Richard King Mellon Foundation
The Richard King Mellon Foundation is a private foundation based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with a filing location in Ligonier, Pennsylvania. Established in 1947, it funds bold ideas to advance prosperity in Southwestern Pennsylvania and environmental conservation across the United States.
Richard King Mellon Foundation at a glance
In short: Richard King Mellon Foundation gave $116.7M across 296 grants in 2024 (avg $394K), mostly in Pennsylvania. 31% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $116,670,323
- -14.8% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 296
- +6.1% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $394,156
- -19.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $220,000
- Total assets
- $2,669,964,525
- +2.6% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 31% first-time grantees (71 of 232, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (79% 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 Richard King Mellon Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- Yes
- How to Apply
-
The Foundation accepts unsolicited requests through its online application process. Applicants should select the General Application aligned with their proposal and review the strategic plan, program areas, and application requirements. Organizational Effectiveness funding is reserved for organizations with an active Foundation grant or one within the past three years.
- Review Cycle
- The General Application accepts proposals throughout the year; the Foundation’s filing also states that applications are accepted throughout the year.
- Deadline
- The General Application accepts proposals throughout the year; the Foundation’s filing also states that applications…
- Contact
Application contact: Richard King Mellon Foundation
Mailing address: The Auction House 42 21St Street, Suite 201, Pittsburgh, PA 15222
Phone: (412) 392-2800
Website: https://www.rkmf.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
5 open opportunities from Richard King Mellon Foundation
Mellon Foundation: Economic Development Grant Program
Richard King Mellon Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Mellon Foundation: Economic Mobility Grant
Richard King Mellon Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
RKMF General Application Grant
Richard King Mellon Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Richard King Mellon Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Carnegie Mellon University ($20.7M across 7 grants). Together the top 10 received $48.0M.
Organizations only. It also paid 3 grants to individuals ($1,095,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
1,543 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $100–250K range: 512 grants of 1,543 (33%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation’s stated priorities include Southwestern Pennsylvania, particularly Pittsburgh and its neighborhoods, and conservation in Western Pennsylvania and across the United States. Its 2024 grant dollars were concentrated in Pennsylvania (79%), followed by Montana (5%), Virginia (3%), California (2%), and Georgia (2%). The Foundation’s application guidance requires Allegheny and/or Westmoreland County focus for Economic Development, Economic Mobility, and Health & Well-Being proposals.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 296 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Richard King Mellon Foundation open to new grantees?
31%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 71 of 232 grantees (31%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $301K; repeat grants $592K. How we count
Medians: $200K first-time, $255K repeat.
- 44% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−1%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 99% 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 $98.5M (2022) to $136.9M (2023). In 2024 it made 296 grants totaling $116.7M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, PA | Toward ten-year support of the university's construction and launch of a facility at hazelwood green to catalyze economic development strategy focused on building facilities for manufacturing cell, gene, and antibody-based therapies to treat human diseases | $10,000,000 |
| Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, PA | Toward ten-year support of construction of a new building for sciences in oakland | $7,500,000 |
| Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, PA | Toward four-year support to establish a permanent manufacturing futures institute at hazelwood green | $7,000,000 |
| Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, PA | Toward ten-year support to construct a robotics innovation center at hazelwood green to accelerate robotics discovery and entreprenuership and to strengthen pittsburgh's economic future | $5,500,000 |
| American Prairie Foundation Bozeman, MT | To acquire multiple properties to assemble a short grass prairie ecosystem reserve in northcentral Montana | $4,500,000 |
| Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation Pittsburgh, PA | To conduct research in infection biology and childhood asthma at upmc childrens hospital and retain outstanding scientists in pittsburgh | $2,100,000 |
