The Carol L Merlone Educational Foundation
The Carol L Merlone Educational Foundation is a private foundation based in Los Angeles, California. Its 2024 filing reports scholarship-fund grants to educational institutions and other charitable organizations.
The Carol L Merlone Educational Foundation at a glance
In short: The Carol L Merlone Educational Foundation gave $737K across 24 grants in 2024 (avg $31K), mostly in California. 38% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $737,444
- +31.6% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 24
- +41.2% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $30,727
- -6.8% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $2,641,078
- -18.4% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 38% first-time grantees (9 of 24, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- California (87% 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 The Carol L Merlone Educational Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests; it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. No application materials or other application process are stated.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1880 Century Park E1600, Los Angeles, CA 90067
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Carol L Merlone Educational Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was UCLA Foundation ($299K). Together the top 10 received $675K.
Grant Size Distribution
73 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 59 grants of 73 (81%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, California recipients received 87% of grant dollars. Massachusetts, the District of Columbia, New York, and Illinois each received 2%. The listed grants also include recipients in Michigan, New Hampshire, and Connecticut.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 24 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Carol L Merlone Educational Foundation open to new grantees?
38%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 9 of 24 grantees (38%) were first-time recipients. With only 24 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 4 points. First grants averaged $14K; repeat grants $41K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 63% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 99% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 346% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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 $96K (2020) to $737K (2024). In 2024 it made 24 grants totaling $737K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| UCLA Foundation Los Angeles, CA | Scholarship Fund | $299,246 |
| Sigma Nu Alumni Scholarhship Fund Los Angeles, CA | Scholarship Fund | $164,640 |
| Uc Regents Oakland, CA | Scholarship Fund | $74,999 |
| Karma Club Teens San Rafael, CA | Scholarship Fund | $62,500 |
| Georgetown University Washington, DC | Scholarship Fund | $15,000 |
| Stanford University Stanford, CA | Scholarship Fund | $15,000 |
| Northwestern University Evanston, IL | Scholarship Fund | $13,332 |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA | Scholarship Fund | $10,000 |
| Skidmore College Saratoga Springs, NY | Scholarship Fund | $10,000 |
| University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI | Scholarship Fund | $10,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Carol L Merlone Educational 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 | $2,641,078 | $460,667 | $780,326 | $737,444 | 24 | $737,444 | $80,171 | $213,022 |
| 2023 | $3,237,659 | $577,590 | $585,590 | $560,446 | 17 | $560,446 | $230,687 | $187,916 |
| 2022 | $3,404,023 | $697,845 | $439,955 | $399,032 | 14 | $425,282 | $635,221 | $181,780 |
| 2021 | $3,146,133 | $848,311 | $377,119 | $370,614 | 12 | $371,152 | $863,733 | $178,251 |
| 2020 | $2,674,941 | $1,751,193 | $104,673 | $95,834 | 6 | — | $81,849 | $90,334 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Carol L Merlone Educational Foundation reported a distributable amount of $213K 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
The available filing information does not state a mission. In 2024, all of the listed largest grants were designated for scholarship funds. The supported organizations’ missions vary: for example, UCLA Foundation describes itself as UCLA’s giving, receiving, and investing arm, while Northwestern University says it is committed to teaching, research, and students’ personal and intellectual growth. These are the grantees’ descriptions, not stated missions of the foundation.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 24 grants totaling $737,444. Grants ranged from $533 to $299,246, with a median of $5,000. Its largest grants included $299,246 to UCLA Foundation, $164,640 to Sigma Nu Alumni Scholarship Fund, $74,999 to UC Regents, and $62,500 to Karma Club Teens—all designated for scholarship funds. Other listed recipients included Georgetown University ($15,000), Stanford University ($15,000), Northwestern University ($13,332), Massachusetts Institute of Technology ($10,000), Skidmore College ($10,000), and the University of Michigan ($10,000).
The foundation states on its 2024 IRS filing that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Kristen L Merlone as president and director; Kathryn M Golueke, Juliana M Carlson, Gina M Marek, Joseph Merlone, and Michael Merlone as directors; and Peter Merlone as CFO, secretary, and director.
The Carol L Merlone Educational Foundation is led by Kristen L. Merlone, President & Director on every filing since 2020; 1 of 7 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Kristen L. Merlone
President & Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kathryn M. Golueke
Director
On filings since 2020
$12K (2022) → $12K (2024)
Gina M. Marek
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Joseph Merlone
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Juliana M. Carlson
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Michael Merlone
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Peter Merlone
CFO, Secretary & Director
On filings since 2020
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $12K, to Kathryn M Golueke (Director).
Frequently asked questions about The Carol L Merlone Educational Foundation
How much does The Carol L Merlone Educational Foundation give each year?
The Carol L Merlone Educational Foundation gave $737K across 24 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $560K across 17 grants.
What is The Carol L Merlone Educational Foundation's typical grant size?
The Carol L Merlone Educational Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $30,727, across 24 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Carol L Merlone Educational Foundation that year got $14K on average.
Where does The Carol L Merlone Educational Foundation give grants?
The Carol L Merlone Educational Foundation gives mostly in California: 87% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Los Angeles, CA (5 grants).
Does The Carol L Merlone Educational Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 24 grants with a stated purpose on The Carol L Merlone Educational Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Scholarship Fund" (21 grants).
Who are The Carol L Merlone Educational Foundation's largest grantees?
The Carol L Merlone Educational Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include UCLA Foundation ($299,246), Sigma Nu Alumni Scholarhship Fund ($164,640) and Uc Regents ($74,999), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 73% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Carol L Merlone Educational Foundation?
The Carol L Merlone Educational Foundation reported $2.6M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $737K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $213K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Carol L Merlone Educational Foundation fund?
The available filing information does not state a mission. In 2024, all of the listed largest grants were designated for scholarship funds. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Carol L Merlone Educational Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests; it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Carol L Merlone Educational Foundation's EIN?
The Carol L Merlone Educational Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 84-3123464. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Carol L Merlone Educational 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). The Carol L Merlone Educational Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 4, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-carol-l-merlone-educational-foundation-morg_d47e974775074e06a5d0008e9c49ec25
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_843123464_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Carol L Merlone Educational Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-carol-l-merlone-educational-foundation-morg_d47e974775074e06a5d0008e9c49ec25},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-04. 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 The Carol L Merlone Educational 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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