Ruth & William Merkey Foundation
The Ruth & William Merkey Foundation is a private foundation based in Plymouth, Minnesota. It makes direct contributions to charitable institutions, supporting preselected organizations through grants.
Ruth & William Merkey Foundation at a glance
In short: Ruth & William Merkey Foundation gave $184K across 30 grants in 2025 (avg $6K), mostly in Wisconsin. 0% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $183,525
- +14.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 30
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $6,118
- +14.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,100
- Total assets
- $1,975,855
- +1.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 0% first-time grantees (0 of 30, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Wisconsin (50% 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 Ruth & William Merkey Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
- Contact
Mailing address: 4270 Fountain Lane North, Plymouth, MN 55446
Phone: (763) 550-1962
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Ruth & William Merkey Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Sisters of St Francis of the Holy Cross ($26K). Together the top 10 received $110K.
Grant Size Distribution
150 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 150 grants of 150 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, Wisconsin recipients received 50% of grant dollars, followed by Minnesota at 10%, New York at 9%, Colorado at 7%, and Virginia at 6%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 30 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Ruth & William Merkey Foundation open to new grantees?
0%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 0 of 30 grantees (0%) were first-time recipients. How we count
- 100% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−5%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 100% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2025). 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 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $161K (2024) to $193K (2022). In 2025 it made 30 grants totaling $184K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Sisters of St Francis of the Holy Cross Green Bay, WI | Charitable | $25,663 |
| Second Harvest Heartland Brooklyn Park, MN | Charitable | $13,808 |
| New Community Clinic Green Bay, WI | Charitable | $9,838 |
| New Zoo Green Bay, WI | Charitable | $9,808 |
| Pauls Pantry Green Bay, WI | Charitalbe | $9,808 |
| Friends of Kowak Erie, CO | Charitable | $9,500 |
| Catholic Relief Services Baltimore, MD | Charitable | $9,200 |
| Project Hope Millwood, VA | Charitalbe | $9,000 |
| Doctors Without Borders New York, NY | Charitable | $7,200 |
| Salvation Army of Brown County Green Bay, WI | Charitable | $6,500 |
Ready to take the next step with Ruth & William Merkey 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,975,855 | $216,577 | $189,605 | $183,525 | 30 | $183,525 | $172,086 | $182,966 |
| 2024 | $1,948,883 | $139,954 | $166,365 | $160,503 | 30 | $160,503 | $120,029 | $161,768 |
| 2023 | $1,975,294 | $122,046 | $180,436 | $174,819 | 30 | $174,819 | $117,559 | $164,885 |
| 2022 | $2,033,684 | $123,259 | $198,237 | $192,579 | 30 | $192,579 | $113,406 | $195,284 |
| 2021 | $2,108,662 | $177,954 | $194,002 | $189,825 | 30 | — | $109,494 | $187,514 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ruth & William Merkey Foundation reported a distributable amount of $183K 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 foundation mission statement is provided. The 2025 grants show support for a range of charitable organizations. For example, Second Harvest Heartland describes its mission as ending hunger through partnerships with food shelves and hunger-relief programs. New Community Clinic says it provides compassionate, high-quality health services, while Paul’s Pantry describes itself as a volunteer-based food pantry that distributes recovered surplus food to people in need.
Other 2025 recipients include American Bird Conservancy, which says it works to conserve wild birds and their habitats, and Xavier Society for the Blind, which provides religious reading materials to people with sight impairments. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not stated priorities of the foundation.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation gave 30 grants totaling $183,525. Grants ranged from $650 to $25,663, with a median of $5,100. Among the largest grants were $25,663 to Sisters of St Francis of the Holy Cross, $13,808 to Second Harvest Heartland, $9,838 to New Community Clinic, $9,808 to New Zoo, and $9,808 to Paul’s Pantry. Other notable grants included $9,500 to Friends of Kowak, $9,200 to Catholic Relief Services, and $9,000 to Project Hope.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Linda Boss as director, president, and treasurer; Helen Fisher as director and secretary; Sr Rose Jochman as director; and Kathy Rolling as director and vice-president.
Ruth & William Merkey Foundation is led by Linda Boss, Director, President & Treasurer on every filing since 2021; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Linda Boss
Director, President & Treasurer
On filings since 2021
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Helen Fisher
Director & Secretary
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kathy Rolling
Director & Vice President
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sr Rose Jochman
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "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 Ruth & William Merkey Foundation
How much does Ruth & William Merkey Foundation give each year?
