “improve the quality of life in Merrick County by directing charitable funds to achieve maximum benefits.” Its filing says individuals, groups, and communities in Merrick County may apply for grants, awards, and scholarships.
The 2024 grants included support for a school performing arts center, a childcare center, an ambulance, facility renovation, library digitization, senior services, park improvements, and assistance to individuals in need. The grantees’ own descriptions indicate the range of organizations supported: Merrick County Health & Fitness Center says it promotes health, fitness, recreation, and education for people of all ages; Midland Area Agency on Aging says it provides services to older adults and their families to support independent living; Platte Peer Group says it manages park and trail lands and promotes public recreation, education, and stewardship; Central Nebraska Community Action says it partners with individuals and families to encourage economic stability; and Nebraska Christian Schools says it provides a Christ-centered education.
Grantmaking
IRS filing data reports 13 grants totaling $219,052 in 2024. Grants ranged from $5,200 to $66,792, with a median of $9,500. The largest listed awards were $66,792 to an individual recipient Public Schools for a performing arts center, $47,500 to Little Storm Childcare for a new childcare center, and $20,000 to Palmer Rescue Squad for a new ambulance. Other listed grants included $15,000 to Maplewood Corners–Palmer Housing Authority for facility renovation and $10,640 to an individual recipient Public Library for digitization of news.
The foundation’s 2025 recipient page describes awards for programs including youth mentoring, after-school activities, sports, arts, community facilities, and other local services. Its 2025 annual report separately states that the foundation awarded $183,222 in grants during 2024.
The foundation’s website says applications are reviewed quarterly, with deadlines on January 2, April 1, July 1, and October 1. Requests over $10,000 are generally considered only during the July and October cycles. Applicants must serve Merrick County residents, and the proposed event or program must be in the future, though projects already in progress may be considered. The foundation gives preference to eligible tax-exempt organizations, nonprofits, governmental agencies serving public purposes, and organizations with an agency fund at the foundation. It will not fund individuals except for school trips, religious or political purposes, for-profit organizations, social clubs, labor organizations, tax-supported institutions, or salaries and benefits. It will not consider more than one application from an organization within a 12-month period. Preferences include broad community support, long-term impact, measurable outcomes, strengthening community assets, and additional funding or collaboration.
Review Cycle
The next listed community-grant deadline is January 2, 2027. The October 1, 2026 deadline is past.
How to Apply
Submit a community grant application for consideration in a quarterly review cycle. Student-trip requests must come from the school, be received well in advance, and be for academic or civic/educational purposes; they are limited to $250 per student and do not cover adult sponsors.
Open Grants
3 open opportunities from Merrick Foundation Inc
Community Grants
Merrick Foundation Inc
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Expected ~January
Based on past cycles
Extraordinary Educator Award
Merrick Foundation Inc
Amount
$500
Deadline
Expected ~November
Based on past cycles
Merrick Foundation Community Grants
Merrick Foundation Inc
Amount
Up to US $10,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Ready to take the next step with Merrick Foundation Inc?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation states that its community grants support projects and programs serving Merrick County residents. All 2024 grant dollars listed in the filing went to recipients in Nebraska.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 13 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $219K (2024) to $518K (2022). In 2024 it made 13 grants totaling $219K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Central City Public Schools ($67K). Together the top 10 received $203K.
