Merwin Foundation
The Merwin Foundation is a private foundation based in Erie, Pennsylvania. In 2024, it reported 16 grants totaling $398,500 to charitable organizations.
Merwin Foundation at a glance
In short: Merwin Foundation gave $399K across 16 grants in 2024 (avg $25K), mostly in Pennsylvania. 19% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $398,500
- +5.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 16
- -20.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $24,906
- +31.6% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $17,500
- Total assets
- $6,496,853
- +3.9% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 19% first-time grantees (3 of 16, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (99% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Merwin Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 2200 Asbury Road, Erie, PA 16506
Phone: (814) 833-9881
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Merwin Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Erie Zoological Society ($100K). Together the top 10 received $350K.
Grant Size Distribution
75 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 62 grants of 75 (83%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 filing reports that 99% of grant dollars went to recipients in Pennsylvania and 1% to recipients in Florida.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 16 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Merwin Foundation open to new grantees?
19%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 3 of 16 grantees (19%) were first-time recipients. With only 16 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $37K; repeat grants $22K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $20K repeat.
- 75% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−10%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 100% 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 (2020–2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $119K (2022) to $443K (2021). In 2024 it made 16 grants totaling $399K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Erie Zoological Society Erie, PA | Unrestricted | $100,000 |
| Success Through Sport Erie, PA | Unrestricted | $60,000 |
| Erie Philharmonic Erie, PA | Unrestricted | $40,000 |
| Boys and Girls Club Erie, PA | Unrestricted | $30,000 |
| Erie City Mission Erie, PA | Unrestricted | $30,000 |
| Children's Advocacy Center Erie, PA | Unrestricted | $20,000 |
| Meals on Wheels Erie Erie, PA | Unrestricted | $20,000 |
| Sight Center of NW PA Erie, PA | Unrestricted | $20,000 |
| Aces Erie, PA | Unrestricted | $15,000 |
| Neighborhood Art House Erie, PA | Unrestricted | $15,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Merwin 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $6,496,853 | $697,753 | $453,708 | $398,500 | 16 | $398,500 | $630,731 | $399,218 |
| 2023 | $6,252,808 | $391,344 | $434,096 | $378,500 | 20 | $378,500 | $356,689 | $344,849 |
| 2022 | $6,295,560 | $401,256 | $182,616 | $118,500 | 6 | $118,500 | $352,860 | $347,281 |
| 2021 | $6,076,920 | $1,000,961 | $487,730 | $443,168 | 18 | $443,168 | $869,314 | $379,620 |
| 2020 | $5,563,689 | $-431,536 | $438,793 | $400,500 | 15 | — | $126,016 | $333,926 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Merwin Foundation reported a distributable amount of $399K for 2024 — 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 foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grants include support for organizations working in areas such as live orchestra concerts and programs, youth services, child advocacy, assistance and housing for women, health, and community support. For example, the Erie Philharmonic says its mission is to enrich, entertain, and educate people of all ages through orchestra concerts and programs. Mercy Center for Women says it provides advocacy and transitional housing for women and children.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 16 grants totaling $398,500. Grants ranged from $1,500 to $100,000, with a median grant of $17,500. Its largest reported grants included $100,000 to Erie Zoological Society, $60,000 to Success Through Sport, $40,000 to Erie Philharmonic, and $30,000 each to Boys and Girls Club and Erie City Mission. These grants were listed as unrestricted.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Richard A. Merwin as president and treasurer, James R. Walczak as assistant secretary and director, and James E. Spoden as secretary and director.
Merwin Foundation is led by Richard A. Merwin, President & Treasurer on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Richard A. Merwin
President & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
James E. Spoden
Secretary & Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
James R. Walczak
Assistant Secretary & Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
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.
Frequently asked questions about Merwin Foundation
How much does Merwin Foundation give each year?
Merwin Foundation gave $399K across 16 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $379K across 20 grants.
What is Merwin Foundation's typical grant size?
Merwin Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $17,500, and its average grant was $24,906, across 16 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Merwin Foundation that year got $37K on average.
Where does Merwin Foundation give grants?
Merwin Foundation gives mostly in Pennsylvania: 99% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Erie, PA (15 grants).
Does Merwin Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Merwin Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (16 of 16) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Merwin Foundation's largest grantees?
Merwin Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Erie Zoological Society ($100,000), Success Through Sport ($60,000) and Erie Philharmonic ($40,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 50% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Merwin Foundation?
Merwin Foundation reported $6.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $399K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $399K (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 Merwin Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grants include support for organizations working in areas such as live orchestra concerts and programs, youth services, child advocacy, assistance and housing for women, health, and community support. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Merwin Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Merwin Foundation's EIN?
Merwin Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 25-6060860. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Merwin 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
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Merwin Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/merwin-foundation-morg_fdbd1094fcda487980a222583a00ca91
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_256060860_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Merwin Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/merwin-foundation-morg_fdbd1094fcda487980a222583a00ca91},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. 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 Merwin 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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