Ruth & William Merkey Foundation gave $184K across 30 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $161K across 30 grants.
What is Ruth & William Merkey Foundation's typical grant size?
Ruth & William Merkey Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,100, and its average grant was $6,118, across 30 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Ruth & William Merkey Foundation give grants?
Ruth & William Merkey Foundation gives mostly in Wisconsin: 50% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Minnesota (10%) and New York (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Green Bay, WI (9 grants) and New York, NY (2 grants).
Does Ruth & William Merkey Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 30 grants with a stated purpose on Ruth & William Merkey Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable" (27 grants) and "Charitalbe" (3 grants).
Who are Ruth & William Merkey Foundation's largest grantees?
Ruth & William Merkey Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Sisters of St Francis of the Holy Cross ($25,663), Second Harvest Heartland ($13,808) and New Community Clinic ($9,838), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 27% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Ruth & William Merkey Foundation?
Ruth & William Merkey Foundation reported $2.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $184K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $183K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Ruth & William Merkey Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. The 2025 grants show support for a range of charitable organizations. For example, Second Harvest Heartland describes its mission as ending hunger through partnerships with food shelves and hunger-relief programs. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Ruth & William Merkey Foundation?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Ruth & William Merkey Foundation's EIN?
Ruth & William Merkey Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-2749281. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Does Ruth & William Merkey 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 2021–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Ruth & William Merkey Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders with grantees in common, and similar funders in Minnesota
Greater Green Bay Community Foundation Inc
Green Bay, WI
The Greater Green Bay Community Foundation funds nonprofit and government projects in areas such as basic needs, education, health, arts, the environment, and youth development across Brown, Kewaunee, and Oconto counties. Its Funds for Greater Green Bay awards are generally up to $20,000, though it also makes larger grants through other programs. It describes an application process but does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$182.8M
Grants
347
Total Given
$15.6M
The Minneapolis Foundation
Minneapolis, MN
The Minneapolis Foundation funds civic, social, and economic needs, including economic mobility, education, health, the environment, arts, and human services, with most grant dollars going to Minnesota. Its 2025 grants had a median of $25,000, though amounts varied widely. It says no funding opportunities are currently open; whether it accepts unsolicited requests is not stated.
Assets
$1.2B
Grants
1,565
Total Given
$121.7M
Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation
St. Paul, MN
The Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation funds community-led work in areas including economic opportunity, health and human services, youth and education, housing, and organizational capacity. Its 2025 grants had a median of $26,000; listed programs offer up to $50,000 for eligible East Metro work and up to $15,000 for qualifying Minnesota organizations. It accepts applications through specific programs, including rolling application opportunities; the Community Solutions Grant Program serves Dakota, Ramsey, and Washington counties.
Assets
$1.7B
Grants
1,473
Total Given
$107.2M
The Richard M Schulze Family Foundation
Minneapolis, MN
The Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation funds education, health care, and human services, including college scholarships, with most support benefiting working- and middle-class families in specified Minnesota and Florida counties; it also makes some national grants. Its 2024 grants had a median of $5,000, though awards ranged from $50 to $10 million. It plans to move to invitation-only grantmaking in 2027; whether it currently accepts unsolicited requests is not stated.
Assets
$218.3M
Grants
1,431
Total Given
$47.9M
Wells Fargo Foundation
Minneapolis, MN
Wells Fargo Foundation funds financial opportunity, affordable housing, small business growth, and some other local community needs across national and eligible local communities. Its 2025 grants ranged from $3,000 to $8 million, with a median of $35,000. It does not accept unsolicited requests; eligible organizations may submit a grant interest form to be considered for an invitation.
Assets
$8.6M
Grants
1,376
Total Given
$157.4M
C K Blandin Foundation
Grand Rapids, MN
The C K Blandin Foundation funds rural Minnesota projects that build community wealth, improve rural places, strengthen small communities, and support capacity-building, with a primary focus on the Grand Rapids area. Rural grants are typically $25,000–$150,000; it does not accept unsolicited requests, offering opportunities through invitations or competitive RFPs.
Assets
$506.3M
Grants
931
Total Given
$15.8M
More similar funders
More Funders in Minnesota
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Ruth & William Merkey Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/ruth-and-william-merkey-foundation-morg_cefe442204ff4dfeb685b700ff741b0f
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_262749281_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Ruth \& William Merkey Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/ruth-and-william-merkey-foundation-morg_cefe442204ff4dfeb685b700ff741b0f},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 Ruth & William Merkey 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.
Ruth & William Merkey Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?