Ruth & William Merkey Foundation
Ruth & William Merkey Foundation is a private foundation focused on Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, based in PLYMOUTH, MN. IRS filing data is available from 2021 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $2.0M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 30 grants totaling $184K. Net investment income was $172K.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$2.0M
+1.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$184K
+14.3% YoY
Grant Count
30
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$6K
+14.3% YoY
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.
About Ruth & William Merkey Foundation
Based on IRS filings
Ruth & William Merkey Foundation is a private foundation focused on Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, based in PLYMOUTH, MN. IRS filing data is available from 2021 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $2.0M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 30 grants totaling $184K. Net investment income was $172K.
Focus Areas
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $1,975,855 | $1,948,883 | $1,975,294 |
| Revenue | $216,577 | $139,954 | $122,046 |
| Expenses | $189,605 | $166,365 | $180,436 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $183,525 | $160,503 | $174,819 |
| Net Investment Income | $172,086 | $120,029 | $117,559 |
| Distributable Amount | $182,966 | $161,768 | $164,885 |
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 2025
Grant Size Distribution
150 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest include Sisters of St Francis of the Holy Cross ($25,663), Second Harvest Heartland ($13,808), New Community Clinic ($9,838).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ADOPT-A-NATIVE-ELDER SALT LAKE CITY, UT | CHARITABLE | $5,000 |
| AMERICAN BIRD CONSERVANCY THE PLALINS, VA | CHARITABLE | $1,650 |
| BENEDICTINE MISSION HOUSE SCHULER, NE | CHARITABLE | $5,200 |
| CATHOLIC FOUNDATION GREEN BAY, WI | CHARITABLE | $2,400 |
| CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES BALTIMORE, MD | CHARITABLE | $9,200 |
| COMMUNITY BIBLE STUDY INTERNATIONAL N AFRICA COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | CHARITABLE | $3,300 |
| CROSIER BROTHERS AND FATHERS ONAMIA, MN | CHARITABLE | $5,200 |
| DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS NEW YORK, NY | CHARITABLE | $7,200 |
| EWTN IRONDALE, AL | CHARITABLE | $1,000 |
| FRANCISCAN MISSIONS WATERFORD, WI | CHARITABLE | $3,600 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| LINDA BOSS | DIRECTOR/PRESIDENT/TREAS | 4 | — |
| HELEN FISHER | DIRECTOR/SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| SR ROSE JOCHMAN | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| KATHY ROLLING | DIRECTOR/VICE-PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Ruth & William Merkey Foundation?
Ruth & William Merkey Foundation is a private foundation focused on Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, based in PLYMOUTH, MN. It holds $2.0M in total assets as of 2025.
How large is Ruth & William Merkey Foundation?
As of 2025, Ruth & William Merkey Foundation holds $2.0M in total assets with $217K in annual revenue. It awarded 30 grants totaling $184K in 2025.
Where does Ruth & William Merkey Foundation operate?
Ruth & William Merkey Foundation has awarded grants in Alabama, Colorado, Kansas, Massachusetts, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nebraska, New York, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin.
What size grants does Ruth & William Merkey Foundation award?
In 2025, Ruth & William Merkey Foundation awarded 30 grants totaling $184K — an average of about $6K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Ruth & William Merkey Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2025, Ruth & William Merkey Foundation reported a distributable amount of $183K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
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.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Ruth & William Merkey Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.