Grant Size Distribution
68 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 56 grants of 68 (82%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Central City Public Schools Central City, NE | Performing Arts Cent | $66,792 |
| Little Storm Childcare Clarks, NE | New Childcare Center | $47,500 |
| Palmer Rescue Squad Palmer, NE | New Ambulance | $20,000 |
| Maplewood Corners - Palmer Housing Authority Palmer, NE | Facility Renovation | $15,000 |
| Central City Public Library Central City, NE | Digitization of News | $10,640 |
| Chapman Volunteer Fire & Rescue Chapman, NE | Power Load Cot | $10,000 |
| Merrick Co Fitness Center Central City, NE | Center Renovation | $9,500 |
| Midland Area Agency on Aging Hastings, NE | Senior Services | $8,400 |
| Platte Peer Group Chapman, NE | Operations | $8,000 |
| Lone Tree Literary Society Central City, NE | Operations | $6,680 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grant sum | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $20,940,543 | $1,172,780 | $853,732 | $219,052 | 13 |
| 2023 | $17,352,238 | $1,956,463 | $943,531 | $310,646 | 13 |
| 2022 | $16,445,737 | $1,795,086 | $1,445,706 | $517,664 | 16 |
The foundation’s 2025 annual report also reports $20,940,543 in assets at the end of 2024.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $20,940,543 | $17,352,238 | $16,445,737 |
| Revenue | $1,172,780 | $1,956,463 | $1,795,086 |
| Expenses | $853,732 | $943,531 | $1,445,706 |
| Net Investment Income | $609,648 | $1,440,532 | $985,425 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS September 13, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 23, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS September 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS March 12, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS March 12, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Kristin Hermansen-Ryan as president; Larry Benson as vice president; Tyson Benner as treasurer; Courtney Retzlaff as CFO; and Shauna Graham as CDO. It also lists April Bolte, Morgan Clarke, Whitney Hake, Jayme Hans, and Denise Hebda as members. The filing states that board members serve as volunteers overseeing spending, investments, policy, and compliance.
Merrick Foundation Inc is led by Kristin Hermansen-Ryan, President since 2021 (on filings since 2020); 2 of 17 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Kristin Hermansen-Ryan
President
Member → President, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Shauna Graham
CDO
Executive Di → CDO, 2024
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$42K (2020) → $46K (2024)
Courtney Retzlaff
CFO
Executive Di → CFO, 2024
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$59K (2022) → $42K (2024)
Denise Hebda
Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kevin Urkoski
Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dj Talbott
Member
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Larry Benson
Vice President
Member → Vice President, 2023
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Brandon Konwinski
Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mary Steiner
Secretary
Member → Secretary, 2023
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Morgan Clarke
Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Whitney Hake
Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jayme Hans
Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Trent Wagner
Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tyson Benner
Treasurer
Member → Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Amy Kyes
Member
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
April Bolte
Member
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Chase Samuelson
Member
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (12)
- Former: Crissy Bader (2020–2023) — Member
- Former: Leah Brown (2020–2023) — Treasurer
- Former: Marvin Fishler (2020–2023) — Member
- Former: Deb Beck (2020–2022) — Vice President
- Former: Diane Schoch (2020–2022) — Member
- Former: Tom Wagner (2020–2022) — Secretary
- Former: Lisa Kershaw (2020–2021) — Member
- Former: Monica Simonson (2020–2021) — Member
- Former: Morgan Clarke-Hogan (2020–2021) — Member
- Former: Nicole Greving (2020–2021) — Member
- Former: Douglas Van Pelt (2020) — President
- Former: Lori Parachini (2020) — Member
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $46K, to Shauna Graham (CDO). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Contact
Mailing address: 1532 17Th Avenue Suite B, Central City, NE 68826
Phone: (308) 946-3707
Website: https://merrick-foundation.org
Frequently asked questions about Merrick Foundation Inc
How much does Merrick Foundation Inc give each year?
Merrick Foundation Inc gave $219K across 13 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $311K across 13 grants.
What is Merrick Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Merrick Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $9,500, and its average grant was $16,850, across 13 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Merrick Foundation Inc that year got $20K on average.
Where does Merrick Foundation Inc give grants?
Merrick Foundation Inc gives mostly in Nebraska: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Central City, NE (5 grants), Clarks, NE (2 grants), Palmer, NE (2 grants) and Chapman, NE (2 grants).
Does Merrick Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 13 grants with a stated purpose on Merrick Foundation Inc's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support.
Who are Merrick Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Merrick Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Central City Public Schools ($66,792), Little Storm Childcare ($47,500) and Palmer Rescue Squad ($20,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 61% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Merrick Foundation Inc?
Merrick Foundation Inc reported $20.9M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $1.2M.
What does Merrick Foundation Inc fund?
The organization’s stated mission is to “improve the quality of life in Merrick County by directing charitable funds to achieve maximum benefits.” Its filing says individuals, groups, and communities in Merrick County may apply for grants, awards, and scholarships. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Merrick Foundation Inc?
Submit a community grant application for consideration in a quarterly review cycle. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Merrick Foundation Inc's EIN?
Merrick Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 47-6024770. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Here's the math on researching Merrick Foundation Inc by hand.
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