The Richard King Mellon Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation established in 1947 and incorporated in Pennsylvania in 1971. Based in Ligonier, Pennsylvania, the Foundation has awarded over 8,500 grants to more than 2,000 different organizations since its founding. The organization operates as a 501(c)(3) private foundation with tax-exempt status since February 1949.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$2.7B
+2.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$116.7M
-14.8% YoY
Grant Count
296
+6.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$394K
-19.7% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Richard King Mellon Foundation reported a distributable amount of $166.8M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation funds visionaries with bold ideas to advance prosperity in Southwestern Pennsylvania and environmental conservation across the United States.
The Foundation operates six funding programs:
- Conservation
- Economic Development
- Economic Mobility
- Health & Well-Being
- Organizational Effectiveness
- Social-Impact Investments
Local grant programs emphasize conservation, education, families and youth, regional economic development, and system reform, with support also directed toward conservation of natural areas and wildlife preservation elsewhere in the United States.
Grantmaking
Typical grant awards range from $2,000 to $16,500,000. Recent grants include:
Grant Range
s and Activity:**
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation's giving priorities primarily serve Southwestern Pennsylvania, with additional support for conservation efforts across the United States. Grant recipients have included organizations in Pennsylvania, Virginia, and California.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets and Revenue (2024):
- Total Assets: $2.67 billion
- Total Revenue: $211 million
- Total Expenses: $142 million
- Total Liabilities: $415 million
Assets (2023):
- Fair market value of all assets at end of year: $3,339,253,695
Staffing: The Foundation employs 19 staff members.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $2,669,964,525 | $2,601,768,833 | $2,631,270,857 |
| Revenue | $210,921,643 | $128,333,063 | $109,039,312 |
| Expenses | $141,876,002 | $134,328,583 | $143,092,568 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $165,959,553 | $183,837,808 | $159,886,886 |
| Net Investment Income | $174,838,179 | $92,527,796 | $69,676,347 |
| Distributable Amount | $166,811,229 | $169,753,941 | $169,930,276 |
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
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
5 open opportunities from Richard King Mellon Foundation
Mellon Foundation: Economic Development Grant Program
RICHARD KING MELLON FOUNDATION
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Mellon Foundation: Economic Mobility Grant
RICHARD KING MELLON FOUNDATION
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
RKMF General Application Grant
RICHARD KING MELLON FOUNDATION
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Carnegie Mellon University ($7,500,000), Carnegie Mellon University ($7,000,000), Carnegie Mellon University ($5,500,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 25 CARRICK AVE PROJECT PITTSBURGH, PA | TO DESIGN AND IMPLEMENT EDUCATIONAL AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS THAT BUILD SKILLS AND CAREER PATHWAYS IN ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCTION | $300,000 |
| A SCHOOLS PITTSBURGH'S COMMUNITY ALLIANCE FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION PITTSBURGH, PA | TO INCREASE STUDENT ATTENDANCE AND IMPROVE STUDENTS ACADEMIC OUTCOMES | $500,000 |
| ADVANCED ROBOTICS FOR MANUFACTURING INSTITUTE PITTSBURGH, PA | TO PROVIDE RAPID TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES TO ATTRACT AND UPSKILL INDIVIDUALS FOR CAREERS IN ADVANCED MANUFACTURING AND ROBOTICS | $300,000 |
| ADVANCING YOUTH INITIATIVE PITTSBURGH, PA | TO SUPPORT CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT AND INDUSTRY ENGAGEMENT | $200,000 |
| AFRICAN AMERICAN CHAMBER FOUNDATION OF WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA PITTSBURGH, PA | TO BUILD LEADERSHIP CAPACITY | $100,000 |
| AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER PITTSBURGH, PA | TO SUPPORT THE BUILD RESIDENCY | $375,000 |
| AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER PITTSBURGH, PA | TOWARD SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS | $1,550,000 |
| AFRICAN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER PITTSBURGH, PA | TOWARD SUPPORT OF OPERATIONS | $100,000 |
| ALLEGHENY COLLEGE MEADVILLE, PA | TO ENGAGE IN STRATEGIC CONSERVATION INITIATIVES TO CONSERVE AND SUSTAIN THE LAND, WATER AND CULTURAL RESOURCES OF THE UPPER ALLEGHENY RIVER BASIN | $934,877 |
| ALLEGHENY COLLEGE MEADVILLE, PA | TO LAUNCH START-UP AND REDEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES OF THE MEADVILLE COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION CORPORATION | $1,000,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Sam Reiman serves as Director & Trustee of the Richard King Mellon Foundation.
