The Esther and Carl Merklein
The Esther and Carl Merklein is a private foundation based in Phillipsburg, Kansas. It supports charitable organizations, with its 2025 grants going primarily to Kansas recipients and including local charities, churches, a library, and organizations addressing arts, food pantry, and disaster relief needs.
Key facts about The Esther and Carl Merklein
In short: The Esther and Carl Merklein gave $44K across 13 grants in 2025 (avg $3K), mostly in Kansas. 8% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 35-2291944
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $43,968
- Grants made (2025)
- 13
- Average grant
- $3,382
- Median grant
- $1,587
- New grantees (estimate)
- 8% first-time grantees (1 of 13, 2025; small sample)
- Total assets
- $824,798
- Primary geography
- Kansas (94% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests; it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$825K
-1.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$44K
-2.0% YoY
Grant Count
13
+8.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$3K
-9.5% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Esther and Carl Merklein reported a distributable amount of $51K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is The Esther and Carl Merklein open to new grantees?
8%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 1 of 13 grantees (8%) were first-time recipients. With only 13 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $4K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $2K repeat.
- 85% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−6%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 94% 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 (2021–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its grants show support for charitable, religious, community, arts, food pantry, and disaster relief purposes. One recipient, the Huck Boyd Foundation, describes its own mission as encouraging rural planning, development, economic growth, leadership, continuing education, cultural enrichment, heritage preservation, and improved communications and technology.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 13 grants totaling $43,968. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $17,996, with a median grant of $1,587. Its largest grants included $17,996 to the Huck Boyd Foundation for an arts program and local charities grant; $4,397 to the Phillipsburg City Library for a vision charity grant; and $3,608 to Zion Lutheran Church for charity. Other reported awards included $3,500 to the Phillips County Ministerial Alliance for a food pantry grant and $3,384 to Emanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church for Lutheran charities.
The foundation’s 2024 filing identifies direct charitable activity as “Phillipsburg County Ministerial Alliance--Charity.” It also states that the foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
How to Apply
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests; it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. No application materials or further application process are specified.
Ready to take the next step with The Esther and Carl Merklein?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 94% of grant dollars went to Kansas recipients. The remaining reported shares went to Iowa (2%), Oklahoma (2%), and Virginia (1%). The listed 2025 grants include multiple recipients in Phillipsburg, Kansas.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 13 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $44K (2025) to $47K (2023). In 2025 it made 13 grants totaling $44K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Huck Boyd Foundation ($18K). Together the top 10 received $41K.
Grant Size Distribution
60 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 60 grants of 60 (100%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Huck Boyd Foundation Phillipsburg, KS | Arts Program Grant & Local Charities Grant | $17,996 |
| Phillipsburg City Library Phillipsburg, KS | Vision Charity Grant | $4,397 |
| Zion Lutheran Church Phillipsburg, KS | Charity | $3,608 |
| Phillips County Ministerial Allianc Phillipsburg, KS | Food Pantry Grant | $3,500 |
| Emanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church Stuttgart, KS | Lutheran Charities | $3,384 |
| Phillipsburg Christian Church Phillipsburg, KS | Local Missions Grant | $2,996 |
| Phillips County Community Foundatio Phillipsburg, KS | Local Charity | $1,587 |
| Lutheran Disaster Response Stuttgart, KS | Disaster Relief Assistance | $1,500 |
| The Play Space Phillipsburg, KS | GRANT | $1,500 |
| Wartburg Theological Seminary Debuque, IA | Lutheran Charity Grant | $1,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $824,798 | $43,231 | $57,359 | $43,968 |
| 2024 | $838,926 | $50,941 | $59,948 | $44,865 |
| 2023 | $847,933 | $43,319 | $62,249 | $47,065 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $824,798 | $838,926 | $847,933 |
| Revenue | $43,231 | $50,941 | $43,319 |
| Expenses | $57,359 | $59,948 | $62,249 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $48,332 | $51,132 | $52,985 |
| Net Investment Income | $34,633 | $42,125 | $34,563 |
| Distributable Amount | $51,458 | $50,234 | $50,786 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Brett Biggs as president; Rance Ames as secretary; Jeff Weishaar as treasurer; Paula Schilowsky as assistant treasurer; and Robert L. Bennight and John George as directors.
The Esther and Carl Merklein is led by Brett Biggs, President on every filing since 2021; 5 of 6 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Brett Biggs
President
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
$1K (2021) → $1K (2025)
John George
Director
Treasurer → Director, 2025
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
$1K (2021) → $1K (2025)
Robert L. Bennight
Director
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
$1K (2021) → $1K (2025)
Paula Schilowsky
Assistant Treasurer
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
$1K (2021) → $1K (2025)
Rance Ames
Secretary
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
$1K (2021) → $1K (2025)
Jeff Weishaar
Treasurer
New on the 2025 filing
0.5 hrs/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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $1K, to Brett Biggs (President). 5 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 503, Phillipsburg, KS 67661
Frequently asked questions about The Esther and Carl Merklein
How much does The Esther and Carl Merklein give each year?
The Esther and Carl Merklein gave $44K across 13 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $45K across 12 grants.
What is The Esther and Carl Merklein's typical grant size?
The Esther and Carl Merklein's median grant in 2025 was $1,587, and its average grant was $3,382, across 13 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Esther and Carl Merklein that year got $2K on average.
Where does The Esther and Carl Merklein give grants?
The Esther and Carl Merklein gives mostly in Kansas: 94% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Phillipsburg, KS (8 grants) and Stuttgart, KS (2 grants).
Does The Esther and Carl Merklein give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 13 grants with a stated purpose on The Esther and Carl Merklein's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are The Esther and Carl Merklein's largest grantees?
The Esther and Carl Merklein's largest 2025 grantees include Huck Boyd Foundation ($17,996), Phillipsburg City Library ($4,397) and Zion Lutheran Church ($3,608), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 59% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Esther and Carl Merklein?
The Esther and Carl Merklein reported $825K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $48K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $51K (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 The Esther and Carl Merklein fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its grants show support for charitable, religious, community, arts, food pantry, and disaster relief purposes. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Esther and Carl Merklein?
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 Esther and Carl Merklein's EIN?
The Esther and Carl Merklein's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 35-2291944. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Does The Esther and Carl Merklein 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.
Here's the math on researching The Esther and Carl Merklein by hand.
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