Merrill Schneider Foundation
The Merrill Schneider Foundation is a private foundation based in Driggs, Idaho. Its 2025 filing reports grants to organizations in multiple states, including New York, Oregon, Massachusetts, Kentucky, and Idaho.
Merrill Schneider Foundation at a glance
In short: Merrill Schneider Foundation gave $178K across 49 grants in 2025 (avg $4K), top state New York. 2% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $178,200
- +3.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 49
- -2.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $3,637
- +5.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,500
- Total assets
- $2,059,544
- -1.6% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 2% first-time grantees (1 of 49, 2025)
- Primary geography
- New York (31% 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 Merrill Schneider Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The 2024 filing lists a letter with supporting documentation as the application material and Merrill Schneider as the contact. It states that the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations and lists no restrictions on awards.
- Review Cycle
- None listed on the 2024 filing.
- Deadline
- None listed on the 2024 filing.
- Contact
Application contact: Merrill Schneider
Mailing address: PO Box 440, Driggs, ID 83422
Phone: (503) 997-9371
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Merrill Schneider Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Charitable Partnership Fund ($10K). Together the top 10 received $88K.
Grant Size Distribution
239 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 239 grants of 239 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, recipients in New York received 31% of grant dollars, those in Oregon 20%, Massachusetts 7%, Kentucky 6%, and Idaho 5%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 49 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Merrill Schneider Foundation open to new grantees?
2%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 1 of 49 grantees (2%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $500; repeat grants $4K. How we count
Medians: $500 first-time, $3K repeat.
- 98% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+0%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 85% 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 $126K (2020) to $178K (2022). In 2025 it made 49 grants totaling $178K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Charitable Partnership Fund Portland, OR | Support Programs | $10,000 |
| Old Friends Inc Georgetown, KY | Support Programs | $10,000 |
| The Jewish Agency for Israel NY, NY | Support Programs | $10,000 |
| Friends of United Hatzalah Inc NY, NY | Support Programs | $10,000 |
| American Friends of Magen David Ado NY, NY | Support Programs | $10,000 |
| Friends of the Israel Defense Force NY, NY | Support Programs | $10,000 |
| Comm Foundation of Teton County Driggs, ID | Support Programs | $8,000 |
| New Avenues for Youth Portland, OR | Support Programs | $7,500 |
| Hope for Ukraine Inc Roseland, NJ | Support Programs | $6,000 |
| United Help Ukraine Inc Gaithersburg, MD | Support Programs | $6,000 |
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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 | $2,059,544 | $167,432 | $200,678 | $178,200 | 49 | $197,959 | $167,432 | $231,818 |
| 2024 | $2,092,790 | $182,224 | $190,390 | $171,930 | 50 | $188,440 | $182,224 | $209,677 |
| 2023 | $2,100,956 | $126,659 | $195,655 | $177,480 | 50 | $193,705 | $126,659 | $178,582 |
| 2022 | $2,169,952 | $140,320 | $200,105 | $178,260 | 43 | $196,641 | $140,320 | $184,572 |
| 2021 | $2,229,737 | $143,479 | $155,696 | $136,450 | 47 | $155,696 | $143,479 | $197,114 |
| 2020 | $2,241,953 | $66,596 | $146,534 | $126,400 | 42 | — | $66,596 | $156,631 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Merrill Schneider Foundation reported a distributable amount of $232K 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 support for organizations working in areas such as emergency medical response, youth services, humanitarian aid, animal care, and community philanthropy. For example, Charitable Partnership Fund describes its mission as building capacity and increasing philanthropy in communities. Friends of United Hatzalah says it raises and provides funding for organizations providing medical and trauma-related first-responder services. Old Friends describes its mission as caring for and protecting retired Thoroughbreds. New Avenues for Youth describes its work as ending youth homelessness.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 49 grants totaling $178,200. Grants ranged from $500 to $10,000, with a median of $2,500. The largest listed grants were $10,000 each to Charitable Partnership Fund, Old Friends Inc, The Jewish Agency for Israel, Friends of United Hatzalah Inc, American Friends of Magen David Ado, and Friends of the Israel Defense Force. Other listed awards included $8,000 to Comm Foundation of Teton County and $7,500 to New Avenues for Youth.
The foundation’s 2024 filing describes direct charitable activities involving coaching for PARSA, an Afghanistan-based 501(c)(3) public charity, and executive coaching for New Avenues for Youth in Portland, Oregon.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Merrill Schneider is listed on the 2025 filing as Director, President, Secretary, and Treasurer.
Merrill Schneider Foundation is led by Merrill Schneider, Director President Secretary Treasurer since 2021 (on filings since 2020) — the only officer listed, and uncompensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Merrill Schneider
Director President Secretary Treasurer
President & Director → Director President Secretary Treasurer, 2021
On filings since 2020
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
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 Merrill Schneider Foundation
How much does Merrill Schneider Foundation give each year?
Merrill Schneider Foundation gave $178K across 49 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $172K across 50 grants.
What is Merrill Schneider Foundation's typical grant size?
Merrill Schneider Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $2,500, and its average grant was $3,637, across 49 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Merrill Schneider Foundation that year got $500 on average.
Where does Merrill Schneider Foundation give grants?
Merrill Schneider Foundation's top state is New York, with 31% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Oregon (20%) and Massachusetts (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Portland, OR (7 grants), NY, NY (4 grants), New York, NY (4 grants) and Boston, MA (2 grants).
Does Merrill Schneider Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 49 grants with a stated purpose on Merrill Schneider Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Support Programs" (49 grants).
Who are Merrill Schneider Foundation's largest grantees?
Merrill Schneider Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Charitable Partnership Fund ($10,000), Old Friends Inc ($10,000) and The Jewish Agency for Israel ($10,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 17% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Merrill Schneider Foundation?
Merrill Schneider Foundation reported $2.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $198K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $232K (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 Merrill Schneider Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for organizations working in areas such as emergency medical response, youth services, humanitarian aid, animal care, and community philanthropy. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Merrill Schneider Foundation?
The 2024 filing lists a letter with supporting documentation as the application material and Merrill Schneider as the contact. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Merrill Schneider Foundation's EIN?
Merrill Schneider Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 45-3176170. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
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 May 3, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 17, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 4, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS March 9, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS March 7, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Merrill Schneider Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/merrill-schneider-foundation-morg_56f2f1cb0b964f10b17336a218d33b24
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_453176170_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Merrill Schneider Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/merrill-schneider-foundation-morg_56f2f1cb0b964f10b17336a218d33b24},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 Merrill Schneider 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.
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