| Phoebe Foundation Inc Albany, GA | Toward construction of a new medical tower to house a level ii trauma center, neonatal intensive care unit, and intensive care facility | $2,000,000 |
| The Citizen Science Lab Pittsburgh, PA | To expand operations with the creation of the state-of-the-art center for scientific excellence at the historic mlk reading and cultural center in the hill district | $2,000,000 |
| African American Cultural Center Pittsburgh, PA | Toward Support of Operations | $1,550,000 |
| Three Rivers Communities Inc McKees Rocks, PA | To Build Affordable Housing | $1,250,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Richard King Mellon Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Amounts below are from the Foundation’s filings and are in dollars.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $2,669,964,525 | $210,921,643 | $141,876,002 | $116,670,323 | 296 | $165,959,553 | $174,838,179 | $166,811,229 |
| 2023 | $2,601,768,833 | $128,333,063 | $134,328,583 | $136,949,374 | 279 | $183,837,808 | $92,527,796 | $169,753,941 |
| 2022 | $2,631,270,857 | $109,039,312 | $143,092,568 | $98,523,071 | 289 | $159,886,886 | $69,676,347 | $169,930,276 |
| 2021 | $2,648,950,543 | $383,215,006 | $172,101,956 | $118,118,138 | 279 | $158,795,568 | $292,062,052 | $178,541,986 |
| 2020 | $2,413,279,411 | $234,119,683 | $137,514,573 | $103,275,708 | 400 | — | $261,191,668 | $141,704,877 |
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.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation’s stated mission is to advance the competitive future and quality of life of Southwestern Pennsylvania and to protect, preserve, and restore America’s environmental heritage. Its six programs are Conservation, Economic Development, Economic Mobility, Health & Well-Being, Organizational Effectiveness, and Social-Impact Investments.
The Foundation describes its conservation work as protecting and stewarding habitats and natural amenities, alongside approaches such as renewable energy and new technologies. Its regional programs address economic growth, economic opportunity for children and youth in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties, and health in those counties, particularly for vulnerable residents. Organizational Effectiveness supports partners’ organizational capacity; Social-Impact Investments provide risk capital and other resources to mission-driven for-profit companies.
Recent recipients illustrate the range of organizations supported. The University of Pittsburgh describes itself as a public research university serving its home region, Pennsylvania, and the nation through education and research. The Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation says it raises funds for the hospital’s work in children’s health, care, teaching, research, and advocacy. The Citizen Science Lab describes its mission as creating hands-on STEM experiences for diverse and marginalized communities. The American Prairie Foundation says it seeks to create a large nature reserve for people and wildlife.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the Foundation reported 296 grants totaling $116,670,323. Individual grants ranged from $2,000 to $10 million, with a median of $220,000.
Among the largest 2024 awards were $10 million to the University of Pittsburgh for a Hazelwood Green facility focused on manufacturing cell, gene, and antibody-based therapies; $7.5 million to Carnegie Mellon University for a new science building in Oakland; $7 million to Carnegie Mellon to establish a Manufacturing Futures Institute at Hazelwood Green; and $5.5 million to Carnegie Mellon for a robotics innovation center there. Other large grants included $4.5 million to the American Prairie Foundation for property acquisition in northcentral Montana and $2.1 million to the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation for research and scientist retention.
The Foundation’s website says its nonprofit General Application has no deadline and can request general operating or project-specific support, as well as planning, innovation, implementation, or scaling support. The For-Profit General Application is also available without deadlines. The Foundation’s filing says applicants may apply online and that it prioritizes proposals with clearly defined outputs, outcomes, and an evaluation component. Applicants must be charitable, tax-exempt organizations with a valid IRS tax ID or government entities. It does not consider requests on behalf of individuals or from outside the United States, and it does not encourage requests from outside Pennsylvania. Economic Development, Economic Mobility, and Health & Well-Being proposals must focus on Allegheny and/or Westmoreland County. The Foundation says it generally is not providing multi-year grants at this time and that most grants are for 12 to 18 months.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Richard A. Mellon as Trustee, Chairman, and CEO; Catharine Mellon Cathey as Trustee and President; and Sam Reiman as Trustee and Director. Other listed trustees and officers are Douglas L. Sisson, Edward J. Morgan, Paul A. Hannah, Brian J. Hill, Alison M. Byers, W. Russell G. Byers Jr., and Bruce King Mellon Henderson.