Recent staff additions include Lance Gloss, who joined as Program Associate focused on Conservation, and Maria Lugares, the Foundation's Program Coordinator (as of April 2025).
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| RICHARD A MELLON | TRUSTEE/CHAIRMAN/CEO | 1 | — |
| CATHARINE MELLON CATHEY | TRUSTEE/PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| SAM REIMAN | TRUSTEE/DIRECTOR | 38 | $863,429 |
| DOUGLAS L SISSON | TRUSTEE/VP/TREASURER | 18 | $646,495 |
| EDWARD J MORGAN | TRUSTEE/ASSISTANT TREASURER | 18 | $381,526 |
| PAUL A HANNAH | TRUSTEE/CONTROLLER | 10 | $212,411 |
| BRIAN J HILL | SECRETARY | 2 | $380,772 |
| ALISON M BYERS PSYD | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| W RUSSELL G BYERS JR | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| BRUCE KING MELLON HENDERSON | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| CONSTANCE ELIZABETH MELLON KAPP | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| ARMOUR N MELLON | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
**October 2025:** The Foundation announced another million-dollar Social-Impact Pitch Competition with a first-place prize of more than $500,000 and up to four prizes totaling up to $1.5 million. To date, the Foundation has invested more than $23 million in 67 social-mission companies.
RK Mellon Foundation awards $1.46M to social impact startups**October 2025:** Four startups received combined $1.46 million in funding through the Foundation's Social-Impact Pitch Competition.
RK Mellon Foundation awards $1.46M to social impact startups**July 2025:** The Foundation awarded $250,000 to GoFundMe.org to enhance aid efforts following Texas flooding.
**June 2025:** The Foundation awarded $2.6 million in grants to help train workers in emerging industries through new sector-based partnerships formed in response to a Request for Proposals.
Richard King Mellon Foundation gifts $10 million grant to Pittsburgh Cultural**April 2025:** The Foundation welcomed Lance Gloss as Program Associate focused on Conservation and Maria Lugares as Program Coordinator.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Richard King Mellon Foundation fund?
The Foundation funds visionaries with bold ideas to advance prosperity in Southwestern Pennsylvania and environmental conservation across the United States. The Foundation operates six funding programs: • Conservation • Economic Development • Economic Mobility • Health & Well-Being • Organizational Effectiveness • Social-Impact Investments Local grant programs emphasize conservation, education, families and youth, regional economic development, and system reform, with support also directed towa…
How do I apply for a grant from Richard King Mellon Foundation?
**Grant Sizes and Activity:** Typical grant awards range from $2,000 to $16,500,000. Recent grants include: • $10,000,000 to University of Pittsburgh for ten-year support of construction and launch of a facility at Hazelwood Green focused on manufacturing cell, gene, and antibody-based therapies • $7,500,000 to Carnegie Mellon University for construction of a new building for sciences in Oakland • $7,000,000 to Carnegie Mellon University for four-year support to establish a Manufacturing Future…
Where does Richard King Mellon Foundation make grants?
The Foundation's giving priorities primarily serve Southwestern Pennsylvania, with additional support for conservation efforts across the United States. Grant recipients have included organizations in Pennsylvania, Virginia, and California.
What size grants does Richard King Mellon Foundation award?
In 2024, Richard King Mellon Foundation awarded 296 grants totaling $116.7M — an average of about $394K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Richard King Mellon Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Richard King Mellon Foundation reported a distributable amount of $166.8M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Richard King Mellon Foundation's EIN?
Richard King Mellon Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 25-1127705. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Richard King Mellon 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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