Richard King Mellon Foundation is led by Richard A. Mellon, Trustee, Chairman & CEO since 2021 (on filings since 2020); 5 of 12 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Richard A. Mellon
Trustee, Chairman & CEO
Trustee, Chairman, CEO & Trustee Emeriti → Trustee, Chairman & CEO, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Catharine Mellon Cathey
Trustee & President
Trustee & President → Trustee, 2021
Trustee → Trustee & President, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Douglas L. Sisson
Trustee, Vice President & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
18 hrs/week
$497K (2020) → $646K (2024)
Paul A. Hannah
Trustee & Controller
Trustee & Secretary → Tr, Secretary Tr & Cntrllr, 2023
Tr, Secretary Tr & Cntrllr → Trustee & Controller, 2024
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
$129K (2020) → $212K (2024)
Sam Reiman
Trustee & Director
On filings since 2020
38 hrs/week
$569K (2020) → $863K (2024)
Edward J. Morgan
Trustee & Assistant Treasurer
Assistant Treasurer → Trustee & Assistant Treasurer, 2023
On filings since 2022
18 hrs/week
$321K (2022) → $382K (2024)
Alison M. Byers Psyd
Trustee
Trustee & President → Trustee, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Armour N. Mellon
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Bruce King Mellon Henderson
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Constance Elizabeth Mellon Kapp
Trustee
Trustee → Trustee & President, 2021
Trustee & President → Trustee, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
W. Russell G. Byers Jr.
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Brian J. Hill
Secretary
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
$360K (2023) → $381K (2024)
Former officers (4)
- Former: John J. Turcik (2020–2023) — Trustee & Controller
- Former: Lawrence S. Busch (2020–2022) — Trustee & Assistant Treasurer
- Former: Seward Prosser Mellon (2020–2021) — Trustee Emeriti
- Former: Scott D. Izzo (2020) — Trustee & Special Project Director
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 $863K, to Sam Reiman (Trustee/Director). 5 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Richard King Mellon Foundation
How much does Richard King Mellon Foundation give each year?
Richard King Mellon Foundation gave $116.7M across 296 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $136.9M across 279 grants.
What is Richard King Mellon Foundation's typical grant size?
Richard King Mellon Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $220,000, and its average grant was $394,156, across 296 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Richard King Mellon Foundation that year got $301K on average.
Where does Richard King Mellon Foundation give grants?
Richard King Mellon Foundation gives mostly in Pennsylvania: 79% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Montana (5%). The most frequent recipient cities were Pittsburgh, PA (134 grants), Greensburg, PA (16 grants), Ligonier, PA (10 grants) and Arlington, VA (8 grants).
Does Richard King Mellon Foundation give general operating support?
Occasionally: 1% of Richard King Mellon Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (3 of 296) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Toward Support of Operations" (35 grants).
Who are Richard King Mellon Foundation's largest grantees?
Richard King Mellon Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Carnegie Mellon University ($20,652,800 across 7 grants), University of Pittsburgh ($10,270,000 across 3 grants) and American Prairie Foundation ($4,500,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 3 grants to individuals ($1,095,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 30% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Richard King Mellon Foundation?
Richard King Mellon Foundation reported $2.7B in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $166.0M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $166.8M (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 Richard King Mellon Foundation fund?
The Foundation’s stated mission is to advance the competitive future and quality of life of Southwestern Pennsylvania and to protect, preserve, and restore America’s environmental heritage. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Richard King Mellon Foundation?
The Foundation accepts unsolicited requests through its online application process. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
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.
Does Richard King Mellon Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
Yes, 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 October 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). Richard King Mellon Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/richard-king-mellon-foundation-morg_4ae14b1176f94f50abddb4701d20f601
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_251127705_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Richard King Mellon Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/richard-king-mellon-foundation-morg_4ae14b1176f94f50abddb4701d20f601},
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 Richard King Mellon 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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